Deputy General Secretary: The vital importance of IEU Reps
The strength of the IEU comes from members in workplaces working together to be united, strong, organised and active about issues that impact them at work.
At the very heart of this and vital to the successful work of the union is the elected IEU workplace Rep, who fulfils a crucial role connecting members, ensuring they have up to date advice and information and working with IEU staff to ensure that concerns and issues are resolved.
The union is only as strong as its Reps and members. Our strength enabled us to achieve the wages and conditions members enjoy today.
IEU Reps are workplace leaders, and they also work as part of a team with members and expert staff at the union office to support, advise and assist. A good Rep is gold, but a trained Rep is a diamond-crusted gold superhero.
That’s why we fought to ensure paid trade union training is an entitlement for as many Reps as possible. Reps working in Catholic education in Victoria and Tasmania and many independent schools have paid training entitlements as part of their workplace Agreements. In other schools, we negotiate leave where the union covers replacement costs or covers wages so Reps can participate in training. Sadly, there are still other Reps with no access to formal training, who must instead rely on IEU Organisers to coach them through issues on a case-by-case basis.
As many of you would know I am passionate about all things education. This includes ‘union education’ such as Rep training. As with all effective education, Rep training is transformational. It helps to grow our union by developing skills around recruitment, and it helps to grow our power and influence as a force of good at workgroup, workplace, sector and industry level by connecting members with their voice and power in decisions that impact them.
As part of the Closing Loopholes reforms, new federal legislation has amended the Fair Work Act to provide specific rights and protections for the important work undertaken by elected Reps. Thanks to these amendments, Reps now have legally enforceable rights to access training, to communicate with their colleagues and to be the legitimate voice of their union in the workplace - see our article on page 6 for more details of these hugely important changes.
What’s often overlooked is that robust, cooperative delegate structures which help resolve disputes and facilitate change also benefit employers and workplaces – and, at the end of the day, students.
These improvements to the industrial relations landscape are important because they allow those doing the work to be involved in making the work. In our case that means making the delivery of education in non-government settings the best it can be for students and for workers.
Stronger together!