From The Point: Duncan Malcolm, Rep at Bacchus Marsh Grammar

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Duncan Malcolm, speaking up

Duncan is a born Rep, a self-described “leftie” always asking questions who wants every student to get an opportunity to learn. Here, he speaks about the challenges of Victorian weather, the Covid years and keeping things personal in a big, growing school.

How did you come to work at Bacchus Marsh Grammar (BMG) and become the IEU Rep there?

Having left the UK in Aug 2017 – because of Brexit – I initially headed “down under” to Perth, my favourite area. Sorry Victoria, while you may have the best coffee, the weather is too good over there. Finding an ongoing position there wasn’t easy and so I applied to any job anywhere in the country. I always used to joke that I would work anywhere apart from Sydney or Melbourne and… Well, the cards which were dealt decided that Melbourne would be the winner!

The opportunity came up at BMG and I remember submitting my application whilst seated at a café in Perth on a sunny winter’s day (take note Victoria!). One month later I was interviewed via Zoom and I was appointed.

I became the IEU Rep at BMG by chance. I was a school Rep in the UK, but in a strange position because I also occupied a middle leadership role. I had promised to keep my head down and my opinions to myself when I started at BMG. However, that didn’t last long, and I suppose I was elected by virtue of having always asked questions and spoken up – something that is needed to aid any good employer-employee relationship. I have often been told that I say what many are thinking.

What were the biggest challenges as a teacher and Rep when you first started, and now?

I think the biggest challenge as a teacher and Rep when I started was the sudden onset of Covid and the need to adopt a totally new way of working. It wasn’t easy for anyone. Teachers need support, as do students when working in a high-pressured environment and during the “Covid Years” we had more IEU meetings just to stay connected and check in with each other.

As for now, we all know that the biggest challenge is the financial situation. It is hitting us all hard and ensuring that wages and conditions do not take a backwards step is really on everyone’s mind. I do worry that some teachers will see membership cancellation as way to enact savings – which will be detrimental should they need advice and help at any point in the future. Please don’t abandon your membership! We want you to be protected and have the support of the IEU should you ever need us.

What unique challenges does a fast-growing school present for staff and unionists?

The biggest challenge, in my view, is that with rapid growth people will no longer have the human interaction and concern for each other that comes with small schools. In the UK I was in a school of 36.7 FTE members of staff – now I am in one of the biggest schools in Victoria with over 3000 students and hundreds of staff!

Communication between all stakeholders is the key to success. I urge all members to keep the social interactions of our profession alive – your colleagues need a simple “hello” as much as anyone else in a school. When we lose that human touch with each other, we risk losing it with students – we are a caring profession after all.

Being a unionist, for me at least, means helping our members, encouraging others to join – but also reaching out to non-members when we can. If they see how we can help each other in times of strife they will often come on board later.

What are your hopes for the future of your school and for the staff there?

Every member wishes their students to achieve their personal best. Every member wishes to see their contributions continued to be valued and recognised for the hard work which they put in.

Negotiations will start next year for the new Enterprise Agreement, and I fear that these will be more difficult than was previously the case, given the economic situation at present. I may or may not be part of that, that all depends on the membership at BMG. At least Rep tenures are longer than those of an Australian PM!

I would hope that our school will continue to grow in popularity and that its enrolments will continue to match those of many older and more expensive independent schools in Victoria. I would also like to think that we will continue to provide an excellent education at a much cheaper cost than other schools for all in the west of Melbourne.

As a “leftie” I have always believed that lack of money should not preclude any student from having a good education and the means to achieving their individual goals. That is one of my guiding tenets.