IEU Tasmanian Catholic campaign ‘blitz’!
From 18-22 March, IEU staff visited Catholic schools all over the state to help members fight for a long overdue Agreement.
IEU Organisers and Reps updated all staff on the state of bargaining and are already reporting plenty of new member sign-ups, which grows the power of the union to demand improvements to conditions.
Staff are frustrated. They simply can’t understand why their employer is refusing to get this deal done. It’s been over two years since the expiry of the last IEU-negotiated Agreement.
On day one, a member spoke for many by saying, "Are they actually trying to make Catholic schools second-rate workplaces? What would that mean for our students?"
Staff at Sacred Heart School Launceston get behind the 2 years too long campaign.
One of the key issues concerning staff is the lack of parity between the Catholic sector and government schools on parental leave.
One member said, “Working for a family-focused organisation and now being pregnant I feel that it is deeply unfair that if I were to have a child whilst working for a government school I would have four extra weeks of paid leave”.
“I feel upset and hurt that I will have less time with my child in such a vital time of their life purely because an agreement can't be met.”
That member says she loves her school, its staff, and its students “but unfortunately waiting for the new agreement has made these last few years quite frustrating and upsetting for me”.
The Tasmanian Catholic Education Office (TCEO) claim to increase the number of days teachers are required to work is another slap in the face for staff.
They are telling the union that teachers are already overworked due to due to extra duties continually being added to their daily loads on top of increased emotional demands from students and parents. They say the TCEO claim to add four more days of work “is doing the opposite of reducing the load".
Justin Brasnja, Rep at Corpus Christi, takes a bite out of overdue workplace improvements.
Unsurprisingly, the TCEO claim to be able to move staff to schools as far as 65 km from their homes is considered “far too excessive”, adding further stress and exhaustion to an already demanding job.
Aside from the work/life demands of long commutes, what about the plight of teachers with their own children attending the school they work in?
To fight the TCEO’s retrograde, last minute claims, staff are making collective commitments unique to each school. Some have agreed that all staff will wear “2 years too long” campaign badges for a week. Some have committed to meet as a group with banners at the school gates and march in together, others to wear IEU merchandise on inter-school faith days, at school dinners and at parent-teacher interviews.
So far, IEU badges and stickers are flying off the tables and ‘2 years too long’ cookies are proving popular conversation starters. Union staff report that the subject of those conversations is more often the new Tasmanian AFL team the Devils than Saturday’s state election!
But for such resolute and overworked educators, talk is never far from the deal:
“Wouldn't it be great to approve things such as parity of parental leave so that mothers and fathers can enter this new school year with parity and a strong message from head office that family and a child's development are of the utmost importance?
“Wouldn't it be great to also have the best work conditions and staff wellbeing alongside the goal of raising our student’s achievements?
“And wouldn't it be good to keep people within a reasonable distance from their homes so work-life balance and even supporting the environment were prioritised?
“And perhaps asking staff first if they would like a move and trying to accommodate needs in schools, but also people’s autonomy, would stop them feeling like a number in a system.
“What a great outcome that would be for the office, staff, students and everyone involved in Tasmania Catholic Education.”
Tasmanian Catholic members deserve the following improvements, to match those already in place in government schools:
full payment of the Lower Income Payments delivered in government schools
a reduction in scheduled class time for primary teachers (to match government schools)
a better School Support Employees classification and wages structure
improved paid parental leave entitlements
top-up payments for Deputy Principals and Education Officers
15 days personal leave for all staff
workload reductions for graduate teachers and mentors
limits to meetings
preparation time for Teacher Assistants.
What IEU members in Tasmanian Catholic education can do:
Invite non-members to join you in your union. We need to keep growing to win this campaign!
Keep the conversations going in your workplace.
Support your Rep! A campaign like this is demanding for our hard-working Reps, and your support will mean a lot.