State School Teachers' Union of Western Australia

For over a hundred years teachers, school administrators and lecturers in WA government schools and TAFE colleges have joined together to look after the interests of members and to promote public education.

Members of the SSTUWA have played a key role in working to secure an education system which is as good as any in the world. Our members work hard to ensure their students are taught well and with care and compassion. West Australia's teachers will continue to fight to improve this system for our all our children.

Teachers' Union members in Western Australia have increasingly become involved in national education issues through the Australian Education Union. All SSTUWA members are members of the Australian Education
Union WA Branch and share in the values and ideals of the national body.

Western Australian teacher unionists play an important role in the national body. Local branch members, District and State Council Delegates and Executive members play an increasing role in the national union and WA benefits from involvement in working parties, training and campaigns.

This website has been provided in order to provide a means of communication, not only for its members but society as a whole, as education is an important issue in a progressive, safe and secure society. Feel free to browse the public areas and information available on this site. Members, please register to enjoy the features and resources available in the member only area.

About Unions

Throughout history workers have banded together to build an organisation that empowers them by providing them with a voice, influence and therefore power in the workplace and beyond. This Organisation is known as the Union.

Unions are an essential part of today's workplaces. They provide the individual worker with the structures, the forums, and the organisation which facilitate their ability to meet, to raise issues, to debate and develop agreed policies and solutions. Most importantly of all a Union provides the avenue for individuals to work together and move these policies and solutions into action. Without a union, as workers we stand alone. With a Union we stand together empowered by being united.

A Union is built on its members. The strength, wisdom and unity of members determine the Union's directions and actions.

In the 21st Century unions must deal with a much wider range of issues than those traditionally seen as their business. Pay and conditions are no less important but they are now part of a more complex and difficult social; financial, legal and political environment where the power and influence of multinational financial, industrial and political forces is immense. Unions have become one of the few major and powerful national and international institutions which work for social justice and equity.

Education Unions

One of the many employment areas that have formed a union is the Educational Sector. These unions called the Teachers' Unions have always had a commitment to social justice and equity as well as to the welfare of members. Education plays an even more important role in society in the 21st Century. Teacher Unions influence the direction of education as whole by playing an important role in the decisions made on the subject of education.

This influence is felt throughout both the developed and underdeveloped nations. Teachers' Unions play a very significant role in not only working for better pay and conditions but also for social justice at a national and international level. Teacher unions internationally work together through Education International.

There are unions representing teachers in both public and private education systems across the country.

Government school teachers and administrators have unions in each state and territory and they have a national body, the Australian Education Union. Each state teacher union is either affiliated with the national body or is a branch of the national body. The state unions or branches meet for an annual conference but they work together constantly on many issues.