SSTUWA - State School Teachers' Union of Western Australia

Executive endorses a SAY NO! Campaign

Executive has become increasingly concerned at some activities in schools which are eroding teacher and school leader conditions. At the August 3 & 4 Executive the following resolutions were carried unanimously:

The 3&4 August 2012 Executive received a report on issues and concerns associated with the implementation of our new agreement, GA 2011.

Included in the report was an update on the dispute between the Union and DoE re the use of the 2 ½ hours per FTE funding provided to schools for performance management (Are you getting teacher relief to release you to attend your initial and final performance management meetings? If not, maybe you should ask how this resource is being used in your school.) This matter is in the WAIRC.

As well, Executive heard about another dispute at a school where teachers have had their DOTT scheduled to occur after student instruction time has finished.

In another dispute were we are assisting members, it has been proposed that staff have to participate in meetings of over 30 minutes per week in their DOTT.

It would appear the Department’s Labour Relations Unit may be advising school leaders that the previous ‘whole of staff meetings time … x2 1 hour meetings’ are not part of the current Clause 9 ‘x5 hours of whole of staff meetings’. This is not the case.

As well, we have discovered that the Department’s Labour Relations Unit is explicitly advising school leaders that they should not contact the Union for advice or assistance regarding implementation of the GA 2011. This is an appalling state of affairs and will be raised formally with the Director General.

Executive was disturbed to hear such reports and has endorsed the launch of a SAY NO! Campaign. This campaign will be designed to:

• (a) raise awareness of members as to the conditions in our Agreement; and
• (b) support members and branches in ensuring that conditions are not eroded.

Shortly a SAY NO! Campaign Kit will be available to your worksite.

Below are the Executive resolutions underpinning the SAY NO! Campaign. The engagement and support of every member is important. You cannot afford to have your conditions undermined within months of a new Agreement being registered.