In this Implementation Update, the first for 2010, topics include the upcoming Salary Increases, New Educator Entitlements, Genetal Agreement Implementaion and also advise relating to Interim or Inter-Semester Reports.

SALARY INCREASES

• (a)    Conversion of Advanced Skills Teacher to Senior Teacher [ GA Schedule A] – as of the 1st full pay period in February 2010 AST teachers will move to the Senior Teacher 2 salary increment. Each AST employee should have received a letter from DET  re this transition.
• (b)    Structural Adjustment [GA Schedule B] – as of the pay period ending 4/02/10 at every incremental level a structural adjustment increase will be applied.

Union Reps and members are urged to take the opportunity to celebrate this gain at the worksite. A gain achieved through the hard work, commitment and action of our Union and its members.

NEW EDUCATORS

Over the last few Agreements the Union has achieved much for new educators. Not only do we want to promote the work of the Union in this area, but we want to ensure that each new educator is receiving their entitlements.

NEW EDUCATOR ENTITLEMENTS:

• (a)    Graduate Allowance [Clause 19.1]:  $1600 pa in 1st and 2nd year. Direct to teacher.
• (b)    Graduate Release Time [Clause 19.2(a)]: additional non-contact time in 1st year. 80m per week in high school; 77m per week in primary school.
• (c)    Graduate Professional Learning Program [Clause 19.2(b)]: through 1st and 2nd year of teaching, 4 modules over 8 days; provision for release during school or payment if out of hours.
• (d)    Graduate Teacher Support [Clause 19.2(c)]: regular in-class and mentor support.

Union Reps are asked to ensure graduates/ new educators [1st & 2nd year] are receiving entitlements and to use these benefits to promote union membership of grads.

GENERAL  AGREEMENT/ AWARD AND IMPLEMENTATION

Please be familiar with the conditions in your Agreement / Award. The conditions have been hard fought to gain. Each and every one of us has an obligation to ensure those conditions are being applied in workplaces.    

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO MEMBERS

RE: Proposed Enforcement proceedings of clause 54 of the General Agreement

THE FOLLOWING ADVICE WAS ISSUED FROM THE UNION TO MEMBERS IN IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE  December 14 2008.

DET sent a communication “SSTU advice to members on Interim Reporting Obligations for Teachers” in the Ed-e-Mail 16 December 2009.

The Union advises that the following communication still applies to members.

UNION ADVICE: By this notice, the Union wishes to advise members that their obligation to report their students’ progress in a formal way - or that is reduced to “ writing”, to parents/caregivers is governed by clause 54 of the General Agreement; wherein it is prescribed that teachers are to do so at the end of each Semester.

Therefore, consistent with previous communications to members; the Union hereby advises that the Department/school is not authorised to force or compel teachers to complete formal or written “interim” or “inter-semester” reports.

As members may be aware, the Department has circulated a “revised” version of its Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting policy, which is purported to become effective as per the 1 January 2010. At dot-point 2, on page 5 of that policy, in an ill-conceived way, the Department is still alleging that the compilation of “interim” report is still an option of “informal reporting” available to teachers; although the reference appears to be at the discretion of the professional judgement of the teacher.

By the term “interim” or “inter-semester” report it is meant a report card, or portfolio or any other formalised written report, recording the students’ academic progress that a school may be planning to issue, indiscriminately – or, that is, as a matter of course - at the end of Term 1 or term 3. Obviously, teachers do report to parents in other ways throughout the year – such as, through parents’ interviews; or on a need basis; or informal telephone discussions; or ad-hoc pre-formatted written letters – and, importantly, such other ways of reporting to parents are not affected by this advice.

Regrettably, the inclusion of this provision is confusing in that it might lead to a situation whereby a specific school might, in a misguided way, seek to force its teachers to compile written interim reports.

The Union hereby reiterates that in the event that such a situation arises, the affected members are to contact the Union immediately, which in turn will instigate enforcement proceedings against the Department on behalf of the potentially affected members as a matter of urgency.

In conclusion, the Union will have no hesitation to take action to protect members’ employment conditions as these are codified in the General Agreement and requests the cooperation and assistance of all of its members in order to do so.

{quickdown:392}