FEDERAL ELECTION 2007FEDERAL ELECTION 2007

Industrial Relations Issues for Industrial Relations Issues for Teachers and Allied Staff Teachers and Allied Staff

First, a word from the First, a word from the Minister…Minister…

Federal Minister Bishop says she’s Federal Minister Bishop says she’s been ‘signposting performance pay been ‘signposting performance pay for quite some time. If people wanted for quite some time. If people wanted to join the dots it’s all there’ (SMH to join the dots it’s all there’ (SMH 11/5/07)11/5/07)

Which dots?Which dots?

Julie with some of the students Julie with some of the students from the village…(of the from the village…(of the

damned…follow the eyes)damned…follow the eyes)

Julie with more friends from Julie with more friends from the village the village

Performance pay for teachers Performance pay for teachers will be required as a condition will be required as a condition of federal funding from 2008 of federal funding from 2008

The Prime Minister in his “Australia The Prime Minister in his “Australia Rising” speech said performance pay Rising” speech said performance pay for teachers is “an idea whose time for teachers is “an idea whose time has come” but that the has come” but that the Commonwealth wouldn’t wait for the Commonwealth wouldn’t wait for the states to agree…it would be a states to agree…it would be a condition of funding in future. condition of funding in future.

Coercive federalismCoercive federalism

I invented coercive federalism I invented coercive federalism for schools and TAFEfor schools and TAFE

The Schools Assistance Act The Schools Assistance Act 2004-7 required of the states:2004-7 required of the states:

Consistency in schooling between Consistency in schooling between systemssystems

Performance targets and measuresPerformance targets and measures Student reportsStudent reports School outcomesSchool outcomes Student outcomesStudent outcomes Australian values and drug useAustralian values and drug use

And…And…

National curriculum standards National curriculum standards Common national testing Common national testing Information on PD expenditureInformation on PD expenditure More autonomy for principals over More autonomy for principals over

appointmentsappointments Safer schools and Phys EdSafer schools and Phys Ed National information for students National information for students

movingmoving

The SAW Act 2005The SAW Act 2005

Requires TAFE colleges to comply with Requires TAFE colleges to comply with Skilling Australia’s Workforce Skilling Australia’s Workforce requirements to get 2005-8 funding by requirements to get 2005-8 funding by offering AWAs or other individual offering AWAs or other individual contractscontracts

In Higher Ed, with HEWRR requirements, In Higher Ed, with HEWRR requirements, Bishop promises after the election to Bishop promises after the election to make these work conceding that the unis make these work conceding that the unis won the ‘first round’won the ‘first round’

Federal budget 2007 Federal budget 2007 announced new funding announced new funding

requirements for schools requirements for schools National teacher training & registrationNational teacher training & registration Core standards for curricula & Y12 Core standards for curricula & Y12

external assessment external assessment Principals to hire and fire teachers & staffPrincipals to hire and fire teachers & staff Performance pay for teachersPerformance pay for teachers Reporting school and student Reporting school and student

performance against national benchmarks performance against national benchmarks

Julie Bishop says teachers Julie Bishop says teachers should perform to get paid like should perform to get paid like

other people… other people…

Like Macquarie Bank CEO Allan Moss Like Macquarie Bank CEO Allan Moss who was paid $33.5 million in 2006, who was paid $33.5 million in 2006, up 58%? ….equal to 550 teacher’ up 58%? ….equal to 550 teacher’ salaries!salaries!

MacBank’s top 13 execs got $207 MacBank’s top 13 execs got $207 million, up 51% p.a. million, up 51% p.a.

ACOSS said the bonuses were ACOSS said the bonuses were “excessive and unjustified”“excessive and unjustified”

John Howard regretted them but John Howard regretted them but said“that’s capitalism”said“that’s capitalism”

The Financial Review said it was right The Financial Review said it was right that shareholders should get the best that shareholders should get the best and pay the market rate for them and pay the market rate for them

The Coalition says…The Coalition says…

Performance pay for teachers should Performance pay for teachers should be based on student or school be based on student or school results. results.

But ACER research commissioned by But ACER research commissioned by DEST found: ‘In summary, many pay DEST found: ‘In summary, many pay for performance schemes have been for performance schemes have been tried over 150 years and most have tried over 150 years and most have failed.’ (Full report on ACER site)failed.’ (Full report on ACER site)

ACER findings ACER findings

Schemes failed “because they have not Schemes failed “because they have not gained the support of the stakeholders…gained the support of the stakeholders…most notably teachers and school most notably teachers and school administrators”administrators”

Standards-based schemes are now Standards-based schemes are now possible which provide incentives and possible which provide incentives and recognition to teachers to move to high recognition to teachers to move to high standards of professional performance standards of professional performance that improve student outcomes. that improve student outcomes.

So how should teachers be So how should teachers be paid? paid?

‘‘So how should we reward teachers? We So how should we reward teachers? We shouldn’t. They are not pets. They shouldn’t. They are not pets. They should be paid well, freed from should be paid well, freed from misguided directions, treated with misguided directions, treated with respect and provided with the support respect and provided with the support they need to help their students they need to help their students become increasingly proficient and become increasingly proficient and enthusiastic learners.’ US educator and enthusiastic learners.’ US educator and author Alfie Kohn author Alfie Kohn

The AEU supports professional salaries for The AEU supports professional salaries for the performance of professional roles and the performance of professional roles and responsibilities at a level competitive with responsibilities at a level competitive with other professionsother professions

Supports a new category of Accomplished Supports a new category of Accomplished Teachers, established above the Teachers, established above the incremental maximum, for teachers who incremental maximum, for teachers who demonstrate professional standards in an demonstrate professional standards in an independent peer-based process independent peer-based process

How is this possible?How is this possible?

Reform of career structures, supported by Reform of career structures, supported by recurrent additional funding, to increase recurrent additional funding, to increase salaries and control workload and stresssalaries and control workload and stress

Incorporation in collectively bargained Incorporation in collectively bargained union agreements to secure gainsunion agreements to secure gains

An industrial relations system where union An industrial relations system where union and employee rights are enforceable and employee rights are enforceable

WORKCHOICES WORKCHOICES

The Act that dare not speak its nameThe Act that dare not speak its name Removes century-long rights to Removes century-long rights to

collective bargaining and union collective bargaining and union representation representation

Lowers the safety net and reduces the Lowers the safety net and reduces the power of the independent umpire power of the independent umpire

Leaves the most vulnerable open to Leaves the most vulnerable open to exploitation via AWAsexploitation via AWAs

Allows unfair dismissal Allows unfair dismissal

AWAsAWAs

75% cut shift work loadings75% cut shift work loadings 68% exclude penalty rates68% exclude penalty rates 57% cut monetary allowances57% cut monetary allowances 52% exclude holiday pay 52% exclude holiday pay

But won’t this all be fixed by But won’t this all be fixed by the ‘fairness test’? the ‘fairness test’?

The test only applies to ‘protected allowable The test only applies to ‘protected allowable award conditions’ traded off by employees award conditions’ traded off by employees earning less than $75,000earning less than $75,000

The test includes considering whether there The test includes considering whether there are ‘family-friendly benefits’ which justified are ‘family-friendly benefits’ which justified trading-off…like ‘I have no alternative’…trading-off…like ‘I have no alternative’…

Also includes “the industry, location or Also includes “the industry, location or economic circumstances of the employer and economic circumstances of the employer and employees” …like I can’t get another job! employees” …like I can’t get another job!

Our rights at work Our rights at work

The ‘fairness test’ is a spectacular measure The ‘fairness test’ is a spectacular measure of the Coalition’s desperation in the face of of the Coalition’s desperation in the face of widespread rejection of its IR policies and widespread rejection of its IR policies and unfair individual employment contracts unfair individual employment contracts (AWAs) in particular(AWAs) in particular

The ALP policy, “Forward with Fairness” is a The ALP policy, “Forward with Fairness” is a real alternative to WorkChoices which real alternative to WorkChoices which addresses many of the demands in ACTU addresses many of the demands in ACTU policy. policy.

So what’s the answer?So what’s the answer?

HOSE OUT HOSE OUT HOWARDHOWARD

The YRAW The YRAW campaign has campaign has made Industrial made Industrial Relations a major Relations a major factor in the factor in the coming federal coming federal election election

History lesson: What happened History lesson: What happened to Stanley Bruce? to Stanley Bruce?

IIn 1929 the conservative Bruce n 1929 the conservative Bruce government was defeated in the House government was defeated in the House and went to an election calling for the and went to an election calling for the abolition of the federal industrial abolition of the federal industrial relations Commission relations Commission

In the subsequent elections Scullin (ALP) In the subsequent elections Scullin (ALP) campaigned in defence of industrial campaigned in defence of industrial arbitration and won a landslide victoryarbitration and won a landslide victory

Polls Polls

The ALP needs a 5% swing which has The ALP needs a 5% swing which has only once before been achieved only once before been achieved since WWII…and even then the since WWII…and even then the incumbent Menzies government was incumbent Menzies government was returned, in 1969.returned, in 1969.

Despite encouraging polls, defeat of Despite encouraging polls, defeat of the Howard Government is by no the Howard Government is by no means assured, and then there is… means assured, and then there is…

The Senate The Senate

The Senate outcome is vital in The Senate outcome is vital in determining the repeal of the Work determining the repeal of the Work Choices provisionsChoices provisions

The Senate cannot change until mid-2008 The Senate cannot change until mid-2008 when either the government will retain when either the government will retain control, (on present polling unlikely), or control, (on present polling unlikely), or the ALP will gain it, (possible but unlikely) the ALP will gain it, (possible but unlikely) or either party will have to rely on minor or either party will have to rely on minor parties and independents parties and independents

ALP policyALP policy

The ALP policy will maintain an The ALP policy will maintain an independent umpire by creating Fair Work independent umpire by creating Fair Work Australia which will regulate agreement-Australia which will regulate agreement-making and create awards in a national making and create awards in a national industrial relations systemindustrial relations system

AWAs will be abolishedAWAs will be abolished Rights for union reps and collective Rights for union reps and collective

bargaining bargaining

The balance of power The balance of power

If the ALP forms government but neither it If the ALP forms government but neither it nor the Coalition achieve a majority in nor the Coalition achieve a majority in their own right, the policies of the Greens their own right, the policies of the Greens and independents such as Family First will and independents such as Family First will be critical in removing ‘Workchoices’be critical in removing ‘Workchoices’

Public educators need to ensure that our Public educators need to ensure that our employment issues are understood by all employment issues are understood by all senators in a new system senators in a new system

The Greens The Greens

Likely to be the most significant minor party, Likely to be the most significant minor party, Greens policy is for: Greens policy is for:

An IR system under an independent tribunal An IR system under an independent tribunal with full powers of conciliation and arbitrationwith full powers of conciliation and arbitration

The restoration and maintenance of strong The restoration and maintenance of strong state and national industrial relations systems state and national industrial relations systems in which workplace and union-led bargaining in which workplace and union-led bargaining is the primary means for obtaining industrial is the primary means for obtaining industrial outcomes. outcomes.

The final push The final push

Community-based ‘Your Rights at Community-based ‘Your Rights at Work’ campaigns in marginal seatsWork’ campaigns in marginal seats

AEU consulting members who are AEU consulting members who are unsure of their voteunsure of their vote

AEU reps and activists assist with AEU reps and activists assist with YRAW activities, discuss issues with YRAW activities, discuss issues with members about employment rights members about employment rights for educatorsfor educators

Because if the Coalition is Because if the Coalition is returned, there will be…returned, there will be…

NO NO HIDING HIDING PLACE! PLACE!