Agreement Bulletin - Breakthrough

Council notes that the issue of pupil free days remains a barrier to final agreement.

If this barrier can be resolved Council authorises Branch Executive to call off the planned stoppages on May 13, 14, 15 and instructs the negotiators to finalise the wording of an agreement for presentation to a special Joint Primary and Secondary sector Council."

While the discussions have resulted in some realignment of the 3 pupil free days, there is no diminution of pupil free days and no reduction in teacher holiday arrangements.

Branch Executive has met and consistent with the Joint Primary and Secondary Sector Council decision has called off the planned May 13, 14, and 15 stoppages.

Key Features of the In Principle Agreement

Victorian teachers at the top of the incremental scale will become the highest paid teachers in Australia at $75,500. Graduate teacher salaries will also be the highest at $51,184 The NSW figures are $75,352 and $50,522 respectively.

Effective date of increases is the pay period beginning May 11, 2008 subject to the agreement being ratified by AEU members and then a ballot of principals and teachers.

No loss of holidays and no loss of pupil free days, however a change to the configuration of the pupil free days. No more than three before the start of the student school year, with the capacity to vary one of these with the agreement of the employer. A restatement of existing Department regulation that requires 300 minutes of pupil instruction per day or 25 hours per week.

The bringing forward of 210 Teacher Assistants to the start of the 2009 school year, with further discussions about expanding the program in subsequent years.

Significant improvement in contract teacher employment.

b>Some Unfinished Business

There is some unfinished business for discussion but no substantive areas remain unresolved. It is to be hoped that we can complete these discussions very soon.

Whatever the outcome, a joint Primary and Secondary Council meeting will consider the proposed agreement in detail before recommending it to members.

Thank you

Thank you to all members for your strong support for a fantastic campaign. We are hopeful that your efforts will soon be rewarded.

Branch Conference - Delegates Needed

Branch Conference is held annually and is the highest policy making body of the AEU. It gives the AEU its framework for the year(s) ahead. BE PART OF IT.

As well as debating policy issues we have a number of keynote speakers which provide a context for our deliberations. This year our keynotes are AEU Federal President Angelo Gavrielatos, Brian Boyd Secretary Victorian Trades Hall Council and Sharan Burrow, ACTU President.

The latest copy of the AEU News (Volume 14 Issue 3) calls for members to nominate to become delegates to Branch Conference which is to be held at the AEU on Saturday August 9. The notice on page 2 gives details of how to nominate by the closing date of May 13.

As well as making decisions about the work and direction of the AEU over the next year, delegates will be able to hear three interesting speakers who have been invited to inform Conference deliberations.

Be there: have a say and be part of your union's future direction.

Support TAFE Members - Wear Red May 15

Our TAFE members are also involved in a Certified Agreement Campaign.

They are the lowest paid teachers in the lowest paid system.

heir salaries, however, are now much worse than ours:

TAFE delegates will rally on May 15 to launch their campaign for salary justice and improved funding.

Just as TAFE teachers wore RED on February 14, to support our campaign, our turn has come to reciprocate.

WEAR RED ON MAY 15.

MARY BLUETT
Branch President

BRIAN HENDERSON
Branch Secretary