A voice for all

It’s not always about yelling, but working for change is always about collective action, argues Jan Murphy, Branch Vice President.

Think back to the best AEU actions you were part of. What made them successful and memorable? Was it the outcome – like winning the right for SSOs to spread their pay across the year in the AEU ‘Our Pay Our Way’ campaign? Or the collegiality, the noise and the numbers – like standing with thousands demanding a fair go in enterprise bargaining?

Whatever it was, every union action is also about building a more powerful union. Potential members join because of AEU campaigns. They see what we’re fighting for and they want to be part of it. Who wouldn’t want to be part of fighting for something that is aligned with their values?

If you have work colleagues and friends who are not AEU members (yet) you know that by getting them to join, you’re doing them a favour and a ‘union values’ conversation is a great way to start. You may need to unpick some of the media hype about ‘union bosses’ and ‘union thugs’ first but I’m sure you’re up for it.

Ask a colleague who’s concerned about the current IESP application process if they think the system should respect the professional voice of educators, and then suggest they join the AEU and help us fight for a process that listens to educators and provides the funding that’s needed.

If they think people deserve the dignity of a living wage and secure employment - join the AEU and help fight for increased levels of permanency for all and a living wage for some of the most casualised and lowest paid education workers, our ECWs, SSOs and AEWs.

If they believe in equity and social justice, they should join our union and fight with us for fairer funding and support where it’s most needed.

If they value collegiality and fair decision making – join the AEU to help us fight for a voice for all.

We need to be heard but it’s not always about yelling

“Enough is Enough!” we did yell, and we turned out in our thousands to march. We did it for ourselves, our colleagues, friends and families and we did it because we still have to. The AEU flags flew proudly in Adelaide and at other marches across the country. There was frustration and anger but hope and determination too. Like all successful collective actions these marches needed a widely and deeply felt purpose and the voices of many. It also took organising, planning and structure. Well done to all involved – great job. We showed we can be loud. Were we loud enough? Will we keep being loud for as long as we need to? Time will tell.

Members are reporting concerns about gender-based harassment in our schools – your workplaces. Your employer needs to have policies, training and systems in place to ensure that your workplace is safe and this behaviour needs to be called out for what it is. This can be done with the support of your health and safety rep, AEU rep or sub-branch, and you can contact the AEU office for more assistance.

Get it on the agenda in your school and stand together to ensure that strong policy is in place and enforced. Nothing else is acceptable.

Activating our committees

Maybe we don’t always yell but we need to find a way to be heard. We need to be organised and work collectively, both within our sectors and across the membership and our education communities. That’s the power to create change.

I’ve worked with many fabulous AEU sector groups and committees, and we are strengthening and activating our member committees. We need to build our committees and sector networks, and empower members to work together to access and influence AEU decision making structures to build a stronger, more powerful union. We held a training day for committee members in April as part of this process.

AEU staff are here to empower, support, organise and provide the structure. Members set the direction. Members write the plan.