AEU NT Member Bulletin 1/2023
3 March2023
In this bulletin:
- Second back-pay instalment
- 2023 Branch Conference
- Funding For Success
- Territory Educator Out Now
- School visits and travel
- International Womens Day (Walk Sat 4/3; Interactive WebinarMon 6/3; UnionsNT Movie Night Sat 11/3)
Second back-pay instalment – due March 2
The new Teachers’ Enterprise Agreement 2021-2024 has been ratified. If you were employed by the DoE on the 18 January date it was signed, then you will have received your first back-pay instalment in the 16 February pay cycle. The second and final instalment was due in the 2 March pay cycle. Compounded salary increases according to the new agreement come into effect 16 February. Contact us if payroll has been unable to resolve any back-pay and/or eligibility queries.
2023 Branch Conference – “We’re Worth More”
The 2023 AEU NT Branch Conference will be held 29-30 April at Rydges in Palmerston. This is a critical opportunity for union members to come together and discuss the issues that matter most. Our “We’re Worth More” campaign will be launched. It aims to empower educators to achieve safer work environments, reduced workloads, enhanced support and reasonable class sizes. Teachers and educators are uniquely positioned to drive substantive change and we are committed to working with members to identify practical solutions to issues.
Conference registrations and motion submissions are now open with a 17 March deadline according to our Rules. We encourage each sub-branch to hold a meeting to elect a delegate (or delegates) and discuss potential motions for submission via the link below. These could be worded as a full formal motion or submitted as a topic.More information is available on the submission form and our website.
Please contact the office with any questions about registrations and motions. Keep an eye out for some sessions to support your motion writing.All Conference related communication should be directed to [email protected]
REGISTER: https://form.jotform.com/230297884111861
SUBMIT MOTIONS:https://form.jotform.com/230427474139053
We look forward toworking together to make our voices heard as we bring about meaningful change for all educators.
Funding For Success: AEU policy strategy report
The NT Government has finally admitted that the NT school funding system, “effective enrolment” based on attendance, is failing our students and educators and have fully accepted all recommendations from the 2022 Deloitte Review. We will soon release a report thatcalls upon the Government to bring forward the timeline for this change significantly, by completely dropping their attendance based funding model by the beginning of the 2024 school year.
Territory Educator Out Now
A new edition of regular publication The Territory Educator is being published and should arrive at your school soon! If your school’s copies do not arrive soon please contact the office and we will re-send. Sub-branch reps, please keep an eye out for the mail and ensure copies are accessible to your staff.
This edition provides a record of 2022 actions, issues, other events, and member stories. If you have an idea, feedback to share or wish to contribute to the next edition please contact the office.
School visits and travel
We endeavour to visit as many workplaces as possible and would love for our Project Officer team to visit yours! Please contact the office to request a sub-branch list for update. Plans for an Alice Springs town trip are underway for Week 7 (13-17 March) along with visits to Katherine, Arnhem, and some Alice Springs remote schools in Term 2. Our Project Officer team (Melody and Bridget) is looking forward to visiting your workplace and hearing how Term 1 is progressing. Contact [email protected] with any queries regarding this or any other visits.
International Women’s Day
Annual walk – Saturday 4 March
Head down to Civic Park Saturday 4 March(tomorrow)and join the International Women’s Day Walk run by City of Darwin. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. Wear purple, bring your banners, hat, and water bottle. We will be waving the AEU NT flag so keep an eye out for us!
8.30am: Gather in Civic Centre Courtyard (Harry Chan Avenue, Darwin) for a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony along with some giveaways.
9.00am: Walk departs Civic Centre and will finish at Bennett Park
9.00 – 10.30am: Information stalls and entertainment in Bennett Park
10.30 – 11.30am: Guest speakers and free morning tea in Parliament House
Evening interactive webinar opportunity – Monday 6 March from 6pm
Contact Women’s Officer Melody O’Meara at [email protected] to request the link and information regarding an opportunity to hear from AEU Federal Women’s Officer Emma Lowe on critical issues and explore current opportunities and threats facing women teaching in the NT. We will also tap into the wider work being done in this space by the AEU.
Unions NT evening event – Saturday 11 March from 4pm
Join Unions NT comrades for movie and night of food, fun, guest speakers, door prizes and activities at 38 Woods St, Darwin from 4pm till late. The feature film is ‘Made in Dagenham’, a dramatisation of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham car plant, where female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination. Bring a chair, beanbag, blanket, or cushion!
Please RSVP to AEU NT Women’s Officer Melody O’Meara at [email protected] or directly to Christine at Unions NT via [email protected]
Authorised by Rachael Metcalfe, Branch Secretary, 3/8 Totem Rd Coconut Grove NT 0810