2022 News

The IEU welcomes the federal Labor government's Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill that has been passed in the federal parliament. Read here how these laws will support thousands of IEU members and their families: IEU Speaks on passing of new IR laws IEU members joined union members from across the country in campaigning for these laws - your strong collective voice has made a real difference. These changes are a great start, and we will have more to do in the new year to fully restore fairness to Australian workplaces.  

The IEU has provided a detailed submission in response to the federal government's draft Teacher Workforce Action Plan. You can read our full submission here: IEUA Submission to draft teacher workforce strategy action plan Dec 2022 The federal government is to be commended for their collaborative approach to developing a response to teacher shortages; however, the plan needs more work to deliver tangible outcomes to improve teacher retention as outlined in our union's submission.        

Australian workers and their families need these laws changed now!     IEU members with family or caring responsibilities struggle daily to balance their work and home commitments. The Labor government’s Secure Jobs, Fair Pay Bill will deliver vital support to these members. READ MORE HERE:  IEU Speaks on need for flexible work changes Access to a period of staggered hours or a move from full-time to temporary part-time can make the world of difference to members drowning in their efforts to balance work and home. Despite a predictable scare campaign by big business and some hostile employer groups - these changes [...]

Public consultation is underway on the Teacher Workforce Action Plan - time for teachers to have our say. Read more here: IEU Speaks on draft Workforce Action Plan The next step to finalise a national response to staff shortages is crucial as IEU members review the draft plan released by the federal government. More work will be needed to deliver a final plan that tackles the underlying causes of staff shortages - unsustainable workloads, teacher burnout and stagnating pay. We need a plan that provides a stronger commitment by employers to increase their investment in these critical areas.

IEU members from across the nation's schools and early childhood centers welcome the federal government's Secure Job, Better Wages Bill.  The previous LNP government's broken workplace laws will take some time to fully unpack and repair - but the government's Bill is a good start towards a much fairer system: Greater access to flexible work Multi-employer bargaining to get wages moving An end to the abuse of rolling fixed-term contracts Pay equity and reducing the gender pay gap Read full details here: IEU Speaks on the IR Bill Thousands of IEU members and their families will benefit from these changes, and [...]

The IEU welcomes the federal Labor government's funding of additional university places for education students. This is an important $159 million commitment for the future of education. Tens of thousands of IEU members will also benefit from greater access to childcare and expanded paid parental leave also announced by the federal government. The next crucial step is to support teachers battling unsustainable workloads and burnout. Employers and government can take immediate action to help keep experienced teachers in the classroom. Read more here: IEU Speaks on the Federal Budget  

Teacher Workforce Action Plan: Education Unions Show the Way Forward Education unions are ensuring a strong professional voice at the Teacher Workforce Action Plan Working Group that recently met in Canberra. The IEU is actively engaged in the Working Group to highlight the immediate and long-term reforms identified by IEU members. We need urgent change to not just attract new teachers, but to retain our experienced members being driven out of classrooms by stagnating pay and unsustainable workloads. READ FULL DETAILS HERE: IEU Speaks on Teacher Workforce Action Plan  

Jobs and Skills Summit 2022: We need an economy based on well-paid and secure jobs Our union welcomed the opportunity to participate in the Federal Government's Jobs and Skills Summit held in Canberra from 1 - 2 September 2022. Australian unions, including the IEU, delivered a clear message at the Summit - we need a bargaining system that is simple, fair and accessible. Read full details here: IEU Speaks on the Jobs Summit     

Read more here: IEU Speaks on how we begin to tackle current teacher shortages Our union welcomes the federal government's priority commitment to address teacher shortages. IEU members have identified the key solutions to a problem that was worsened to the point of the current crisis in our schools and early childhood education. An urgent national plan must be enacted by government and education employers.  

The Australian Education Union and the Independent Education Union of Australia have jointly called for a national plan to tackle the ongoing teacher shortage crisis across Australia ahead of Friday’s teacher workforce roundtable with education ministers. AEU Federal President Correna Haythorpe and IEUA Federal Secretary Christine Cooper described the roundtable as a crucial opportunity for Ministers to engage with the teaching profession via their unions to address the ongoing issues impacting on the education sector. Read more:AEUFED 2208 JOINT MR ROUNDTABLE FINAL