Killester College: A model for IEU collaboration
Killester College, a Catholic secondary school for girls, is a great example of how employers working collaboratively with unions can create productive, harmonious workplaces that benefit the whole community.
IEU Rep Chris Ruys told The Point that “there is a real sense of cooperation between staff and students”.
“I believe that one of the key reasons is the high level of care and collegiality that exists between the college leadership and staff. Staff feel supported by leadership. Changes like TIL have been implemented proactively and with a high level of genuine consultation with staff. When mistakes are made there is transparency and a genuine effort to make things right.”
“When the current Agreement was still under negotiation, but it was clear that the new TIL framework was on its way, our college leadership immediately began implementation”, Chris says.
“By the time the Agreement was finalised, the majority of the necessary consultation had already happened and we were ready to go. Our implementation was practical and smooth, and staff were confident that the result was fair and equitable. I've heard that this isn't always the case in other schools!”
IEU members at the Killester Union board.
In early 2023, the full-time teaching load at Killester had been reduced from 48 out of 60 periods a fortnight to 44.
Most teaching staff dropped an entire class from their load, a huge reduction in associated work for secondary teachers; dropping a class of 25 meant 25 fewer assessment loads, 25 fewer families to communicate with, and 25 fewer reports to deliver.
It also reduced the number of individual learning plans and welfare concerns for teachers to manage. The IEU Organiser at Killester at the time said “This is how the reduction in SCT was designed to work in secondary schools. It might seem an expensive move, but in the long run, the costs saved from the logistics of changing the timetable two years in a row will be more than worth it.
“It also allows the College to demonstrate their appreciation for their hard-working staff and marks the school as an employer of choice in a competitive market. This approach already looks vindicated because they haven’t had concerns with staffing their school despite the teacher shortage.
“This isn’t a case of a wealthy school making it look easy – this is a relatively low-fee school catering to a very diverse student population. The changes at Killester were achieved through good management, good consultation with staff, and a leadership team committed to working constructively with the IEU. If more Catholic schools in Victoria operated this way, I’d be out of a job!”
Chris says that outgoing principal Sally Buick “goes out of her way to work closely with staff to find solutions to problems”.
“She engages proactively with the union, seeking advice and input before making decisions. She won't always agree, but she will listen and consider. The result is that in general our staff trust our leadership to make decisions that are in everybody's best interest. Staff are happy to ‘go the extra mile’ because we know that it's appreciated and there's a spirit of ‘give and take’.”
Killester demonstrates how effective leadership can successfully implement CEMEA workload provisions.
As Sally Buick moves on from her role after a successful tenure since 2019, the IEU thanks her for her collaboration and leadership. She has set a strong example, and her next organisation will be fortunate to have her.