The IEU has employed an organiser part-time to help us visit English Language Colleges, recruit new members and create networks to build our capacity to improve wages and entitlements in ELICOS.

A large group of ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Overseas Students) teachers from 13 different English Language Colleges joined reps at Victorian Council on 10 August.

Every year about 1.3 million people travel to an English-speaking country to learn English and the global industry is worth over 12 billion dollars. Australia is ranked third as a destination, with its share of the market estimated at 15%. Victoria has a 32% share of Australia’s international student enrolments. For those English language teachers working in the sector however, the industry is a tough one.

At Kaplan International English, where we have been in negotiations for the last 6 months, IEU delegates will be recommending that teachers vote up the latest version of our Enterprise Agreement.

Following a refusal to commence negotiations on an EBA by their employer, IEU members at Kaplan International English School Melbourne have begun the process of putting together a petition in support of an application by the Union for a Majority Support Determination at the Fair Work Commission.