| SSTUWA Executive: Paul Dyson |
 The reason I am standing for election as ordinary executive member is driven by my belief in our logo; My union – My responsibility. My greater family is built on teaching and my wife and I are active union members in Narrogin, living here since our graduate postings in the early nineties. History tells us that over the last decade we have not achieved the salary and condition gains which match the changing requirements of a career in education. The Twomey report has well documented research on salary, workload and teacher shortage issues. The fact that the Twomey report was commissioned demonstrates that the past leadership of the SSTUWA has not managed to influence the DET or past Governments to place education as the priority it should be. In fact, the current President presented the defeated “2008 EBA 3” to the membership with the requirement of 15 hours compulsory PD per year. The words “well advised to accept the offer” is still a memory of a failed attempt to sell teachers and administrators short on what a real pay rise is. We are facing a fresh round of challenges as educators and the national scene of reform is set to test us all. Building a strong and resilient public education system has never been more important than now and the loss of ground to our private counterparts is unacceptable. “Independent Public Schools” within this state is a sad reminder of how Governments function, and their recent attempts to transfer workload and responsibility without the commensurate transfer of power and monetary compensation is a challenge that must be answered. A just, productive and egalitarian society depends on all people having access to quality education, thereby maximising life and career opportunities and being productive members of the community. A new and improved union must explore avenues to reverse the trend and place the status back in the public system. It must protect the rights of members and get back to this as our core business. We must protect and defend members, either in their workplace or from the media, who at times seem hungry to associate blame and place extra responsibility on educators. Member safety, work load issues and attracting and retaining quality teachers into the Government system will be my mandate. To trade off conditions in any new agreement is unacceptable and sadly has become part of our collective bargaining style. We must change this culture and the current General Agreement gives us food for thought in February 2010 as we enter the “structural change increment” which could be more aptly termed, “different pay for different teachers”. Being part of the teacher’s union is not about avoiding work or doing the minimal amount possible. For me it is about doing meaningful and agreed to work that best addresses the needs of the students, the school and other teachers in the state. It is about caring way beyond what I believe is important for myself and working as part of a democratic group to improve education and leave education in a better position than I found it. I thank you for being part of the teachers union and for reading a little about all of the candidates, both old and new. I thank you for taking the time to vote and in effect taking some responsibility for your union. Lastly, I thank you for recognising that a vote for me and the “Members First” team is it is a vote for change, a vote for the future and a vote against repeating past history. |