Transfer system must be protected

By Owen Hasler

Recent experiences of members seeking transfer from the north west of the state reinforce the need for vigilance and the importance of completing the application form appropriately.

As pointed out previously by Federation Officers in other articles for Education (for example, March 3, 2003) the need for a perfect match of the codes is essential if a transfer is to be achieved and it is a pre-requisite before transfer points are considered.

A typical example is that of Stuart McMillan, who undertook a retraining course in Newcastle in 2000-2001 which allowed him to accept an appointment to Mungindi Central School as a TAS teacher in 2002.

Having been away from his family (who live on the far north coast) for four years whilst undertaking training and for his first two years of teaching, Stuart thought that he would utilise his status as an incentive transfer after two years at Mungindi Central School (since 2003 a 3-year incentive school) to gain a position in the Tweed district.

Mr McMillan waited patiently during the last weeks of term 4, 2003, whilst awaiting a transfer. He reluctantly left for his Christmas vacation period recognising that he may have to return to Mungindi for 2004.

Mr McMillan learnt of the fact that there was a new high school commencing in the Tweed district called Banora Point High School. He contacted his local Federation Organiser who contacted staffing and was informed that a TAS position had gone to another incentive transfer from the same district (then Moree).

Upon returning to school for 2004 Mr McMillan was informed that he was entitled to gain accreditation as a computer teacher having taught computing studies for the last two years at Mungindi where he was also in charge of the computer network. He immediately made application for accreditation with the support of his principal.

Mr McMillan was then surprised to find upon reading the job advertisements in the Sydney Morning Herald that a PEP position (Priority Employment Program) was being advertised for a position (design and technology teacher) at Banora Point High School.

He immediately contacted staffing and was told that he had not been eligible for a match of codes as he did not have the appropriate accreditation in computing studies!

The simple message from Mr McMillan's experience for other teachers seeking transfer -- you must ensure that you complete as many codes as possible on your transfer application. This means that you should apply for, and get, accreditation at the end of the year when you are eligible for accreditation (this applies in the case of some TAS, HSIE and PDHE subjects) such that you can utilise those codes in the staffing operation over the Christmas/New Year period when transfers are being "matched".

For those who do not do so the disappointment of failing to achieve a deserved transfer can be very traumatic -- for the applicant and those other staff who teach with and support them. The need for vigilance in the staffing operation is also reflected in the experience of Bingara Central School assistant principal Sonya Cains.

Having completed three years at the school Ms Cains sought a transfer (to the extent of accepting a demotion) to a large number of north coast schools from the beginning of 2003.

Not having gained a position by term 1, 2004, Sonya was notified by a colleague of the fact that she had been deemed ineligible for a position of assistant principal at a Tweed District School. Ms Cains contacted staffing officers and was dissatisfied with their response. She subsequently contacted her local Federation Organiser who pursued the matter on her behalf only to have recognised that a mistake had been made by a staffing officer who had considered her nominated status as applying to both her assistant principal and demoted classroom teacher status. In fact, the nominated status only applied to her application for demotion to classroom teacher.

Ms Cains was not the priority transfer for that position.

However, Ms Cains was vigilant in keeping track of positions being advertised for which she had applied for transfer. She identified a school in the Lismore district for which she had applied to transfer as assistant principal. Ms Cains sought clarification as to why she had not been matched to the position. The fact that Ms Cains had kept copies of all paper work was extremely useful in this regard.

After communications between Ms Cains, staffing officers and her local Federation Organiser, Ms Cains was offered the Lismore position but she has not accepted the position. The issues of failure of process are being pursued by Officers of the NSW Teachers Federation on Ms Cain's behalf. These are but two recent examples which highlight the need when seeking a transfer to:
a) complete the form accurately
b) gain accreditation where applicable
c) keep records of all written communications with staffing (and notes of telephone conversations)
d) check all advertised positions to ensure that you have not been "overlooked" in the staffing process
e) query as to why you did not match the codes if you think that you have been overlooked in a match.
f) contact your local Organiser when you do not receive a satisfactory/reasonable explanation.

As there appears to be a strong push with the Department of Education and Training to promote merit appointments as the preferred model it is only through careful vigilance by our members, with the support of Federation Officers, that the integrity of the transfer system is protected and guaranteed.

The number of incentive transfers awaiting positions is of concern as one of the greatest incentives for those accepting appointment to hard to staff areas of the state is the belief that they will achieve a transfer after the minimum period of time at that school -- with the proviso that they have submitted a reasonable number of schools to transfer to.

The fact that nearly half those eligible for incentive transfer are still seeking a position in this staffing operation, and the experience of Mr McMillan, will not assist those who are encouraging teachers to serve in 'hard to staff' areas of the state.

Owen Hasler is a Country Organiser.

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