Keen to initiate new strategies...new General Secretary John Irving.

New GS looks to securing union’s future

By Kerri Carr

New Federation General Secretary John Irving is keen to initiate strategies to increase activism to secure the union's future.

"In 2006 we are dealing with an entirely different industrial relations environment than in the 1950s and 1960s," he said.

"I take on board the views and comments of Unions NSW Secretary John Robertson about being more strategic, reaching out to the community, better campaign planning and allocation of resources, and using a wide range of strategies including media and industrial action when necessary."

Mr Irving said he wants to initiate ways to revitalise Associations.

"Teachers are all meeting-ed out," he said.

"Teachers don't want to go to dull, boring Association meetings.

"They want to attend meetings of an Association that has credibility in the community, and among teachers, in terms of local and Federation campaigns.

"I want Federation to look at successful Associations and see how they are engaging teachers, the community, and conducting campaigns," he said.

"I want teachers in schools to see that Associations can get things done and reach into the community," he added.

Mr Irving also wants the union to investigate a greater role in campaigns for the thousands of our retired members.

"We have thousands and thousands of members who join the Retired Teachers Association, and if you are talking about a state or federal election I believe there would be retired members only too willing to help and assist in our campaigns, letterboxing and writing materials," Mr Irving said.

He said a major focus of Federation resources would continue to be placed on beginning teacher conferences and the union would continue to facilitate initiatives to effectively recruit members in schools and TAFE colleges.

"I am absolutely committed to maintaining our Federation on a sound financial footing, building on the strong foundation established by previous General Secretaries," Mr Irving said.

"We will be far better placed facing a hostile political/industrial future if we maintain our own house in order."

Mr Irving identified industrial relations as a major area of concern for the union.

He said federal industrial relations legislation, the outcome of the High Court challenge regarding the legislation, combined with legislation from any future Coalition state government could change the way the Federation operates.

He said centralised industrial bargaining might need to be replaced by bargaining on a school by school basis.

"So, we face challenges in terms of structure and resources to make the best industrial framework for our members."

Mr Irving said Federation Annual Conference would look at a whole range of initiatives for beginning teachers, discuss the needs of rural teachers, and address student behaviour, superannuation, teacher workload, industrial relations and the Public Education campaign.

"We will get through any tough times working together and when necessary re-doubling our political/industrial efforts to secure our future," he also said.

Mr Irving's union involvement began while studying in Sydney Teachers College in 1971, when he joined Federation's Trainee Teachers Association.

"Federation Officer Graham Hill had a big influence on me as a person," Mr Irving said.

"He was able to organise and activate the trainee teachers around a range of issues.

"I remember a number of demonstrations at the Department.

"I was pretty active at Teachers College."

Mr Irving was appointed to Urana Central School as a mathematics teacher in 1974. In 1975 became the school's Federation Representative and Vice President of Urana-Oaklands Teachers Association.

"I was influenced by a number of teachers who were very strong Federation activists," Mr Irving said.

"In those early years there were big salaries campaigns involving industrial action, which was not easy in a rural area, but we did it and had some significant salaries increases."

Mr Irving taught at Mudgee High School from 1976 to 1982. For some of that time he was the school's Federation Representative and served as Mudgee Teachers Association Secretary and later President.

In 1979 he was elected as a Councillor representing Mudgee/Kandos/Rylstone Associations.

Mr Irving taught at Westport High School from 1983 to 1990, where he was Federation Representative for some years. He also served as Port Macquarie Teachers Association Secretary and was a Federation Councillor.

"What really got me fired up was the Metherell years," Mr Irving said.

"I'd never seen teachers so united with their community to fight cuts to public education and threaten the restructure of public education."

"A combination of conservative government views around public education and membership activism around the Domain rally on August 17, 1988 made be decide that I would like to become more involved and become an Officer of Federation."

In 1991 Mr Irving took up Federation's Country Organiser position based in Wagga Wagga and in 2002 he was elected as Assistant General Secretary (Schools).

Exciting year for public education

For further information

May 2006 contents