IEU members working in ECEC and schools have frequently highlighted the increasing gap between the number of children and students presenting with additional support needs and the capacity for timely intervention provided by allied health and other support professionals.

Read full details here: IEU Speaks on the Thriving Kids Initiative

The IEU will continue to advocate for ongoing and meaningful consultation with our members during the development and implementation phases of the Thriving Kids model, to ensure that the design alleviates the workload burden on teachers, educators, and education support staff while achieving the aims of the initiative: better support for children, students and their families.

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Our condolences go to the Jewish Australian community at this time of national tragedy.

We are thinking about our IEU members working in Jewish schools in Sydney and across the country, and their students who will be trying to understand this senseless loss of life.

Violence and hatred have no place among us. It’s not who we are.

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Nationally, the IEU negotiates more than 840 collective agreements. While today’s bargaining laws are fairer, important reforms are still needed to level the bargaining playing field for members seeking to access single interest multi-employer bargaining.

As currently drafted, the laws restrict unions from seeking a multi-employer single interest authorisation (SIA) until expiry of their current agreement. In contrast, employers are free to initiate bargaining under the inferior ‘cooperative bargaining’ stream at any time before expiry.

Read here about the changes needed to fix this clear imbalance: IEU Speaks on closing remaining bargaining loopholes

All members deserve a bargaining system that supports equitable outcomes and upholds the intent of the reforms – not one that allows a technicality to threaten or undermine their rights.

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The AITSL Guidelines for the Optimal Deployment of Teaching Assistants in Australian Classrooms underscore the crucial role of teaching assistants in enhancing student outcomes and reducing teacher workload.

The AITSL Guidelines follow an extensive research and consultation process undertaken since their announcement in the National Teacher Workforce Action Plan. 

Read here about the vital role of teaching assistants: IEU Speaks on guidelines for deploying teaching assistants

The Guidelines emphasise the potential benefits of effectively utilising teaching assistants and will help renew focus on the changes needed to reduce teacher workload.

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The federal government’s announcement of a national AI Safety Institute is an important step in regulating and mitigating the risks associated with the rapid roll-out of AI.

This new protection measure has been developed in consultation with unions and other stakeholders following concerns about the impacts of AI in the workplace. The IEU has repeatedly highlighted to parliamentary inquiries and policymakers the many areas where AI is already affecting schools and education workers.

Consistent national protections are essential given the pace of AI development and the escalating use of new EdTech across the country.

This latest government initiative complements other safety measures introduced to restrict the technology used to harass girls and female staff, and new criminal offences enacted in many states to combat emerging forms of online abuse.

School employers have begun implementing various AI education trials and pilots. It’s essential that any such projects are developed in consultation with employees and their union through collective bargaining or other established consultative processes

Rushed implementation of untested or poorly managed AI programs can increase, rather than reduce, workloads. School staff must be provided adequate release time, specialist support, and professional development to implement and manage these changes safely and effectively.

The AI Safety Institute must serve as a strong check on the potential misuse of AI in Australia and ensure that workers are placed at the centre of AI decision-making, so that any benefits from new technologies are shared fairly across the workforce.

Pictured at the 2025 Parliamentary AI Symposium are IEU Federal Secretary Brad Hayes and Assistant Secretary Veronica Yewdall  

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Education workers are experiencing serious workplace health and safety risks as classroom violence and challenging student behaviours escalate.

Read about the proactive steps needed to provide safe and inclusive classrooms: IEU Speaks on student behaviour & workplace safety

Workplace wellbeing and truly inclusive education rely on long-term social and economic reforms by governments and school employers.

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Schools are becoming increasingly dangerous workplaces, with two-thirds of Australian schools now classified as high climate risk.

Staff and students are already feeling the impacts, from heat stress and ‘eco-distress’ to sheltering communities during disasters and, in some cases, relocating entire schools.

Read here about the climate protections needed in schools: IEU Speaks on the impact of climate on education

Unions, governments and employers must work together to deliver a just and urgent climate transition that protects every worker, student and community.

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With women making up nearly three-quarters of our union’s membership, the IEU is deeply concerned by the national findings of the Gender Equality @ Work Index. The data shows that women’s safety at work actually declined to 75 points in 2024, a drop of three points since 2014.

Read here about the mixed results on gender equality: IEU Speaks on women’s workplace safety

The decline in workplace safety for women undermines the modest progress made in other areas. The Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion’s 2025 Report finds that governments and employers still have significant work to do to meet their stated gender equality objectives.

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While the event has become a community wide day of recognition involving multiple stakeholders and supporting organisations, it’s important to note the union story and history that underpins the event.

Read more here: World Teachers’ Day – Our Union Led Event

Our community celebrates and recognises our teachers for transforming the education of future generations, it’s also a time for employers and governments to reflect on the support and working conditions needed by teachers to continue to deliver high quality education.

World Teachers’ Day is an opportunity to acknowledge the critical role that trade unions have played in promoting and protecting the profession.

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