The AEU Industrial Update provides you with key information on industrial issues impacting you and your workplace. This edition contains information on:
- Extreme weather
- Personal leave
- Health & wellbeing payment
- Cost of living payment for teachers
EDU extreme weather
As we approach summer, members should be aware of the processes in place around extreme weather and the reasonable expectations in place to ensure that your health and safety is protected.
The EDU is responsible for the provision of a safe workplace, which includes risks associated with high air temperatures. As with any health and safety issue, you can expect a systematic approach: according to WHS law, the employer must identify hazards, assess risk, eliminate or control against risk, and then continue to review. Consulting with workers is a crucial part of this process.
It is a reasonable expectation that all employees can perform their work in reasonable thermal comfort within the classroom. That range is between 18-28 degrees in temperature controlled places.
Before extreme weather occurs:
Schools should have site-specific plans to manage the health and safety risks associated with extreme temperatures. This should include identifying areas of the site which are more or less impacted by extreme temperatures, as well as identifying alternative spaces for teaching. Likewise, safe routines should be established to reduce the impact of direct sunlight, maximise air flow, allow appropriate venting of warm air after school hours and provide ready access to water for staff and students.
The best way to prepare for days of high temperatures is to make sure everything is in place prior to summer. Equipment such as air conditioners, windows, shutters/shading, window furnishings and fans should be in good order and available. If they aren’t, let your school know now so they can be replaced or fixed. If equipment isn’t available or is in a state of disrepair, you should also speak with your HSR.
During extreme weather:
In extreme weather, schools should take action to reduce risk of heat stress. This might include:
- Optimising ventilation, air movement and shade
- Using additional fans or air conditioners
- Ensuring regular access to water
- Rotating classes around cooler areas on site
- Adjusting educational programs to minimise potential for heat stress
- Limiting playground access to shaded areas
- Limiting access to areas on site affected by extreme temperatures
- Providing misting bottles for teacher to use as appropriate to cool students. They should not be passed to students
- Adjusting school uniform requirements
Where it is no longer possible to maintain a safe and healthy work environment, steps should be taken to close down schools. This might be for several days in the event of a heat wave.
Principals have the power to close a school if it is not safe for staff and students. They can seek assistance and advice from the AEU and EDU if this becomes necessary.
Who to talk to for help:
If you are concerned about the preparedness of your school as we move into summer, you should talk to your school leadership, particularly if there is a potentially easy solution through provision of appropriate equipment, repair of existing equipment, or a modification in how teaching is delivered. Now is the best time to raise issues, before hot weather becomes likely.
If you do not believe appropriate steps are being taken now or during periods of extreme temperature, you should also speak with your school’s HSR, as well as making a workplace incident report so the WHS area of the EDU is aware. You might also want to raise the issue at your sub-branch, particularly if the issue relates to broken equipment or a lack of extreme weather planning.
You can also contact the AEU office at any time to seek advice or assistance in resolving issues. We recommend that attempts are first made by you or your sub-branch to address issues at a local level. If this has been done, the AEU office is best placed to seek to escalate the issue particularly if all avenues on-site have been exhausted.
In the event of an emergency or urgent issue at your school, you should immediately involve your management, HSR and let the AEU know when safe to do so. If for any reason you or someone else is injured or unwell because of extreme temperature, you should take all necessary steps to protect yours and their health and safety, including by removing yourself from work. Knowing the symptoms of heat stress can be useful.
We will keep members up to date with advice as we enter summer so you can be assured that your health and safety at work is paramount.
Personal leave
The AEU has recently published a fact sheet on personal leave. Members will need to be logged into the AEU website to access the fact sheet.
Personal leave is a common entitlement across the ACT public service. While the information is accurate for our members employed in the EDU, personal leave currently works slightly differently for members working in CIT. However, once enterprise bargaining has been finalised for CIT, the information contained in the fact sheet will also apply to members of CIT as well.
If you are a member of CIT and have any questions regarding personal leave, please contact us at aeuact@aeuact.org.au so we can provide specific advice and information to you on your current personal leave entitlements.
Health & wellbeing allowance
The 2023-26 Enterprise Agreements introduce a Health and Wellbeing Allowance of $100 per year. This is claimed as a reimbursement of eligible goods and services related to your health. The AEU has published a fact sheet on this allowance. You’ll need to be logged in as a member to view this fact sheet.
Again, this is not yet available to our CIT members due to ongoing Enterprise Agreement negotiations. We will update CIT members once this allowance becomes available.
Cost of living payment – contract & casual teachers
Have you worked in a combination of casual and contract or temporary and permanent teaching roles with the EDU over the past 12 months? Did you receive a cost of living payment that was less than $1,250 (pre-tax) last month?
If so, we recommend reaching out to the AEU team as there is potentially an issue with your cost of living payment. Please email us at aeuact@aeuact.org.au.