WORLD WORLDWIDE AUSTRALIA - news journal UPDATE - (en) Australia, Melbourne MACG: Lessons for Educators from AEU elections: Organise and Strike! (ca, de, it, pt, tr)[machine translation]

 Teachers striking as apart of the AEU ---- The results of the recent

Australian Education Union (AEU) internal elections in Victoria give us
educators one clear lesson - the time to organise for a strike is now!
---- Socialists and other activists challenged the existing AEU
bureaucracy for several paid leadership positions in the most recent
elections. Comparing the results for Branch President with those for the
last time there was a competitive election (2018) shows some stark
changes. ---- Member participation jumped from a dismal 16% to (a less
dismal) 28% showing an increased interest and participation from the
rank and file. The ticket challenging the existing leadership - Fight
the Crisis - mustered up a vote of 35% compared to only 21% when a
similar challenge was lodged in 2018.

The lesson from these results is that the membership base is now more
active, more willing to participate, and more willing to vote for an
alternative to the status quo. Our job is to ensure that the willingness
to vote gets transferred to a willingness to organise and take action.
By organising together we must convince active members that power
doesn't lie in elections and leaders, but in the rank and file.

In the upcoming agreement beginning in 2026, teachers and education
support staff need a significant pay increase, improved conditions and,
importantly, improved dignity in the workplace. This doesn't even cover
the crisis of underfunding of schools that draconian industrial
relations laws ban us taking action over. To achieve what we deserve, we
must strike.

Strikes do not just happen. They are organised. The argument for
industrial action is clear - it is the only way we will win the pay and
conditions we deserve. But a strike consisting of only 28% of the
workforce will not be effective.

While there is a growing number of educators wanting to fight the status
quo, the majority do not see the value in engaging with union democracy.
Our message to non-members, disengaged members, and active members is
consistent - if we want change, we must organise it ourselves.

We need to have regular 1:1 organising conversations with non-members to
convince them to join the union to vote on industrial action. We need to
have 1:1 organising conversations with members to convince them a strike
is necessary. Our colleagues need to know the power is in our hands and
we're all essential to the future of our industry. They're receptive to
ideas of a major strike, but we need to engage them by organising for a
log of claims (our demands) that are worth fighting for.

The road to a historic teacher's agreement must include a significant
strike. But the first steps will always be organising our co-workers. If
you want to know more about these conversations and link up with fellow
educators check out our website or contact us.

https://melbacg.au/lessons-for-educators-from-aeu-elections-organise-and-strike/
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