Building power in the workplace: Using the LCC to ensure your working conditions are delivered
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 124 No 7, 27 September 2019, page no. 12
As we approach the certification of a new agreement after the EB9 campaign, one fact remains unchanged: the LCC is still one of the most effective tools for dealing with workload issues.
Since their inception, local consultative committees have been recognised as the prime mechanism for dealing with matters that impact upon the workload, working conditions and working practices of QTU members within their schools.
Used in conjunction with the many new and improved tools within the new agreement, the LCC’s power to make a difference has been enhanced. But to make the most of the changes, it is vital that your LCC is operating effectively.
Now is a good time to check the health of the committee at your school. Here is a simple checklist:
- Do you have a functioning and effective local consultative committee (LCC)?
- Are there clearly defined processes and timelines in your workplace for consultation?
- Are the agenda and minutes of your LCC published and readily available?
- Has your LCC devised a plan for the year looking at specific issues each term and consulting on any proposed changes and new programs being rolled out?
- Does your LCC annually check to ensure all basic entitlements are achieved in your workplace, such as: start, finish and break times; meal breaks and playground duty rosters etc?
If you didn’t answer yes to all the questions above, then you should contact your Organiser for a consultation kit and consider attending a training session on LCCs. Organisers deliver training on site and as part of our QTEC Union Rep Training.
The new agreement states that “Consultation involves more than a mere exchange of information. For consultation to be effective, the teacher must be contributing to the decision-making process, not only in appearance, but in fact”.
Now is the perfect time for QTU representatives to work with the administration representatives on the LCC to ensure we are ready for the implementation of the new agreement.
It is the responsibility of everyone that the new agreement, once certified, is implemented successfully in the workplace.