This week I attended a meeting for members of the Australian Federation of Principals (APF) where we heard about the progress on a log of claims to form a new industrial workplace agreement for principals across Victoria.
Not wanting to labour many of the points raised at the meeting however one got to me – pay – surprise you may say – who wouldn’t.
Well lets say that we recognise the global and Victorian economies are not tracking well at the moment -its tight.
However I have been a principal for over 17 years in 3 different school communities and my work value (pay scale) has not changed in the last 12 years (aside from CPI increases).
I started in a school with a enrolment of around 150 and now in a school with over 560 young people. I’m not just arguing that size equals complexity although there is an element of that or that the role and demands on schools have changed or become more complex over the past 17 years.
I’m just saying is this fair. I ask what other senior management or leader in the corporate or business sector hasn’t had a salary increase in the last 12 years.
Principals have no access to performance benefits – my school is doing well and improving at a greater rate than the statewide benchmark – no work value?
I didn’t go into the principals role seeking to make a substantial amount of money – other motives drove me but we all have to pay similar sorts of bills.
I have additional degrees, studied overseas and presented at state and international conferences so one might expect that I’ve acquired additional skills worth something to the sector and state of Victoria.
Just a fair go is what we are after.
