1954
Founded as the Assistant Masters’ Association (AMA)
1957
Registered as a Trade Union
Struggled for numbers and relevance with membership max of 150
1966
Women admitted and name changed to Assistant Masters’ and Mistresses’ Association (AMMA)
Women and lay teachers in Catholic schools join in significant numbers
1967
AGM decides to seek an Industrial Award
1970
First Award made (Assistant Masters’ and Mistresses’ in Non-Government Schools (State) Award)
1971
First Industrial dispute notified, the issue – teachers required to sweep classrooms
1971
First full-time Secretary (John Nicholson), leased office space at Chatswood, topped 1000 members
1972
Name changed to Independent Teachers’ Association (ITA), membership 1084
1977
First full-time Organiser appointed (Michael Raper); membership 3954
1980
New Council and Annual Conference structure adopted with new constitution, membership 5603
1981
Newsmonth Vol 1 No 1; membership 6511; 12 Branches, a Secretary, Industrial Officer and two Organisers
1984
Significant split in Executive and Council over Union direction, Left v Right. Left wins most Executive positions
1988
ITF gains federal registration-first federal union (other than in ACT and NT) for non-government teachers
1989
Dick Shearman becomes General Secretary. Membership is 14,104.
1989
Federal awards obtained in English colleges and post-secondary sector
1993-94
Union gains coverage of School Assistants then Clerical staff at both state and federal levels
1994
Name changed to NSW Independent Education Union, membership 16265
1996
Joint strike with government school staff.
2006
WorkChoices took effect in March 2006
Increasing activity in federal jurisdiction, particularly in independent schools (ie trading or financial corporations)
2009
NSW government referred IR powers in relation to private sector employers to federal jurisdiction
2012
John Quessy became General Secretary, replacing Dick Shearman
2014
Membership exceeds 32,000
2016
Union operates as NSW/ACT Branch of IEUA rather than state union.
All staff now employed by the Branch and key decisions are made in the Branch not the state union.
2014-2017
Major campaigns in Catholic systemic schools in 2014 (over a proposal by employers to totally rewrite the enterprise agreement).
October 2019
Mark Northam becomes Secretary.
2020
A surge in membership occurred in the early months of COVID-19 pandemic.
The NSW state registered union (NSW/ACT IEU) is wound up.
The union now operates only as a federal entity as a branch of the Independent Education Union of Australia.
2021
IEU seeks to protect members during pandemic.
2022
Hear Our Voice campaign launched
Wide-ranging successful industrial action takes place across NSW and the ACT.
Historic combined strike with the Teachers Federaion.
2023
Historic wins for better working conditions
Salary parity achieved for support staff
Record pay rises for teachers
28 Oct. 2023
Carol Matthews becomes Secretary after Mark Northam steps down.
Read media release
2024…
The IEU will celebrate 70 years!
Thank you for joining us in our union history and for the tens of thousands of members who work tirelessly to make the union what it is today.