Schools Community first

Ayse Alanci joined the AEU because she believes the union will always be there to support teachers. So, when the role of sub-branch president came up at Albanvale Primary School, she was only too willing to put up her hand.

“I thought, ‘You know what? I’m happy to be the one to liaise with you all’,” she recalls. “I’m a real people pleaser, so I was very happy to step up.”

Jumping in at the start of 2020, little did Ayse know just how seismic a year it would prove to be, nor the enormity of the role she was taking on. A few weeks later, Australia was rocked by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, changing everything. “Honestly, it was my first time doing a role like this and, my goodness, did I pick a year for it!”

The crisis hit Albanvale hard, with the school in Melbourne’s west making the headlines as it was forced to close due to a cluster during the second lockdown. It was a frightening time, with the incident involving both students and their families, and several of their teachers. It proved to be a real sink or swim moment for Ayse.

“It was such a nerve-wracking time for me as well as my colleagues, but I knew I had to put them first,” she says. “I had to do whatever I could to help them before I worried about myself. I understood where they were coming from. I knew how hard it was. So, I put myself in their shoes and just did whatever I could, because a lot of our staff were very anxious.”

Ayse swung into action with the full support of her principal Sue Vermezovic, another proud AEU member. “Sue’s amazing. She’s a union member and has always been open to it. One of the ways that I found the confidence in the role was because she fully supported me.”

Together, they prioritised open and clear communication, ensuring not only that all teachers had easy access to up-to-date information, but also supporting the families affected and the ripple effect throughout the broader school community.

“We were all really worried about the staff members and the students that got the virus, and you’re also worrying about your loved ones,” she says. “It’s not just that you’re scared about contracting COVID, there’s the fear of the guilt factor, too. What if I got someone else sick? I have 25 kids in my classroom – and thank goodness I didn’t get sick, but I was certainly worried, knowing I was liable to pass it on.”

Several of Albanvale’s teachers wound up in hospital, including one in ICU. Ayse worked alongside the school’s leadership team and with the AEU to manage remote learning while also dealing with the direct impact of the cluster on their community. “Communication was the number one factor,” she stresses. “You have to be approachable in these situations.”

She worked closely with AEU organiser Matthew Burke, whom she describes as another invaluable supporter. “Matthew was amazing, because I was fresh into this role, with no idea what was going on, and I reached out to him for help. It all comes back to the AEU being so open and readily available, or I couldn’t have done this on my own.”

With Matthew’s help, Ayse organised events to ensure her school’s staff could have their say. “I also composed a Google form, so people could add what they wanted to hear back from the union,” Ayse adds. “So, I guess I was the middleman, because I know some staff members were nervous about coming forward, but I could speak up for them.”

Flourishing in the role, Ayse looks forward to continuing to work hard for her sub-branch. Now that we’ve moved on from the initial crisis, she hopes that some of the skills learnt along the way will help them bounce back, stronger than ever. 

“It came to show just how resilient we are as a staff, and our students as well. We know that we can rely on each other. And now that we’re back in the swing of things, we can focus on all the other pressures of the job, from planning to reporting. Teaching really never stops.”