Vale Bernie Donnelly, Life Member – IEU(SA)
It is with great sadness that the IEU has been informed that inaugural ATIS/ANGEE/IEU(SA) President Bernard (Bernie) Donnelly passed away peacefully on Sunday 30 November.
Bernie was not only the inaugural President of ATIS (what would become the IEU in South Australia) but he was the key driving forced for our union to be established. At a time when positions were unpaid and with no staff employed, the work that Bernie and the founding members did was immense; all whilst working their jobs in schools.
Up until recent years, where health issues took their toll, Bernie was a regular at our end of year Christmas dinner as a Life Member of IEU(SA).
Even though many of us didn’t have the pleasure of working with Bernie, it was patently clear from discussions with those that did know and work with him, that he was deeply rooted in worker rights and passionate about our non-government education sector.
It was through Bernie’s diligent work that the first industrial Award for Teachers in non-government schools was won.
He was also instrumental in setting up and serving on the board of the Independent Schools Superannuation Trust (ISST) – which merged into Non-Government Super (NGS). NGS Super is still closely linked to the IEU, including many staff and member superannuation investments.
A funeral mass for Bernie will be held at St Ignatius Catholic Church on Monday 15 December at 2pm. Full details can be viewed here:
https://www.berryfunerals.com.au/live-streaming/client?nid=a63f5fbf-2d3f-40dd-8365-482fe7a96e2b
