ISEA provides an employment advisory service to members as well as professional support.
ISEA operates as many unions do and offers a membership facility and provides members' benefits and advocacy.
ISEA assists staff in negotiating individual and collective employment agreements.
Also, in 2007 ISEA formed a partnership agreement with the NZ Educational Institute (NZEI)[1] the union for state primary teachers.
[citation needed] In 2009, ISEA was dealing with economic recession and supported its members in schools that were facing redundancies and closing.