Catholic systemic schools: Check your pay rates

IEU members in Catholic systemic schools have been travelling with the union on a long road to achieving important victories regarding pay and entitlements in their new Enterprise Agreement (EA).

Since July of last year, when the union laid out our claim for improved conditions in the new EA, the bargaining process has been marred by a brutal bushfire season preceding the current COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout, members have against all odds, engaged with the campaign, meeting in IEU chapters to endorse the union’s negotiating position.

In November 2019, Catholic school employers advised the union of their agreement to match pay increases for teachers in NSW and ACT government schools as part of an overall package. However, in late April 2020, they put negotiations on hold, with no commitment as to when they would recommence. Expected pay rises necessary to re-establish pay parity with wages paid in NSW government schools, from January 2020 (and for the ACT teachers from July 2020) had not been paid. Interim payments were ruled out while negotiations were paused.

Dioceses had walked away from discussions addressing workload as well as pay rises and other conditions in the EA. The union responded: “to further delay bargaining beyond Week 7 because of COVID-19 is unreasonable and unfair to our members carrying out their work with such commitment.”

IEU chapters responded to the union’s request and held union meetings to call on their dioceses to resume bargaining with the union. With strong member action, the union secured confirmation of all 11 dioceses’ renewed willingness to pay the 2.5% salary increase for principals, teachers and support staff, (3% for ACT teachers).

Members began receiving this union negotiated pay increase from August, with an additional back payment of the overdue amount from 1 January 2020.

In addition, the union has achieved improvements in teacher workloads in most dioceses.