Some classifications of support and operational staff employed under the Independent Schools NSW (Support and Operational Staff) Multi-Enterprise Agreement (the MEA) will be entitled to pay rises following the recent increases awarded by the Fair Work Commission.
This is because of large increases fought for by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) on behalf of unions (including the IEU) in your underpinning modern award, the Educational Services (Schools) General Staff Award, in both the 2022 and 2023 Annual Wage Cases (4.6% in 2022 and 5.75% in 2023). We have recently reviewed the rates in the MEA to see if it is keeping pace. Rates under an enterprise agreement should not fall below the applicable award.
We are concerned that for some classifications the MEA may now be providing rates below the award. We have written to the Association of Independent Schools (AIS), about these concerns.
We will keep you updated but if you have a concern or just want to review your pay rates, please contact us.
Below are the classifications where specific concerns have been identified and raised with the AIS:
- General Operational Staff: Levels 1, 2, 3 and 5
- Child Care Workers: Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3, Advance Child Care Worker (Non-Diploma), Assistant Coordinator (Non-Diploma), Coordinator (Non- Diploma) and Coordinator, Step 1 (Diploma) (OOSH)
- Nurses: First, second, third, fourth and fifth year of service, and
- Psychologists: Wellbeing Service Staff, Level 4, Year 1 and Level 4, Year 2.
Early childhood education and care: Wages on the move
With the current cost of living crisis, times are tough. As you know all too well wages in the early childhood sector need a massive boost. The pressure from the IEU and early childhood education and care teachers across Australia is now gaining real traction. We are finally seeing action, and wages are on the move.
For those on the modern award, the Educational Services (Teachers) Award, the ACTU (on behalf of all unions) fought for and secured substantial increases through the Annual Wage Case.
In 2022, early childhood teachers on the modern award received a 4.6% pay rise. And for those on the modern award, you should have received a 5.75% increase from 1 July 2023.
If you are not on an enterprise agreement, the award applies to you. You can of course be paid more than the award, but you should not be paid less.
Wage increases in the modern award have also helped us secure stronger increases in enterprise bargaining across the sector. Several early childhood workplaces are securing fairer wage outcomes in their agreement negotiations following the increase secured in the Annual Wage Case.
If you have a question about your rates of pay or are ready to commence bargaining in your workplace, contact the IEU today.