Catholic systemic schools members, through their solidarity and determination, have achieved significant pay rises this year.
They are reaping the rewards of the hard fought Hear Our Voice campaign.
In mid-November, Catholic systemic schools employees in all dioceses except Broken Bay will be asked to vote in favour of a new enterprise agreement (EA).
It is important that all members vote ‘yes’. In the unlikely case of a dispute at the Fair Work Commission, the new EA is only enforceable if the majority vote in favour of it.
Let’s celebrate our achievements and back the pay rise on 13 November. Look out for the email.
The NSW teacher pay rises will be backdated to the start of the first full pay period after 9 October. The exact date will vary depending on the pay schedule in your diocese. Support staff received pay rises on the first pay period after 1 July. The EA will be in place until October 2024.
Support staff received not only pay parity with government school support staff, but also the 4% general public sector increase from 1 July. School administrative, classroom and learning support employees received increases of between 10.2% and 27.5%, most of which was back paid until January. These increases were on top of the 2.54% increase the employers paid in January 2023. See table on support staff pay on p4.
Tackling overwork a priority
Addressing workload issues is now top priority for the union, with significant negotiations between the NSW Government and NESA underway.
The IEU’s poster (p10),on accreditation gained a lot of attention this year, including a mention from NSW Education and Early Learning Prue Car. The poster has been a valuable tool in reducing the professional burden on teachers.
After consultation with the IEU, Minister Car provided the NESA Board with a Statement of Expectations which places limits on the administrative burden and work duplication. Expect more news in this space.