Catholic independent schools - say ‘yes’

Members in Model B and C schools vote in favour of four new Multi-Enterprise Agreements.

IEU members working in Catholic independent schools have voted emphatically in favour of four new Multi-Enterprise Agreements (MEA) for teachers and support staff – 98.83% are in favour.

The vote came after the union received an improved offer from the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations (CCER) in July for the MEAs to cover teachers and support staff in Model B and Model C Catholic independent schools. This followed meetings of members in more than 30 schools.

The agreements include a 2.5% salary increase with back pay and, significantly, the inclusion of the right to arbitration. This makes it much easier for the union to enforce entitlements in the MEAs or those contained in the National Employment Standards without going through a legalistic court process.

Additionally, for the first time, the Teacher MEAs will include the classification of Lead Teacher, with a pay rate the same as that applying to a Highly Accomplished Teacher.

A new form of leave, called emergency disaster leave, will be available when employees are unable to attend work because of floods, fires and other natural disasters, and will be capped at five days per year.

Schools have also agreed to three days paid leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to attend community meetings, and unpaid leave is also available for ceremonial purposes.

Congratulations to members working in these schools – through strong collective action and sustained pressure, you have won an outcome of which you can all be proud.