The IEU has welcomed the active engagement of teacher members in Greater Sydney Adventist Schools in bargaining for a new enterprise agreement (EA). In 2021, the IEU met with members at workplace chapter level and via Zoom in regard to concerns about the proposed EA and there was ultimately a 'no' vote.
This engagement has continued in 2022 and members voiced their concerns about the new proposed EA, which at the request of the IEU now contained the non-tithed salary rates.Issues of concern for members included:
- the four-year length of the proposed EA, which proposed only a 1.5% increase in 2025
- lack of clarity about backpay in 2022
- no addressing of workload issues
- no increase in paid parental leave beyond the current 12 weeks
- no paid family and domestic violence leave.
These concerns resulted in a second ‘no’ vote that was formally advised to the IEU by Greater Sydney Adventist HR department on 14 June.
Following this second ‘no’ vote, the IEU will continue to consult with members and seek to engage in genuine bargaining with the Greater Sydney Adventist leadership to achieve an EA for which the IEU can recommend a ‘yes’ vote.
In the words of one member in a Greater Sydney Adventist School: “We are aware of the current campaign in NSW Government and Catholic schools and we want an enterprise agreement which shows us respect and achieves salaries and conditions to retain teachers in Sydney Adventist schools and attract teachers to our sector in the future.”