The new enterprise agreement for Catholic systemic schools means general staff (support staff) will translocate to new classification levels.
As the agreement is implemented across the dioceses, some members have reported that there have been changes to their employment conditions, with a change in the amount they get paid each fortnight.
One such example is Leanne Potts, from St Andrews College in Marayong, NSW. Leanne works part time in the school office and also in the school shop. She had previously been paid at the rate of a Level 4 School Administrative Services Employee. However, after the implementation of the new agreement, Leanne found that she was being paid for part of her time under a lower classification – that of a School Canteen Manager.
‘It wasn’t a great deal of money, but it was the principle of the matter,’ Leanne said.
She was annoyed because there was no consultation with her about any potential changes.
Leanne sought the assistance of the Union and the matter was rectified swiftly, with the money owed to her being paid. Clause 3.5(b) of the new agreement states that no employee shall be reclassified under a different job classification without consent as a result of the making of the new agreement. In addition, any such changes are subject to the normal arrangements around consultation and notice.
Keith Heggart, IEU Organiser, said, “It’s really important that members check their payslips over the next few months and see if there have been any unexplained changes. While this might have been an administrative error, it meant that people were not getting paid what they should be”.
For more information or if you have any questions, speak to your Union organiser.