Southern Suburbs BM; Tuesday, 7th February 2012; Gymea NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

PIP Maintenance of Accreditation - Castle Hill; Monday, 13th February 2012; 4:30-6:30 pm read more

Hunter Valley BM; Monday, 13th February 2012; New Lambton NSW; 5:00 pm. read more

Northern Suburbs BM; Monday, 13th February 2012; Cammeray NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

Central Metropolitan BM; Tuesday, 14th February 2012; Burwood NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

PIP Cyber Savvy - Dee Why; Wednesday 15 February 2012; 4:30-6:30 pm read more

South Coast BM; Wednesday, 15th February 2012; Woonona NSW; 6:45 pm. read more

Penrith Blue Mountains BM; Wednesday, 15th February 2012; Penrith NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

Metropolitan East BM; Wednesday, 15th February 2012; Randwick NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

Central Coast BM; Thursday, 16th February 2012; Gosford NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

IEU Reps Training Day - Tamworth; Friday 17 February 2012; 9:15-3:15pm read more

Mid North Coast BM; Friday, 17th February 2012; Nambucca Heads NSW; 6:00 pm. read more

South East Branch Meeting; Friday, 17th February 2012; Griffith NSW; 6:00 pm. read more

Riverina BM; Friday, 17th February 2012; Wagga Wagga NSW; 7:30 pm. read more

North West Branch Meeting; Friday, 17th February 2012; Tamworth NSW; 5:30 pm. read more

Principals BM; Saturday, 18th February 2012; IEU Office Parramatta; 10:00 am. read more

Cumberland BM; Monday, 20th February 2012; IEU Office Parramatta; 4:30 pm. read more

PIP Maintenance of Accreditation - Sydney City; Monday 20 February 2012; 4.30 - 6.30pm read more

Ku-ring-gai BM; Thursday, 21st February 2012; Hornsby NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

IEU Reps Training Day - Orange, Friday 24 Feb 2012; 9.15 to 3.15 read more

North Coast BM; Wednesday, 22nd February 2012; IEU Office Lismore; 5:00 pm. read more

PIP Maintenance of Accreditation - Revesby Heights; Wednesday 22 February 2012; 4:30-6:30pm read more

Monaro BM; Thursday, 23rd February 2012; Barton ACT; 4:15 pm. read more

Lansdowne BM; Thursday, 23rd February 2012; Fairfield NSW; 4:30 pm. read more

Central Western BM; Friday, 24th February 2012; Orange NSW; 7:30 pm. read more

PIP Maintenance of Accreditation - Forbes; Monday 27 February 2012; 4.30-6.30 read more

IEU Seeks 5% Pay Rise For Support Staff

The IEU has lodged a claim with Catholic employers for a 5% pay rise for support staff and maintenance and outdoor staff from 1 July 2008, with further pay rises in 2009 and 2010.

The claim applies to support and maintenance staff in all NSW Catholic systemic schools and to maintenance staff in Catholic Independent schools (the award covering school support staff in Catholic Independent schools expires at the end of the year and our claim will apply to them from that date).

The claim also includes improvements in conditions.

The IEU has made the claim for support staff before we have made a claim for a pay rise for teachers in Catholic schools because the support staff awards are up for negotiation from the end of June. The teachers’ awards cannot be renegotiated until the end of the year. The pay rise is based on the pay rise sought by unions for the same staff in government schools. Traditionally, the pay rises for staff in Catholic schools have been in line with pay rises for the equivalent staff in government schools because Catholic schools are largely government funded.

Details of the claim

The IEU claim includes the following key elements:

•   Pay increases of 5% on 1 July 2008, 1 July 2009 and 1 July 2010;
•   Additional superannuation – of up to 3% extra per annum provided the employee makes a matching payment;
•   An increase in long service leave - from 1.3 weeks to 2 weeks per year after ten years of service;
•   Guidelines to protect support staff requested to supervise students in the playground and other school settings;
•   Improvement in staffing levels in country dioceses – the total number of support staff in schools in country dioceses should be improved to levels comparable with metropolitan schools with the same enrolments. We have also sought that country schools should appoint at least one Level 6 support staff employee in schools with an enrolment of 400 students or more and one Level 5 employee in all other schools. The Dioceses of Maitland–Newcastle and Wollongong should also move to match the metropolitan standard which is to appoint at least one Level 6 support staff employee in every school, irrespective of size;
•   Improved security of employment for teachers’ aides - in some dioceses, these employees have no security of employment from year to year because their positions are at least partly funded by special needs funding. A certain minimum number of core hours should be guaranteed to teachers' aides with only some of their hours able to fluctuate if absolutely necessary from year to year;
•   Improved sick leave for long standing employees (by removing the cap on accumulated sick leave which is currently 154 days); and
•   Review of the salary level of bursars and science assistants to ensure that the particular skills of these employees are recognised.

Meeting with employer representatives

The Union met with representatives of the NSW Catholic Dioceses on Tuesday 8 April to discuss our claim for school support staff (a separate meeting will be held to discuss the claim for maintenance and outdoor staff). The dioceses have not agreed to any of our proposals but have agreed to consider them. They have instead put a number of counter proposals such as reducing the minimum start for casual employees and introducing a mixed functions provision allowing an employee to be employed in two separate roles (presumably with different rates of pay). The Union has sought further details of the employer proposals in order to identify what benefits and pitfalls members might face, before providing a comprehensive report to members and a considered response to employers.

What next?

The Union will be meeting with employers again in Term 2. However, we are not confident that there will be a quick resolution of our claim given that there have been difficulties in the negotiations for pay rises for public sector employees, including ancillary staff in government schools.

We will be writing to members reporting on the progress of our negotiations and requesting endorsement from members for our claim. We will also be asking for the support of teacher members of the IEU for our campaign for reasonable pay rises for support and maintenance staff.

Teachers at a meeting in Wollongong on Thursday 10 April considering changes to teachers’ working conditions in the Wollongong Diocese also voted unanimously to support the IEU claim for a 5% pay rise for support staff.

Other issues

The Union is aware that some support staff are not being paid extra where they are directed to perform additional hours outside their ordinary hours. Unlike teachers who are paid an all– inclusive salary, support staff are entitled to be paid for each hour worked.

If you are asked to work additional hours, you should clarify whether you are being asked to volunteer to do the work (in which case you should refuse – other employees are not expected to volunteer their time) or whether it is not voluntary, in which case you have to be paid for the work. This applies both when you are unable to finish your ordinary duties or when you are asked to work additional hours on a one off basis, for example by accompanying a class on an excursion or attending an in-service on a day you don’t work. Where it is clear that the work is required, you need to fill in a claim form for payment of overtime (if you don’t know how to access this form from your employer, phone the IEU for advice).

If you have any issues relating to your entitlements at work and would like union advice, please do not hesitate to ring the IEU Organiser for your school on 9779 3200, or toll free for country members on 1800 467 943. You may also wish to refer to the IEU website on www.ieu.asn.au.

Yours sincerely

DICK SHEARMAN
General Secretary