NewsExtra: AIS schools Enterprise Agreement bargaining update
September 2020
URGENT
Enterprise Agreement Bargaining Update
As you may recall, late in 2019 your school issued to staff a Notice of Representational Rights, the first step in bargaining for a new enterprise agreement. Your current enterprise agreement expires in January 2021 and all parties expected that a new agreement would be made well before February 2021, when the next pay rise is due. Your school has appointed the Association of Independent Schools (AIS) as its bargaining representative for these negotiations.
AIS stalls bargaining
The union met once with the AIS in December 2019 and further meetings were scheduled for March this year. One meeting was held in March but subsequent meetings were either cancelled by the AIS or only brief discussion occurred on the union’s claims.
The AIS advised the union this week that it does not intend to meet again with the union until November and it is unclear whether new enterprise agreements will be negotiated. The AIS also says that pay rises in 2021, if any, would be determined on a school by school discretionary basis outside the bargaining process. This failure to negotiate centrally with the union breaks decades-long practice. This decision puts at risk the future of any multi-enterprise agreement for your school.
Next steps
The union will send out detailed information to all members early in Term 4 about the next steps in the bargaining for your school.
We will be asking members to attend Chapter meetings to hear a report and to develop a strategy for achieving pay and conditions improvements in your school.
Maximum support from members will be essential in achieving success in this unprecedented campaign.
Invite your colleagues to join here: http://www.ieu.asn.au/join-page
Authorised by Mark Northam, Secretary, Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch The Briscoe Building 485 – 501 Wattle St Ultimo NSW 2007
P 02 8202 8900 E ieu@ieu.asn.au | www.ieu.asn.au
