NewsExtra: Independent schools start bargaining
NOTICE OF EMPLOYEE REPRESENTATION RIGHTS
Independent schools across NSW and the ACT have recently issued Notices of Employee
Representation Rights (NERRs). This is the first step employers are legally required to take prior to commencement of negotiations to make new multi-enterprise agreements (MEAs) and the Notice must be in a particular format. Negotiations have not commenced.
Notices have been issued for the following proposed MEAs:
Teachers
• Independent Schools NSW/ACT Standards Model (Teachers) Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2021
• Independent Schools NSW (Teachers) Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2021
• Independent Schools NSW Teachers (Hybrid Model) Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2021
• Independent Christian Schools NSW Teachers Schools Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2021
Support Staff
• Independent Schools NSW (Support and Operational Staff) Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2021
• Independent Schools ACT (Support and Operational Staff) Multi-Enterprise Agreement 2021
The Union understands that the vast majority of schools covered by the corresponding 2017 MEAs will be represented by the Association of Independent Schools in bargaining for new replacement MEAs. If you are covered by an Independent Schools 2017 MEA but your school has not yet issued a NERR for a new Teacher or Support Staff MEA, please advise your Union Organiser.
Importantly, the Independent Education Union will be the bargaining representative on behalf of its members in the bargaining for new MEAs.
COMMENCEMENT OF BARGAINING
The existing multi-enterprise agreements do not expire until 31 January 2021. The Union has not had any discussions with the Association of Independent Schools (AIS) about new MEAs but we have scheduled a preliminary meeting for early December to confirm the schools that will be represented in the bargaining and to establish a timetable for negotiations in 2020. We expect these negotiations will not commence until well into Term 1, 2020.
We will hold member meetings prior to the actual commencement of bargaining to develop a claim on behalf of members. More details will go to Union Reps in Term 1.
Please do not hesitate to contact your Union Organiser with any queries.
