NewsExtra: Special Briefing - Model A Catholic Independent Schools
New CER offer unacceptable
The IEU is currently negotiating with Catholic Employment Relations (CER) for new multi-enterprise agreements (MEAs) for teachers and support staff employed in Model A Catholic independent schools. Existing MEAs expired at the end of 2020 and staff have received administrative pay increases in the meantime. Model A schools are Brigidine College St Ives, Mater Dei, Mount St Benedict College, Our Lady of Mercy College Parramatta, St Joseph’s College Hunters Hill, St Scholastica’s College and St Vincent’s College (teachers only).
On 7 June 2023, CER made a revised pay offer of:
• 1% from the start of the proposed new MEAs (in addition to the 2.04% already paid in 2023)
• 3% in 2024
• 3.5% in 2025, and
• a $1000 one-off cost of living payment for permanent and temporary staff at the start of the MEAs.
This pay offer is well below our claim and below the anticipated public sector and Catholic systemic school increases for 2023 and beyond. CER has proposed the new MEAs have a nominal expiry date of 31 December 2025 and the IEU considers there are significant issues outstanding. This offer is totally unacceptable.
IEU response
On 13 June 2023, the IEU met with CER and made the following pay claims on behalf of members:
• 1% pay increase from a date to be agreed (in addition to the 2.04% already paid in 2023)
• 4.5% increase in 2024
• 4.5% increase in 2025, and
• a $1000 one-off cost of living payment for permanent and temporary staff at the start of the MEAs.
The IEU has also requested a pay protection clause that guarantees Model A teachers and support staff receive at least the same percentage increase as staff performing comparable work in government and Catholic systemic schools in 2024 and 2025. This is to ensure that Model A members do not receive a lesser pay increase than their Catholic systemic and Department of Education colleagues. The IEU is also pressing our claim for 12 weeks’ paid parental leave for a person who is the non-initial primary carer of a child (usually the father) when the initial primary carer (usually the mother) has returned to work or study, as has recently been agreed in Catholic systemic schools.
Chapter action
The IEU will send further details about the bargaining early in Term 3 and set out actions Chapters can take to achieve a fairer outcome. Please speak to colleagues (both teachers and support staff) who have not yet joined the IEU. Strength in membership is crucial. Join here.
Authorised by Carol Matthews, Acting 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