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8 May 2026

Enterprise bargaining with Catholic Education South Australia (CESA) has reached a critical turning point and not because of meaningful progress.

Despite months of engagement, meetings, and good faith efforts from your IEU(SA) Bargaining Team, CESA has refused to take the next logical step — agreeing to work collaboratively to resolve outstanding issues through a joint application for conciliation at the Fair Work Commission (FWC).

A Missed Opportunity for Progress

Your union formally proposed a joint application to the FWC to help break the deadlock on key issues salary, workload, class sizes, ESO conditions and more.

CESA said no.

This isn’t the first time they have said no to matters of importance to members.

They argue they’ve “meaningfully considered” all claims and believe there is “general support” among staff to proceed to a vote.

But members are telling a different story.

Across schools and preschools, the same concerns keep coming up:

• Curriculum Extension Activities (CEA) payments for compulsory work outside of ordinary hours
• Real workload pressures left unresolved
• A salary offer that falls behind the cost of living and puts SA towards the bottom of interstate comparisons.
• The employer’s proposal to change Education Support Officer (ESO) span of hours
• Country incentives

When inflation in Adelaide sits at 4.6%, being told you’re worth 3% isn’t just disappointing, it’s a pay cut in real terms.

The Offer: Conditional, Uncertain and Divisive

CESA’s latest move is to push for a staff vote, sweetened with a one-off sign-on bonus:

• $1,500 for full-time staff. Less for part timers.
• $300 for casuals

But this isn’t the win it’s being presented as.

The bonus comes with strings attached:

• Every single school must vote “yes”
• The agreement must pass unchanged
• The IEU must actively campaign for it

If even one school votes no, the bonus disappears.

That’s not certainty. That’s a gamble.

It’s also a clear attempt to bypass meaningful negotiation shifting the pressure onto staff rather than resolving the issues at the table.

What’s Really at Stake

This isn’t just about percentages or bonuses.

It’s about:

• Fair pay that keeps up with inflation and is nationally competitive
• Workload relief that actually changes daily conditions
• Secure, fair conditions for ESOs
• Respect for the profession and the people in it

Your bargaining team has been clear: without meaningful movement on these issues, there is no basis for a vote.

Why Conciliation Matters

Conciliation isn’t escalation for its own sake.

It’s a practical, independent process designed to:

• Break deadlocks
• Focus negotiations on unresolved issues
• Hold both parties accountable

CESA’s refusal work with the IEU on a joint application sends a message and it’s not one of collaboration.

That’s why, on your behalf, the IEU has taken the step and applied to the Fair Work Commission for conciliation.

United We Shift the Outcome

CESA says staff should decide through a vote.

We agree but only when there’s a fair deal to vote on.

Right now, there isn’t.

That’s why what happens next depends on all of us:

• Stay informed understand what’s really being offered
• Speak up raise issues with your IEU Rep
• Stand together visible unity matters
• Be ready if CESA won’t move, we may need to
• IEU Rep at every workplace, make sure you are represented

The Bottom Line

This bargaining round has reached a defining moment.

CESA wants a quick vote. Members want a fair agreement. Those are not the same thing.

And until they are, this campaign continues.