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  4. EA Bargaining Update around the sectors – February 2026

EA Bargaining Update around the sectors – February 2026

St Peter’s Woodlands

We have reached an in principle agreement in this bargain and are in the process of finalising documents to get them out for vote.  Please keep an eye out for communication from the school in the next few weeks.

The IEU was successful in achieving many wins including:

  1. Pay to be increased by 13.5% over the life of the Enterprise Agreement (EA).
    1. For teachers, the % increase from 2027 years onwards is tied to the Departments’ increase (Department for Education (DfE)) once their negotiations have finished which could potentially see higher increases.
    2. For Education Support Officers (ESOs), Level 2 Grade 3 will receive a higher increase in 2026 (5.5%) to ensure the salary is aligned to that of the Department.
  2. Backpay to the expiry of the current EA.
  3. Camp allowance increased from $120-$200 per night, and a day of TOIL for camps of 4 days or more (ie. Canberra).
  4. Parental leave:
    1. gender neutral language
    2. Partners Paid Leave increase to 10 days
    3. superannuation to be paid on parental and partner leave.
  5. Family and/or special events leave – 2 days paid per year.
  6. Domestic Violence Leave:
    1. updated in accordance with the National Employment Standards (NES), and,
    2. no minimum amount of leave to be taken.
  7. Teacher workload – 198 face-to-face (F2F) days codified in the EA.
  8. ESO entitlements:
    1. redundancy pay now capped at 16 weeks (not 12 as previous)
    2. strengthened clause in relation to ESO role reviews.
  9. New clause to confirm flexible work arrangements.
  10. Right to Disconnect clause.
  11. Additional union Delegates (Reps) Rights clause.
  12. Additional union related matters clause.

St Johns Grammar School

Our last meeting was held on Wednesday 4 February 2026.

The meeting was quite productive in nature.  The School has agreed to reduce the qualifying period for parental leave to 12 months (down from 2 years).

The current monetary position of the employer is 4%, 3% and 3%.  Members have counter offered with 4.25%, 3.5%, 3.5%. This is being considered by the School.

There are a still a number of key claims that we are awaiting a response from the School including:

  • Amendments to the special leave clause to include two days paid special and family events leave. The IEU has provided the School with wording to consider.
  • Long Service Leave (LSL) access after 7 years.
  • Better pay for co-curricular hours – members are seeking $35 an hour compared with the current $18. The School has advised Co-Curricular is being discussed at a Consultative Committee in Week 4.
  • An increased camp allowance of $170/$130 — depending on whether food needs to be provided. The school has offered $165/$125 and an additional food allowance of $50 for non-compulsory trips such as ‘the ski trip’.

Both the IEU and the School expressed a desire for the negotiations not to continue indefinitely and are hopeful we will reach an agreement in the not too distant future.

Walford Anglican School for Girls

After our last meeting on 8 December 2026, the IEU wrote to the School to clearly put the current position of the members.

This included:

  1. Salary as follows:
    • 2026 – 5%
    • 2027 – 4.5%
    • 2028 – 4%
    • 2029 – 4%
  2. Camp allowance to be $175 per night for weeknights and $250 for weekends, and for it to be labelled ‘Overnight Allowance’ so that it also includes any overnight activity. At this stage the school’s position is $140 per night weeknight and $250 for weekends.
  3. Amendments to Co-Curricular Activities including being paid a ‘coaching rate’ if a teacher has completed a certain number of hours.
  4. Special leave for family events – 2 days paid.
  5. LSL access after 7 years of service (the School has expressed for this to remain in policy and not be included in the EA).
  6. Parental leave
    • Access after 12 months service
    • 16 weeks
    • Include foster parents – the IEU have provided a draft clause.
  7. Feedback on a draft Teacher Workload Policy.

There is quite a substantive number of outstanding claims to be sorted.  The next meeting is Tuesday 24 February 2026.  Members should provide any feedback to Reps in the next Sub-Branch meeting in relation to their priorities of the bargain.

Pedare Christian College

Thank you to members for completing the survey at the end of last year. This assisted the bargaining team to put forward priorities at the most recent bargaining meeting.

Priorities raised included:

  1. Inclusion of Tutor group in the F2F teaching load
  2. Reduction in F2F time over the life of the EA
  3. Definitions in the EA in relation to curricular, co-curricular and extra-curricular
  4. Camp allowance of $175 indexed and including Non-instruction Time (NIT) — 2 NITs per 3 nights of camp.

If you have any questions, please reach out to your IEU Reps, Jennifer George and Christopher Bond; Bargaining Representatives Ingrid Moodley, Raelene Lyon, Sarah Mossel, and Jordan Skinner; or IEU Organiser Brian Horan or IEU Industrial Officer Emma Johnson.

The College made an offer in relation to class sizes which was considered and approved by the Board. This reduces Junior Primary from 26 to25 students, and Years 3 and above from 28 to27 students; noting this will sit in policy, not the EA.

Salary offer from the school is 4%, 3.5%, 3.5% and the IEU’s counteroffer is 6%, 6%, 6%. Members should consider their position on salary in the context of potentially having F2F time reduced.  This was discussed at the Sub-Branch meeting on Tuesday 10 February 2026.

Woodcroft College

At our last meeting Wednesday 4 February 2026, it felt that this bargain has begun to make headway.   We have provided the College the IEU position in relation to pay and how the EA could be amended to consider workload, particularly tutor group and f2f time.

We are now not too far apart on percentage of wages. Parties are currently providing alternative offers depending on a 3- or 4-year agreement.  But the difference is either .75% apart for a 3 year, or 1.35% apart for a 4 year.

A further meeting was held Friday 20 February 2026.

St Peter’s College

Bargaining Status: Concluded – Awaiting Fair Work Commission Approval

Bargaining at St Peter’s College has concluded and the EA has been lodged with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) for approval. The Commission has raised a number of matters requiring clarification.

These matters would be of interest to all members in bargaining.

Fair Work Commission Issues Raised

  1. Delegates’ Rights Clause (Clause 13)
    The FWC identified potential deficiencies in the workplace delegates’ rights provision, consistent with concerns raised in a recent Federal Court decision. Terms in the clause need to be broader and it is addressed through including wording such as ‘worker’ rather than ‘employee’.
  2. NES – Casual Conversion
    The EA provides for casual conversion after 12 months of employment. The FWC noted that the Fair Work Act provides a right to notify conversion after 6 months for non-small business employers.
  3. Better Off Overall Test (BOOT) Concerns
    The Commission has raised several potential inconsistencies with the Award that may impact whether the EA passes the BOOT:

    • Casual maximum engagement– Allows engagement for up to one school term, which may be less favourable than the Modern Award (Award) limit of four consecutive weeks (or four term weeks for teachers).
    • Part-time safeguards– The EA does not clearly specify agreed start and finish times, hours worked each day, or days of work, which may be inconsistent with Award requirements.
    • Overtime trigger Overtime appears payable only after ordinary hours, which may be narrower than the Award definition (which includes work outside rostered hours).
    • Weekend penalties – The EA is silent on Saturday and Sunday penalty rates. The FWC has sought clarification as to whether it is reasonably foreseeable that relevant employees would predominantly work weekends.
    • Casual penalties/loading – The EA does not clearly address casual penalty compensation or loading arrangements. The FWC has sought submissions, noting that loaded-rate arrangements for casual employees can present BOOT compliance challenges.
  • The IEU remains the only party actively advancing claims and attending negotiations consistently.Outstanding matters include:
    • Salary: The employers offer is less than economic indicators like inflation and wage price index, and school fee increases.
    • Early Learning Centre (ELC) classification structure and pay rates.

    The employer delayed bargaining for four weeks further slowing progress.

    St Andrew’s School

    Bargaining Status: Close to Finalisation

    Salary Options Under Consideration:

    • Current: $124,510 (TST)
    • 3-year option:
      • 3.5% – $128,867
      • 2.5% – $132,090
      • 3.25% – $136,382
    • 3.5-year option (includes additional 0.5% increase):
    • Final salary – $141,156

     

  • Outstanding matters include
    • The ability to take LSL pro rata after 7 years
    • A range of drafting additions that need to be resolved before ballot.

     

  • Changes include:
    • Reduction in co-curricular hours from 60 to 50 with payment after 50 hours.
    • Extending  flexible work options to include reproductive health related illness, conditions or issues

    Pulteney Grammar School

    Bargaining Status: Ongoing

    Salary Proposal:

    • Current: $115,045 (TST)
    • Year 1: 4% – $119,647
    • Year 2: 3.5% – $123,236
    • Year 3: 3.5% – $126,933


    A 38% salary increase has been offered to ELC and Outside School Hours Care (OHSC) staff.

    The employer has refused to negotiate on members’ salary and workload claims.

    While the school has agreed to some improvements — including:

    • Revising the teacher classification structure to 10 steps
    • Introducing HALT allowances

     

  • The IEU is surveying members on salary.

    The Hills Montessori

    Members have successfully voted up the new EA and it has been lodged with the FWC.

    Key improvements include:

    • 7.5% increase for teachers and a 6.75% increase for general staff for 2026, and 4.75% increases for all staff in 2027 and 2028.
    • Increase Paid Parental Leave (PPL) from 12 to 16 weeks.
    • Reduction in the time required to be back at the school before your next PPL from two years to 12 months.
    • Payment of superannuation on the paid portion of PPL.
    • Credit personal leave upfront for all employees.
    • Inclusion of Special Paid Family Events Leave of 1 day.
    • LSL accessible after 7 years pro-rata.
    • Support Staff Redundancy payment enhanced.
    • All Grade 1 classroom assistants to move to Grade 2.
    • Increase in camp allowance to $125 per night.
    • Inclusion of the Flexible Working Arrangement clause into the EA.
    • Inclusion of a Right to Disconnect Clause that is not just a reference to the Award.
    • Inclusion of a Delegates’ Rights clause and retain current Union related matters.
    • Extension of the non-teaching classification from 4 grades to 6 to better cover potential roles.

    Investigator College

    Members have discussed and responded to the survey about putting an offer back to the employer. As a result, the College came back with a revised offer which increased the salary by a further 0.5%.

    After February 2028, a top step teacher (TST) would be paid $133,316. They had also proposed and members accepted a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which aims to deal with teacher workload through a workgroup.

    The College has agreed to the following IEU member claims:

    • Pay day superannuation – from commencement of the EA
    • Recognising overseas teaching experience
    • 2 days Special Family Events Leave.
    • POR minimum release time
      • POR 1: 2 lessons
      • POR 2: 6 lessons
      • POR 3: 10 lessons
      • POR 4: 12 lessons
    • Inclusion of Right to Disconnect
    • Right to representation for IEU Officers at meetings that impact employment
    • Paid Partner Leave to increase to 10 days
    • Paid Adoption leave to increase to 16 weeks
    • Superannuation to be paid on Paid Parental Leave
    • Enhanced Right to Disconnect Clause
    • Support for Early Career Teachers by providing 1 additional lesson of non-contact time per week for those in their first year of teaching.
    • Increase Temporary Relief Teacher (TRT) daily rate to Step 4
    • Increase in camp allowance to $100 per night and includes trips in Australia during term breaks.

    Sunrise ELC and Schools

    Bargaining has continued into 2026 for the EA. One meeting was postponed by the employer and so we have only just received a response to the country incentives claim. The School is proposing a change in policy only which would increase payment for moving costs from $5000 to $6000 and to allow the half of the payment of a relocation allowance (equivalent to 4 weeks) to be done up front.

    Considering that Whyalla Sunrise School is in one of the hardest to staff areas of the state, it is baffling why they wouldn’t want to make in clear in the EA what they offer and to provide an ongoing incentive. Key competitors, particularly DfE schools offer substantially more and they run the genuine risk of losing teachers because of this stance.

    Other matters remain largely as they were at the end of 2025:

    The employer maintains that they wish to match the percentage increases from the DfE. This will mean that teachers at the top step continue to match only Level 8 of the DfE scale (not their top step of Level 9).

    This remains a large barrier to reaching agreement.

    The other important matters still yet to be resolved are:

    • Increase in Parental Leave payment (IEU claim is for 16 weeks increasing to 20 weeks for long term staff). Employer response is to go to 14 weeks.
    • Increase partner leave to 10 days paid. Employer response is to provide the top up from the government minimum wage payment for 10 days only.
    • Make parental leave payment gender blind so that male staff can be primary carers and receive the payment.

     

  • We have agreement on:
    • Superannuation payable on Parental Leave payments
    • Days of attendance to be included in the EA (employer response is to include 200 days attendance)
    • Flexible work arrangements to be included in the EA
    • Workplace delegates clause to be included
    • Enhancement of Union rights to communicate with staff
    • Family special events leave of 2 days paid.
    • Including information about Coordinators into the schedule similar to how Band 2 and HAT/Lead positions are described.

     

  • The employer wanted to reduce the minimum shift for casual bus drivers and allow a split shift. They have since amended their claim to reducing the casual shift length from 3 hours to 2 hours.We have also rejected their claim to have personal leave accrue, rather than be given up front.Given the difficult to staff Whyalla school, we have agreed to have Special Authority to Teach (SAT) Teachers to commence on Step 2. Their days of teaching as a SAT would count towards their incremental step, giving them a boost once they have completed their study.We have agreed to allow a forced shut down for OSHC staff.

    Indie Education EA

    From early 2025, the IEU(SA), along with other IEU Australia (IEUA) branches, bargained for a new Enterprise Agreement (EA) for teachers and general employees employed by Indie Education across Australia.

    The union reached agreement and the new EA was voted up and ratified in late 2025.

    The EA has a nominal expiry date of 31 January 2030 and guarantees salary increases of 2.5% payable from the first full pay period on or after 1 February of each year. For many categories of employees, because of a change in the classification structure it provides for much larger increases of up to 27.2%. For example, teachers now have a three-step scale which takes a beginning teacher salary as of 1 Feb 2026 to $115,475 and top step teacher salary to $130,104.

    In addition to the above, the IEU secured improvements to working conditions, including:

    • Earlier access to Long Service Leave: from 5 years of service, which permits pro rata payment if employment terminates after 5 years.
    • Paid company benefit leave: one week of paid leave during the Christmas shutdown for all employees except Teachers, Teacher Equivalents, and Learning Support Employees.
    • Expanded infectious diseases leave — leave includes any infectious disease of public concern, including pandemics, as declared by health authorities.
    • Union Delegate Rights: new protections and entitlements for union representatives, aligned with updates to the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth).