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In addition to our regular update of Enterprise Agreement (EA) bargaining around the sectors, we believe members will appreciate an ‘at a glance’ comparative reckoner of what schools/sectors are offering for salary.

As we haven’t presented this before, we have created this as a standalone article and you can view that here

Hills Montessori

After 3 productive meetings we are seeking members feedback regarding the employer response. The school is proposing a 4.75% increase for teachers and a 6.75% increase for general staff for 2026, and 4.75% increases for all staff in 2027 and 2028.

The employer has agreed to many IEU key claims:

• Increase Paid Parental Leave (PPL) from 12 to 16 weeks,
• Reduce the time required to be back at the school before your next PPL from two years to 12 months and to
• Pay super on the paid portion of PPL.
• Credit personal leave upfront for all employees.
• Include Special Paid Family Events Leave (claim is for 2 days, offer is for 1)
• Long Service Leave (LSL) accessible after 7 years
• Support Staff Redundancy payment enhanced
• All Grade 1 classroom assistants to move to Grade 2
• Increase camp allowance to $125 per night
• Include Flexible working arrangement clause into the EA
• Include a Right to Disconnect Clause that is not just a reference to the Award
• Include a delegates’ rights clause and retain current Union related matters
• Extend the non-teaching classification from 4 grades to 6 to better cover potential roles

Where we are still to reach agreement is

• Teacher workload – full time load codified
• Support staff partial redundancy provisions (to match teachers)

Woodcroft College

Two meetings have been held. The IEU bargaining team consisting of Tim Oosterbaan (IEU Secretary), Emma Johnson (IEU Industrial Officer) and Jess Hill (Woodcroft IEU rep) presented the members’ log of claims. Of significant note is that Jess, with the assistance of members, put together the claim and consulted with members resulting in 24 key claims.

Members feel strongly about a number of claims including:

• A salary claim of 6.5% (2026), 5.5% (2027) and 4% (2028)
• Tutor group (home room) counted towards the face-to-face lesson load
• A Teacher Workload Agreement which sets out key workload parameters with Teachers to vote on it

We await the employer’s considered response.

Investigator College

Three meetings have been held. The IEU has presented its log of claims, and the employer has given their initial response.

Salary response from the employer has been for a 4% (2026), 3% (2027) and 3% (2028)

The employer has agreed to the following IEU member claims:

• Pay day super – from commencement of the agreement
• Recognising overseas teaching experience
• 2 days Special Family Events Leave
• Positions Of Responsibility 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
• Superannuation to be paid on Paid Parental Leave

We have partial agreement on the following:

• Parental Leave Payment – IEU claim is for 16 up to 20 weeks for long serving employees. Employer response is to increase to 16 weeks but not extend to 20 weeks.
• Long Service Leave entitlement in short blocks – employer response is this is already happening, but it is at the Principal’s discretion, not a right.
• Induction and mentoring – IEU claim is for reduced face to face for two years – employer response is to decrease load by one lesson for the first year.
• Release time/Non-instruction Time (NIT) defined and regulated. Employer response was that it could be recorded outside of the agreement that junior school teachers have 5 NITs and senior school teachers have 7 NITs
• Temporary Relief Teachers (TRT) to be paid at Step 5. Employer response is to increase to Step 4.
• Camp allowance to increase from $75 to $200. Employer response is to increase to $100.

The employer has rejected the following claims:

• HAT and Lead teacher allowance increases to $11,000 and $18,000 respectively
• Inclusion of Student Contact Time limits
• 60-minute reduction in teacher load and 60-minute increase in NIT
• Review of Extras allocation
• Class size reviewed, regulated and reduced
• Additional release for Individualised Learning plans
• Mandated Education Support Officer (ESO) support
• Additional 5 days of Personal Leave
• Paid Parental Leave to be counted as service

Sunrise ELC and Schools

Bargaining continues for the schools Enterprise Agreement (EA). It has been agreed that the ELC EA negotiations are paused while the school matters are agreed and then what has been agreed will be transferred to the ELC negotiations.

The employer maintains that they wish to match the percentage increases from the Department for Education (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 and country incentives remain large obstacles for reaching agreement.

We have agreement on:

• Super 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

We have partial agreement on the following:

• 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.
• Family special events leave of 2 days paid and 3 days unpaid. Employer response is to provide 2 days paid.

The employer has rejected the following claims:

• Paid Parental Leave to be gender neutral (they want to keep it to mothers only)
• Increase partner leave to 10 days paid
• Personal leave provided up front to all staff each year
• Country incentives to be included in the agreement
• Positions of Responsibility
  • Guaranteed number of positions
  • Release time
  • Coordinator positions to move to at least a Band 2 Level 1

St Johns Grammar School

Three meetings have been held.  The bargaining team consists of Emma Johnson, IEU Industrial Officer (taken over from Rob Seals), Meredith Young and Alyssia Angilletta-Hardy (St John’s Reps).

At the most recent meeting on Wednesday 29 October we discussed early access to Long Service Leave, reduction of face-to-face workload, class sizes and extra-curricular activities.  Your Reps will consult with you on these issues to get further feedback from you.

We still await the employer’s considered response to the log of claims.

St Peter’s Woodlands

We had the first bargaining meeting on Tuesday 21 October. The bargaining team consists of Emma Johnson (IEU Industrial Officer), Priscilla Corbell-Moore (Organiser) and Mark DeLaine (St Peter’s Woodlands Rep). The first meeting was an introductory meeting setting out a plan for the next steps.  On Friday 31 October we sent out the draft log of claims which we are seeking members endorsement.

Walford

We have had 2 meetings so far. Unfortunately, due to staff changes and illness we were unable to meet for the last scheduled meeting. Our third meeting is Wednesday 5 November where Emma Johnson, our new Industrial Officer, will be joining us at the table. The main topic of discussion will be workload. The school has provided us with a draft Workload Policy which will form much of the meeting’s deliberations. We will provide an update after that.

Pedare

Emma Johnson (IEU Industrial Officer) has taken over from Rob Seals. The next bargaining meeting is 6 November 2025/ We will provide an update after that.

St Andrew’s School

Enterprise Bargaining is about to commence. The school has sent the NERR to employees and the IEU is finalising its log of claims.

Annesley Junior School

Member have lodged their log of claims.

Staff have called for expanded agreement coverage to include Early Learning Centre and OSHC educators, ensuring that all workers contributing to the school community are afforded equal rights and protections. The school has agreed to consider these inclusions. Employees also emphasised the need to maintain and improve all existing conditions, with a commitment that no entitlements will fall below

National Employment Standards

Annesley employees are seeking the inclusion of clauses such as the Right to Disconnect and Delegate Rights, both of which the school has agreed to adopt. Enhanced Family and Domestic Violence Leave provisions 15 days paid and 10 unpaid have been endorsed

Leave, Safety, and Equality

Key claims include:

• Reproductive Leave: 10 days paid leave for reproductive health – not yet agreed.
• Parental Leave: Increase to 20 weeks paid leave, inclusive of all family structures – partly agreed; under consideration.
• Partner and Foster Carer Leave: Paid entitlements to support diverse family responsibilities.
• Superannuation: Transition to fortnightly payments from July 2026.
• Long Service Leave: Access in single day increments with principal discretion.

The union has also sought commitments around psychosocial safety, gender equity, and fatigue management, with proposals for mental health training and sexual harassment prevention policies to strengthen staff wellbeing and workplace culture

Workload and Job Security

Teachers have raised ongoing concerns about sustainable workloads, calling for clear definitions of instructional time, reduced duplication of administrative tasks, and stronger protections for part-time staff. Job security measures are also a key focus, with calls for fair pathways to permanency and transparent conversion processes for temporary and casual employees

Pulteney Grammar School

In a recent survey conducted by the IEU, an overwhelming 96% of Pulteney Grammar members rejected the employer’s current proposals, with no member expressing support. The result sends a clear and unified message: staff believe the proposed agreement fails to adequately address critical concerns around pay, workload and professional respect.

The central issue for members remains salary increases. Staff have called for a 9%, 6%, and 6% increase across the next three years, reflecting both rising living costs and the need for competitive remuneration to attract and retain staff.

Members expressed deep frustration that teachers at Pulteney are paid less than their counterparts in the Department for Education (DfE) and Catholic Education. The disparity has led to growing dissatisfaction and concerns about retention, recruitment and professional recognition.

Key Issues Identified by Members

Members have identified a comprehensive set of priorities that must be addressed in any new enterprise agreement. These include:

• Salary Increases and Allowances
• Workload Reduction and Hours of Work
• Co-Curricular Workload and Compensation
• Increased Leave Entitlements
• Right to Disconnect
• Superannuation Improvements
• Career Structure and Classifications
• Professional Development and Programming Time
• Childcare and Family-Friendly Provisions
• Gendered Health and Safety Protections

A Call for Respect and to be valued

Pulteney staff chose to work at Pulteney as they want to be part of the community. They want to work with likeminded professionals who are committed to delivering a high-quality education. They are committed to their students and work hard. They currently do not feel valued. The low salary offer and a failure to reduce already high workloads are key concerns.

Tyndale

We have continued negotiations with Tyndale Christian School and while progress has been made, several key matters remain unresolved.

Salary Increases

The employer’s proposed 3% salary increases for 2026 and 2027 fall short of maintaining parity with comparable schools. With higher offers already in place across the sector and rising living costs, the IEU is advocating for stronger increases to ensure that Tyndale staff are not left behind in real terms.

Employee Rights and Conditions

The IEU has called for inclusion of several key provisions:

• Right to Disconnect: A clause protecting staff from unreasonable out-of-hours contact.
• Delegates’ Rights Clause: To ensure union representatives are properly supported and resourced.
• Reproductive Health, Breastfeeding and Lactation Breaks, and Foster Carer Leave: New clauses recognising health, wellbeing, and family responsibilities.

Education Support Officers (ESOs)

Several issues remain under discussion:

• Attendance Days and Classification: Clarification is needed on proposed attendance arrangements and classification reforms, and we have met with the employer to further progress these matters.
• Camps and Passive Hours:  We have sought an explanation from the employer about how these will operate, members are considering.

Teacher Workload and Conditions

• Teaching Loads: While a reduction in face-to-face hours is welcome, feedback from members is that they remain concerned that the proposed 23 hours and 40 minutes exceeds Department for Education levels and may increase workload overall. Additional information has been provided to the bargaining team, and it has been suggested that the employer provide more information to members as to how it will operate.
• Staff and other Meetings: The IEU seeks clear limits and consultation on meeting frequency and timing, ensuring these are counted within the 100 hours of co-curricular duties.

Leave and Allowances

• Stillbirth Leave: The employer’s current proposal may be less than recent legislation that has just passed parliament. We will write to the employer on this matter.
• Travel Allowance: The current rate is below the Award minimum ($0.99/km). The IEU has requested immediate adjustment and back pay.
• Leave Loading: Members have expressed concern about moving to fortnightly payments instead of the current annual lump sum. The employer has said this is a workload issue for pay roll staff.

St Peter’s Girls School

After almost 12 months, negotiations have concluded and staff at St Peters Girl’s School will this week vote on the proposed agreement.

The proposed agreement includes:

• salary increases of 6% 4% 3% taking a teacher on the highest step (10) to $131,691 by 2027
• fortnightly pay in 2027
• pay day superannuation (fortnightly)
• a First Aid allowance which will increase in accordance with annual salary increases.
• Consultative Committee will be inclusive of an IEU Representative
• Full delegates rights’ clause.

Improvements to address workload:

• right to disconnect
• a reduction in face-to-face teaching time
• workload protections for SCT, NCT, Extra-curricular, PT Interviews, other after-hours advents, meetings, yard duties, reliefs and other administrative tasks
• A change mechanism clause which ensures that changes to major workload components cannot occur without a ballot of affected staff.

Family Friendly Conditions:

• Paid Parental leave has been increased to 16 weeks
• Employees will have access to breast feeding facilities and arrangements.

Members have remained a strong collective throughout the bargaining period. Led by the hardworking, informed and skilled EB team, they have utilised protected industrial action when needed to close the gap between the employer’s position and that of members.

IEU membership has doubled throughout this EB campaign.

IEU members at St Peter’s Girls should be congratulated for their resilience and commitment to improving their workplace conditions. This is a clear example of what members can achieve when they are organised and work collectively.

St Peter’s College

Teacher workload has been a key focus in the recent bargaining meetings at St Peter’s College, with the IEU pressing strongly for measures that recognise the real pressures on educators’ time and professional responsibilities.

The IEU’s workload claim is very modest. It is designed to provide both clarity and fairness across the school and is presented in two parts: a no-cost component and a costed proposal.

At present, in the St Peter’s College Enterprise Agreement (EA) there are limits on the maximum Student Contact Time (SCT), but these limits are not clearly defined in the EA itself. The IEU has called for these provisions to be explicitly defined, so that teachers have certainty about what constitutes SCT and how this is measured.

For senior teachers, the IEU is seeking to have their workload expressed in minutes, bringing their provisions into alignment with other teaching cohorts in the school. This would ensure consistency and remove ambiguity about entitlements.

The current agreement, while placing limits on the maximum SCT, does not define what tasks constitute SCT. We have asked that a definition of SCT be included in the new EA.

These clarifications are no-cost measures, yet the employer has so far refused to agree to them.

The IEU’s proposal also seeks a reduction of one hour per week in SCT for teachers. This modest but important change would provide teachers with greater capacity to manage preparation, assessment and pastoral care; all critical parts of their professional work that fall outside direct teaching hours.

Additionally, the IEU has proposed that teachers be provided with dedicated time to write Learning Plans, recognising the increasing administrative and compliance demands being placed on staff.

Unfortunately, the employer has rejected this claim, along with the other workload proposals.

Indie School

The draft EA was put out to a vote and staff have voted to accept it the EA. We await approval of the application.