Latest news

Kings Baptist Grammar School

Thank you to members who provided their feedback in the survey recently. We provided this feedback to the School at the last meeting on Tuesday 8 September.

Two matters the School has provided offers on:

1. Camp allowance – an increase from $100 – $125. This is still the lowest in the sector.
2. Special Leave
   1. The School has suggested a change in the clause to cover a variety of leave types including well-being leave, the usual family and events, reproductive health leave, cultural leave etc.
   2. The School has offered an increase to 4 days per year (up from 2)

They are still working on a salary offer and will provide it in due course.

A Sub-Branch meeting will be held in the next week to discuss matters with members.

St George College

Bargaining has been productive; we have had quite a few items agreed which is excellent news. These include:

1. Increase in parental leave to 16 weeks
2. Superannuation to be paid on parental and partner leave
3. For parental leave to be gender neutral
4. Two weeks paid partner leave regardless of government entitlements.
5. The amendment to clause 26.1 to be amended to reflect current teaching load of 26 lessons/21.66 hours per week
6. Camp allowance $175 per night.

The School has offered:
Higher Authority Teacher (HAT) Allowance – $5,000 and Lead Teacher Allowance $10,000.

A Sub-Branch meeting will be held at lunchtime on Thursday 24 September to discuss and get your feedback.

Westminster School

The School has responded to our letter.  In summary they have advised:

1. Clause 1.3.4 provides that the School and Employees “will commence discussions in relation to the negotiation of a further Enterprise Agreement (EA) at least three months prior to its expiry”. The School does not agree this automatically requires the parties to commence formal negotiations at that time.
2. The School will adjust its proposal and will issue the Notice of Employee Representational Rights (NERR) form and commence bargaining in February-March 2027.
3. Maintain that the proposed 4.75% salary increase from the first pay period in January 2027.
4. The School will commit to meeting with the Consultative Committee to progress the review of the co-curricular incentive scheme and the alignment of general staff classifications to the Award structure prior to bargaining commencing.
5. However, the School cannot guarantee that these two initiatives will be finalised before formal bargaining commences in February/March 2027

Scotch College

The IEU proposals for bargaining at Scotch College are focused on keeping salaries competitive, modernising classifications and improving conditions for employees at different stages of their working and family lives.

The IEU has put forward a detailed salary and classification claim together with proposals on leave, flexibility, allowances and working arrangements.

The full IEU claim and proposals can be found on the members portal.

Key claims that have been cover so far include:

The salary claim proposes increases of 6%, 5% and 5% over three years. It also seeks a simpler five-level teacher scale, beginning with a $100,000 base rate before the first increase. Existing teachers would move to the lowest new rate that is equal to or higher than their current salary, with service and progression preserved.

The claim extends beyond classroom teachers. The IEU is seeking experience-based remuneration for Temporary Relief Teachers (TRTs), removal of junior rates and a consistent reclassification process for all support staff. Reviews are also sought for preschool and childcare, nursing, classroom support and operational classifications so that qualifications, judgement and responsibility are properly recognised.

The College has offered salary increases of 4% in 2027, followed by 3% in 2028 and 3% in 2029. This would increase the current top teacher salary from $127,605.67 to $132,709.90, $136,691.19 and $140,791.93. The offer compounds to only 10.33% over three years. It does little to restore the purchasing power employees have already lost through recent cost-of-living increases. The later 3% increases would merely keep pace if inflation fell to 3%; if inflation remained above that level, employees would suffer a further real-wage decline. This is why the IEU is seeking increases of 6%, 5% and 5%: employees need more than nominal wage movement they need an outcome that repairs past losses and protects their living standards.

The IEU is also seeking family-friendly and practical improvements.

The proposals include 21 weeks of paid parental, adoption and foster carer leave, 15 days of paid partner leave, paid reproductive health leave, improved stillbirth and miscarriage provisions, stronger domestic and family violence support, lactation rights and two family-event leave days.

So far, the employer’s response to the IEU claim have has been disappointing.

The school has offered limited leave for fertility treatment but chosen not to address the key elements in the unions claim for Reproductive Health.

Other claims include fortnightly superannuation contributions, a $1,500 annual toileting and personal care allowance, improved camp compensation, time off in lieu for additional duties and flexible work where duties can be performed away from the workplace.

The IEU is also scrutinising proposed drafting changes on overtime, breaks, annual leave loading and boarding supervision pay. A change labelled technical can still affect an employee’s pay or entitlement, so its practical effect must be demonstrated before it is accepted.

The employer response to date has been inadequate.

Woodcroft College

The EA has been submitted to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and is awaiting approval.

Tyndale Christian Schools Group

Tyndale bargaining has reached a more difficult stage.

The previous supported bargaining arrangement expired, so the group had to reapply to the FWC for an extension.

A four-hour meeting with the employer has not resolved the IEU’s concerns about the draft agreement.

We are also concerned about the Employer’s apparent failure to comply with several obligations under the current EA across the Tyndale group. The matters raised by members include:

• failing to conduct the required review of non-teaching staff classifications;

• failing — for approximately 10 years according to the Employer’s own timeline — to comply with the primary class-size limits and associated consultation requirements;

• requiring non-teaching staff to work outside their ordinary hours without paying the applicable overtime;

• failing to provide employees holding positions of responsibility with current job and person specifications, while requiring some employees to perform work of a higher value without appropriate classification or compensation;

• failing to provide meal breaks in accordance with the enterprise agreement; and

• continuing unresolved concerns about the calculation and administration of long service leave entitlements.

The current EA remains enforceable, and the Employer must address any past and continuing non-compliance while bargaining proceeds.

We are concerned that the draft of the proposed agreement does not accurately record the status of bargaining. It includes provisions that have not been agreed, wording that differs from bargaining discussions and clauses that may reduce existing protections or fail the better off overall test.

The IEU’s position is that employees should not be asked to vote on a document presented as final while those matters remain open.

Class sizes are a major concern. The employer has admitted non-compliance over many years with existing class-size limits and consultation requirements. The proposed wording would increase some class sizes removing protections. For practical subjects, the IEU is seeking clear limits using current subject names and documented risk assessment and consultation before any maximum is exceeded.

Workload and hours also remain contested.

The proposed timetable at Salisbury East  to enable a 1,420-minute weekly teaching and supervision load is not agreed.

Members need to see whether the proposed allocation will deliver genuine Non-Contact Time rather than shift work into other parts of the week. Clear protections are also needed for meetings, camps, performances, excursions and additional part-time hours.

The salary offer is mixed. The proposed 2026 top teacher rate of $124,811 sits below several Christian-school comparators.

The proposed beginning rate of $91,364 is also below several comparable schools, while the proposed ESO Grade 2 Year 3 rate of $78,454 is $1,072 below the Department for Education SSO Level 2 Year 3

The IEU is seeking a stronger offer and common salary operative dates across Salisbury East, Murray Bridge and Strathalbyn.

Other unresolved matters include preserving the agreed three-week mid-year break as leave, fair options for support and administration staff in Week 39, leadership workload and tenure, part-time progression, overtime, rest breaks, higher duties, allowances, delegates’ rights and secure arrangements for employees temporarily reducing their fraction.

The Union remains committed to bargaining, but the draft must accurately reflect negotiated outcomes and protect every group covered by the agreement.

Annesley Junior School

Annesley agreement remains under scrutiny

The IEU has been required to provide submissions to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) proceedings concerning the approval of the proposed Annesley Junior School Enterprise Agreement 2026, after the FWC identified significant problems with the Employer’s application.

An EA is an enforceable legal document. Employees must understand the terms on which they are voting, and the Commission must be satisfied that the agreement was genuinely agreed to and leaves employees better off overall than under the relevant modern award.

Errors remain in the proposed agreement

The employer put a revised agreement to the FWC to be considered, and it continued to contain drafting, numbering and cross-referencing errors.

Some errors may be typographical. Others could affect redundancy notice, annual leave and payment entitlements.

The Employer has not clearly outlined the corrections that it will make.

The Employer’s application to correct the agreement also was incomplete and did not clearly state the relief sought or the grounds for the application.

Undertakings must protect employees

The IEU does not oppose the Employer’s undertaking to increase the casual loading from 20% to 25%. This undertaking was necessary as the employer’s draft agreement put to vote was incorrect and did not reflect the correct percentage.

The proposed annualised-salary undertaking put by the employer referred to incorrect or non-existent clauses dealing with salaries, first aid, overtime, penalty rates and annual leave loading.

The undertaking also compares an employee’s annualised salary only with the amount payable under the proposed agreement. It does not guarantee that employees will receive at least their entitlements under the Educational Services Schools General Staff Award 2020.

The IEU says employees must receive whichever amount is greater under the agreement or the Award.

The undertaking must also include an effective reconciliation process so that any shortfall is identified and paid.

Defective notice raises genuine agreement concerns

The Employer has accepted that the NERR incorrectly told employees that they were not covered by an existing EA.

The Employer has relied on statutory declarations from three employees to argue that the error did not cause disadvantage. The declarations are largely identical and do not explain whether the employees read or relied on the incorrect statement, how they learned about their representational rights or whether the Employer corrected the error.

The declarations also do not address whether employees understood the role of a union entitled to represent their industrial interests.

The evidence put by the employer may not be such that it convinces the FWC that it has complied with the act.

This scrutiny is being applied to t ensure that the final EA is accurate, legally effective and provides the entitlements employees were told they would receive.

Pembroke School

Pembroke teachers have secured salary increases of 4.75% from February 2027, followed by 4% in February 2028 and another 4% in February 2029.

Teachers also receive an additional 3% staff benefit above the EA salary.

From February 2027, this produces an actual salary of:

• $101,556 for a beginning teacher at Step 3; and

• $137,033 for a top-step teacher.

Based on the IEU’s current salary comparison, these actual  salaries would place Pembroke at approximately third for beginning teachers and second for top-step teachers among the South Australian schools compared.

By February 2029, the effective salaries will rise to approximately $109,843 for a beginning teacher and $148,216 for a top-step teacher.

Professional Services Staff will also receive the 4.75%, 4% and 4% increases contained in the agreement. Pembroke’s Level 2 Step 2 salary will rise to $84,321 in February 2027 and $91,202 by February 2029.

These increases, together with the new family-friendly conditions and workload improvements, represent an excellent outcome for Pembroke members.

Prince Alfred College Early Learning Centre

The Union has achieved many positive improvements in the EA Bargaining including:

1. FWC increase each July (this year 4.75%) for pay rises PLUS an additional increase of 2% in January 2027.
2. Allowances paid to both Classroom Co-Educators and Support Shift co-educators staff in the school Holiday period
3. An increase in the School Holiday allowance to $2.60 per hour (previously $2)
4. An improved classification with further levels for support shift workers.
5. Access to Long Service Leave after 7 years of service.
6. Increase in personal leave days – now 12 days
7. 1 day paid family and special events leave
8. Infectious diseases leave clause that matches the college agreement
9. Professional development allowance of 6 hours paid in July each year (back paid for this year)

We are awaiting a draft agreement from the College, and the agreement will likely go to vote in the next 2 or so weeks.

Garden College

On Monday 7 September 2026 we had our second bargaining meeting.  Our endorsed Log of Claims was provided to the College.

The next meeting will be in Week 2 of Term 4. We will provide an update on the College’s responses when they are received.

Kaplan International

Bargaining continues. IEU and independent bargaining reps have presented their claim. We await a response from the employer and to receive their claims. Salary and the structure of their various programs are the most important claims.

Pinnacle College

Bargaining continues. We have received responses to the log of claims. The main issue is shaping as salary increases, with the original offer of 9.5% over three years for teachers and 11.5% for General Staff recently increasing to offers of 10.5% and 12.5% but reducing the 2027 increase. Members are meeting to decided if that offer is sufficient.

Mt Barker Waldorf

Negotiation will commence in Term 4 and members are about to develop a log of claims.

Sunrise Schools and ELC

Sunrise Schools agreement was recently voted up and will proceed to the FWC for approval. Some anomalies will need to be explained by the employer.

The ELC negotiations have now recommenced, and we will likely have an agreed draft shortly to put to members.

^{23 September 2026}