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Pulteney Grammar School

Bargaining has commenced and the IEU has started to outline its proposals underlining the Log of Claims. So far, there have been 3 bargaining meetings.

The IEU Log of Claims includes:

• Conditions that will meet or exceed those outlined in the relevant Modern Award and/or the National Employment Standards. All existing entitlements will be maintained, except where improvements are required to comply with legislative requirements, fulfil undertakings or reflect agreed improvements. There must be no reduction in employment conditions.
• Salaries that are nationally competitive: with increased remuneration, enhanced allowances, improved classification structures and superior superannuation benefits.
• A collaborative and consultative approach to workplace matters and enhanced professional voice.
• A safer workplace that fosters a healthier and safer physical and psychological work environment.
• Workloads that are reasonable and not excessive.
• Implementation of enhanced leave arrangements, including but not limited to Long Service Leave, Family Special Events Leave, Infectious Diseases Leave, Personal Leave, Parental Type Leave, Domestic Violence Leave and Reproductive Health Leave.
• Improved family-friendly conditions and work life balance, enhanced parental rights, flexible part-time arrangements, increased safety and strengthened support for reproductive health.
• An actionable and transparent gender equity plan, developed in consultation with employees, that aims to eliminate gender inequity and regularly reports on progress.

Strategic Goals

Advancing Gender equity and Improving Work life Balance:

The IEU has started bargaining by strongly advocating for the implementation of enhanced leave arrangements and more equitable, family-friendly workplace practices. These proposed improvements include access to Long Service Leave after seven years, Family Special Events Leave, Extended Infectious Diseases Leave, Additional Personal Leave, Increased Parental Leave entitlements, Domestic Violence Leave in line with the National Employment Standards, and dedicated Reproductive Health Leave. We are also pushing for stronger family-friendly conditions that support work-life balance, such as flexible part-time arrangements, improved parental rights, greater workplace safety, and a comprehensive review of childcare support.

In addition, we are calling for the development of an actionable and transparent gender equity plan, created in consultation with employees. This plan must aim to eliminate gender-based inequities in the workplace and include regular progress reporting to ensure accountability and meaningful change. These claims reflect our continued efforts to ensure fair, safe, and inclusive work environments.

Safe Workplaces

We have focused claims on removing gender-based risks in the workplace. This includes protections against technology-facilitated sexual violence such as embedding safeguards into workplace systems to prevent digital forms of harassment and abuse, including digital sexual harassment, image-based sexual abuse, sexual aggression or coercion and gender or sexuality-based harassment.  The claim is for a gendered health and safety risk assessment to identify and mitigate workplace conditions that may increase the likelihood of sexual harassment. This includes reviewing isolated work environments, power imbalances and inadequate reporting systems. We are seeking that the employer implement ethical guidelines around the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) and confidentiality clauses, ensuring that such measures are applied only at the request of the victim in cases of sexual harassment, thereby prioritising their rights and autonomy.

Willunga Waldorf School

Strategic Goals

Improve Pay and conditions 

The school has made on offer of:

• 5.68% – from the first full pay period on or after 1 May 2025
  (Step 10 = $119,642. Grade 2.3 $67,774)
• 3.0% – from the first full pay period on or after 1 May 2026
  (Step 10 = $123,232. Grade 2.3 $69,807)
• 3.25% – from the first full pay period on or after 1 May 2027
  (Step 10 = $127,237. Grade 2.3 $72,076)

These increases will only align Step 10 teachers to around the pay rates of Department for Education (DfE) and Catholic Education South Australia (CESA). For non-teaching staff, their pay would be substantially lower. The amount offered does not consider increased cost of living over the last agreement.

Enhance professional voice:

• A delegate’s rights clause has been agreed.
• The IEU claim for a definition of consultation has not been agreed by the employer. The school does not have consultative provisions in the agreement.
• Further bargaining to occur on a consultive clause, and, workload and class size grievance clause.

Improve Work life Balance:

• The employer has agreed to include Right to Disconnect provisions in the agreement.
• Breastfeeding and lactation breaks, Paid Reproductive Leave, Disability Leave and Foster Carers Leave are yet to be agreed by the employer.
• The school has a sliding scale for paid parental leave. The school currently offers 5 weeks of paid parental leave to educators in their first two years of service and the employer is proposing this increases to 8 weeks. This is well below industry standard.

Safe Workplaces

A Fatigue Management Policy and Health and Safety Psychosocial Policy was claimed as part of the bargaining. If it is not agreed as part of bargaining, the IEU may seek such provisions outside of bargaining under work health safety laws and regulations.

Maintain Secure and sustainable jobs:

The employer is proposing to reduce provisions (that were included to ensure greater job security) to increase temporary employment from 12 months to 2 years. Further clarification is being sought from the employer as to why this change is needed.

Advancing Gender equity:

The school is resistor to addressing gender equity and has shown very little commitment.

This is demonstrated by their refusal to agree to proposals around commitment to gender equity, gender pay gap analysis, pay equity action plan, reporting to staff and including supportive practices — such as, breast feeding and lactation breaks, anti-discrimination training and industry standard partner leave at a minimum.

The school has agreed to Domestic Violence training for one manager.

Wilderness School

The Wilderness School Enterprise Agreement (EA) is currently before Commissioner Thornton who will decide whether to approve the EA application.

Strategic Goals

Improve pay and conditions

The school offered:

• 2.0% – from the first full pay period on or after 1 February 2025
  (Step 10 = $117,989. Grade 2.3 $74,786)
• 3.4 % – from the first full pay period on or after 1 March 2025
  (Step 10 = $122,000. Grade 2.3 $77,329)
• 3.75% – from the first full pay period on or after 1 February 2026
  (Step 10 = $126,575. Grade 2.3 $80,229)
• 3.75% – from the first full pay period on or after 1 February 2027
  (Step 10 = $131,322. Grade 2.3 $83,238)

Currently members at Wilderness are paid less than DfE and CESA and substantially less than like-schools such as Saint Peter’s Boys and Pembroke School.

If approved, this increase if will put members above DfE and CESA by the end of the life of the EA.

While such increases are important, when compared state-by-state, South Australian teachers are some of the lowest paid in Australia.

Enhance professional voice:

The IEU’s claim for a definition of consultation was agreed by the employer. The school currently has consultative provisions in the EA. A Delegate’s Rights clause has been agreed.

Improve Work Life Balance:

The employer agreed to include Right to Disconnect provisions in the EA.

The school currently has 14 weeks paid maternity leave and this will increase to 16 weeks.

Breastfeeding and Lactation Breaks, Paid Reproductive Leave, Disability Leave and Foster Carers Leave were not agreed by the employer.

Safe Workplaces

• The school has agreed to develop policies on fatigue management.
• No agreement on psychosocial policy and provisions and this will be dealt outside of the agreement.

Maintain Secure and sustainable jobs

• No improvements on job security or career progression have been agreed.
• Members were seeking improved classification and conditions for non-teaching staff, but these were rejected.

Advancing Gender equity:

The school is a laggard on gender equity and this means it demonstrates commitment on certain aspects of gender but also exhibits signs of conservativeness and opposition to other provisions. The poor industrial treatment of highly feminised classifications is a concern.

For example, the school has refused to agree to proposals around commitment to gender equity, gender pay gap analysis, pay equity action plan and reporting to staff. The school also has refused including supportive practices such as breast feeding and lactation breaks, anti-discrimination training and meeting industry standards on partner leave.

Positive changes have been agreed on Domestic Violence.

St Peter’s Girls: Member Action Drives Progress

Members at St Peter’s Girls’ School have shown what solidarity can achieve. In a powerful display of unity, all 62 eligible IEU members voted in the protected action ballot—and at least 60 voted YES to taking industrial action. This overwhelming result made one thing clear: staff are serious about achieving real improvements in their pay, workload and working conditions.

And it worked!

In the final week of Term 1, members stood ready to take industrial action and it was this pressure that forced the employer back to the table with a significantly improved offer. It’s a strong example of collective action delivering results.

What’s on the EA Bargaining table now

• Improved Salary Offer:

• • 2% increase from 1 February 2025, with a further 3.2% increase (total 5.2%) to apply from the date of signing (the first offer being 4.25%)
  • 4% increase in 2026 (up from 3%)
  • 3.5% increase in 2027 (up from 3%)
• Pay Frequency: Commitment to fortnightly pay by 28 February 2027, or earlier—an improvement from the previous delay of mid-2027
• Workload Reductions:

• • Junior School: 1 lesson per week reduction (already implemented as of 1 February 2025)
  • Secondary School: 1 lesson per fortnight reduction starting Semester 2, 2025

What Members Are Still Fighting For

Despite movement, there is more to do. The salary increases – while improved – still fall short of fully restoring the 2020 standard of living, and the failure to pay backpay is a significant hurdle as many other top schools have already back paid.

The proposed timeline for fortnightly pay is currently being assessed to determine if it is any longer than necessary.

Finally, we are fighting for workload protections that are clear, enforceable and reflective of actual teaching pressures—not just commitments buried in policy documents.

Negotiations are ongoing, with the IEU bargaining team meeting regularly with the school and keeping a close eye on progress. Members continue to show they are engaged and determined by attending our regular member meetings as they occur.

This campaign is a reminder of what’s possible when IEU members stand together. The improvements already won are a direct result of collective strength, and with continued solidarity, more gains are within reach.

A Strong Result at Prince Alfred College

After being narrowly voted down in its first iteration earlier this year (58 in favour, 67 against), the Prince Alfred College EA has now passed, following improvements to key provisions and IEU endorsement. In the second vote, a big majority—122 in favour and just 18 against—supported the agreement.

The final outcome reflects progress, particularly in addressing workload and lifting salary outcomes. Among the most important changes from the earlier proposal were improvements to the functioning and authority of the Consultative Committee:

• Workload representation strengthened: Staff now receive formal release time to attend and participate in Consultative Committee meetings which we believe is crucial for getting their voice heard without adding to their workload.
• More power to act on workload: The Consultative Committee can now initiate its own recommendations to modify or remove tasks that contribute to unsustainable workloads. The College is required to formally respond within one school term, which we believe is important for accountability.

On salaries, members secured real gains. The IEU’s advocacy saw the employer move from a modest starting position to a stronger final offer:

For Top Step Teachers, the improvements over the previous PAC offer represent an extra $501 in 2026 and $516 in 2027, with similar benefits flowing to other staff depending on their relativite income. The 2025 increase will also be back paid to the first pay period after 21 January 2024. The EA also restores some lost ground on salary purchasing power and includes several important workplace improvements:

• New camp allowance:  $120 for eligible camps
• Special leave: 1 day for significant family events
• Superannuation paid on parental leave
• Breastfeeding protections: ensuring dignity and support for returning parents
• Three days’ reproductive leave: a first for the sector

This is a good outcome that reflects the power of member engagement, persistence, and unity. The agreement is expected to be approved in the coming weeks.

Seymour College EA Nears Completion

The IEU bargaining team at Seymour College has made strong progress on the proposed EA, with only one final matter left to resolve, being the protection and definition of NIT (non-instructional time). With that issue expected to be settled in the coming weeks, the EA is almost ready to put to a staff vote.

This round of bargaining has delivered a number of significant wins for members, reflecting sustained pressure and collective advocacy by the IEU bargaining team —  particularly in the Early Years level.

Key Wins Secured

• Improved salary offer: Teachers will receive 4.0% in 2025, 3.5% in 2026 and 3.5% in 2027. This will see a Top Step Teacher earn $124,099 in 2025, rising to $132,938 by 2027. Seymour remains the fourth highest-paying employer among SA’s top independent schools and fifth overall in the state—an outcome that recognises the calibre of staff and the strength of member advocacy.
• Parental Leave: Paid leave increased to 16 weeks, an important step toward supporting parents and gender equity.
• Toileting allowance: A new annual payment of $500 for staff (excluding Early Years) supporting students with toileting needs—acknowledging the additional demands of this responsibility.
• Other key inclusions:
  • An Early Career Support Structure within the first three years of being introduced into the Teacher Guidelines
  • Breastfeeding clause, supporting returning parents
  • Recognition of overseas teaching experience, helping qualified educators access appropriate classification sooner
  • Structured early career support, giving new teachers clear guidance and mentoring pathways
  • Long Service Leave (LSL) available for single-day special leave, improving flexibility
  • Early Years enhancements won through tireless work by the dedicated Early Years bargaining group.

Once finalised, this agreement will represent a strong and balanced outcome for members; lifting salary outcomes while delivering targeted improvements in workload support, parental rights and early career pathways. The IEU thanks all Seymour members—especially those in the Early Years team—for their continued input, unity, and determination.

Pedare Christian College Bargaining Begins

Bargaining at Pedare is now underway, with the IEU Log of Claims served on 7 May 2025. The IEU’s claim has been endorsed by members and it sets a bold agenda, pushing for meaningful improvements in workload, equality, classification structures, and professional voice. At this early stage the process has focused on outlining member priorities and understanding the employer’s position. The IEU claim aims to deliver a modern, fair and balanced agreement for all staff. Key claims include:

• Fair Pay and Conditions: Salary increases, superannuation on pay day, camp and toileting allowances, and improvements to pay structures for TRTs and support staff.
• Workload Management: Clear limits and definitions for co- and extracurricular duties, fair release time, class size reviews and stronger consultative processes. A comprehensive review of Education Support Officer (ESO) workloads.
• Advancing Equality: Parental leave up to 20 weeks after five years, Gender-Neutral Parental Leave, super on Paid Parental Leave, Reproductive Health Leave, and First Nations Leave.
• Professional Voice and Safety: Stronger protections for union delegates, a right to representation in formal meetings, and workplace safety clauses covering fatigue, technology misuse and parental conduct.
• Early Career and Support Structures: Induction, mentoring and reduced face-to-face loads for new teachers.

The College has submitted its own Log of Claims, which includes:

• Technical and administrative updates across the EA;
• A proposed camp allowance for staff attending interstate or international trips;
• Agreement to superannuation on Paid Parental Leave aligning with IEU claims;
• A new Right to Disconnect clause;
• Updates to Family Violence Leave, Long Service Leave access, and the Workplace Delegates clause.

As the bargaining continues, the next meetings are expected to focus on progressing the equality aspects of our claim. The following meetings will be concerned with workload.

Stay tuned and stay involved. Our collective strength will be the key factor in getting a good outcome.

Sunrise Christian School

EA negotiations will begin soon. Following our advice, the school has applied for a multi-employer single interest order. This enables the IEU to bargain for the Whyalla campus and the other Sunrise campus’ together. The employer wants to keep the Early Learning Centre as a separate bargain therefore we will bargaining separately for that.

Suneden Specialist School

The EA is in final drafting with some additional changes put forward by the employer.

The most contentious of these is increasing the notice period for professional staff from 4 to 8 weeks.

If the EA is voted up it will provide salary increases of 4% backdated to February 2025 and up to 5.6% increases for some support staff. Further increases of 3.0% in both 2026 and 2027 will apply for all staff.

Other key bargaining points are:

• Family Events Leave of two days.
• Staff had wanted an extra 5 Personal Leave days, but the school has not agreed.
• Payment of superannuation on Paid Parental Leave of 16 weeks.
• Increase in paid Family and Domestic Violence leave to 15 days.
• Bus assistant security of work enhancements by converting to ongoing employment.

Indie Schools

The bargaining team have developed a Log of Claims over the last couple of months.

These claims will form the basis of the negotiations which are to commence on Wednesday 28 May.

The Enterprise Agreement (EA) negotiating team will be led by Jessica Mekhael, Senior Industrial Officer, IEU VIC/TAS Branch.

This EA involves schools from nearly every state of Australia and Organisers from many of our state branches.