Latest news

Mount Barker Waldorf School

The Enterprise Agreement (EA) has been approved by the Fair Work Commission, however, in approving the EA, the Commissioner identified several concerns with the application. This included the use of the wrong form for the Notice Employee Representational Rights (NERR) and several drafting errors that make the agreement non-compliant. Approval of the EA includes agreement to specific undertakings by the Principal.

Temple College

Enterprise bargaining has had to restart because of employer errors with the NERR. The employer used the wrong form and then did not address the concerns appropriately.

Members of the bargaining team have raised concerns with the independence of some of the bargaining representatives.

An independent minute taker has been appointed, as there were concerns about the accuracy of the minutes.

The IEU has put forward an extensive Log of Claims which the employer has chosen to not fully respond to.

The key claim from the employer is to reduce the amount of notice for termination.

Wilderness College

Bargaining is progressing slowly.

Scope and Coverage

There is disagreement as to the coverage of the EA as the school has a view that a number of groups of non-teaching staff were not covered by the EA, eg. IT staff and grounds staff.

Salary

Teachers at Wilderness School earn $9012 less than a teacher at Saint Peter’s Boys and $1117 less than a teacher working in Catholic Schools.

Teacher workload

Teachers at Wilderness School face to face teaching load is approximately two hours more than teachers working in Department for Edcuation (DfE) schools, leading to unreasonable and excessive workload.

Non-Teaching staff

The school has been paying a number of non-teaching staff as if they were classified under the Modern Award, not the EA. We believe that this has led to underpayments. TOIL and overtime concerns have also been identified. Members are asking for an audit of non-teaching staff classifications to ensure all staff are correctly classified and a new classification structure.

Outdoor education staff are concerned that they are working long hours and weeks without appropriate compensation or management of fatigue. There are camps that go for extended periods (eg. 21 days) which has led to health and safety concerns.

Boarding House staff conditions are also part of the claim with loadings a key concern.

TRT conditions are also being disputed as the school is paying two hour shifts and split shifts.

St Peter’s Girls

St Peters Girl’s has had the lowest wage growth of almost all independent schools in the last 8 years. Members met to discuss the Log of Claims. Members are eager to be involved in a campaign that delivers them fair wage outcomes and starts to build in reasonable workload limits.

Hills Christian Community School

The school has engaged in workload claims which has seen proposed changes to the workload document, including discussions of definition and protections for NIT. Salary remains a sticking point with members seeking 5% per annum to counter the costs of living effects of high inflation over the preceding years. The school is offering to keep staff just slightly above DfE.

Prince Alfred College

A well-attended and engaged meeting of senior staff on 11 September unanimously voted down the PAC opening offer. Principally, the College offer was no change to workload and a pay offer of 3.5%, 3.25%, 3%.  Members called on IEU to continue to negotiate for a better deal.

Southern Vales Christian

The school has previously terminated the ‘zombie agreement’ and let the members at the school fall onto the Modern Award. The school have proposed an EA which is standard form AISSA agreement. The IEU bargaining team are currently going through that proposed agreement to ensure it meets members claims.

Dara School

At the sixth EA meeting the employer put a salary offer of 4%, 3.25%, 3.0% and 3.25% over the next 4 years. There was agreement to include the maximum number of attendance days at 200 days. We are still working through the employer claim to reduce the HAT and Lead allowance to allow for an increase in Gifted Education allowances. Members have resisted the employer claim to have personal leave days accrue, rather than be granted up front. We have agreement for improvements in Long Service Leave, Parental Leave (up to 16 weeks paid) and the introduction of Special Events Leave. There is also agreement for IEU representation on the Consultative Committee, and inclusion of delegates rights and right to disconnect clauses – the latter wording is being discussed.

Suneden

At the drafting stage and about to go to the vote. As already reported here in earlier EA updates, salary increases of 3.25%, 3.0% and 3.0% over the next three years, with higher increases for some support staff of up to 5.6% have been agreed. Other improvements include increase in Paid Family Domestic Violence Leave to 15 days and payment of Super on the paid portion of Parental Leave

Also included are delegates (Reps) rights and right to disconnect.

The right to disconnect clause will reference the Modern Award, as we were right at the end of bargaining a more complete clause was not possible, so that is something to improve for the next agreement so that there is a right that is independent of any future Award change.

Portside Christian College

The negotiations are progressing, and a large portion of the members’ claim has been agreed. The two main outstanding items are Teacher Workload and Salary. The employer has decided to present an offer of 4% per annum to teaching staff and a 6.5% per annum salary offer to General Staff with the caveat of introducing further steps in the classification structure, meaning that it would take another 12 months for a General Staff member to reach the top of their classification point. Members are continuing to negotiate the matters that are not agreed.

Torrens Valley Christian School

Negotiations are almost complete with the main outstanding matter being salary. Members believe that a 3% per annum increase for the next 3 years is inadequate given the recent CPI and inflation history. Negotiations continue.

Seymour College

Yet to start bargaining. Members are working to develop a suitable claim for the first meeting. Great to see that the IEU Rep and other members are keen to present a contemporary claim.

Willunga Waldorf School

First meeting will occur in Term 4. The EA does not expire until April 2025. Members are in the process of being surveyed in respect to matters of concern they wish to table.

Trinity College

The IEUSA put a wage claim back to Trinity leadership of 4% per year, as opposed to the school’s 3% offer.  This was met with a definite no.