In May this year, the Association for Independent Schools (AIS) commenced bargaining with the IEU for a new multi-enterprise agreement (MEA) for teachers in NSW and ACT independent schools.
Key issues in bargaining for a teachers’ MEA
Although the AIS has agreed to some of the union’s claims (such as improvements to paid parental leave), there are key issues outstanding which make the AIS’ offer unsatisfactory, including:
- Pay offers are below (or only marginally above) the expected rates of pay for teachers working in NSW government schools for the next three years (link to pay comparisons). While the pay offer for NSW teachers is unsatisfactory, the offer for ACT teachers is still not there yet either (see comparison), and
- Lack of fairness and transparency about teachers’ workload. The IEU is calling for school-based standards that clearly set out the workload expectations at your school. The school-based standards should include your face-to-face teaching hours, PD days, meeting times, term dates.
Bargaining has reached a stalemate.
New bargaining opportunity in bargaining for MEA – Single Interest Bargaining Stream
The AIS commenced bargaining for a ‘cooperative MEA’, meaning it would be made under the cooperative bargaining stream. In this stream, the IEU, as your bargaining representative, has very limited bargaining power.
The IEU seeks to bargain for a new Teachers MEA under the single interest bargaining stream. This stream, introduced in June 2023, will provide the union with more rights in bargaining.
With the single interest bargaining stream, for the first time in nearly 20 years, the IEU can:
- ask the Fair Work Commission to resolve bargaining disputes for fairer outcomes and
- take protected industrial action!
Under this stream, teachers will have the option to take protected industrial action for better pay and conditions.
What is single interest bargaining?
The IEU does not want to lock in a substandard deal for the next three years.
Let’s seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity and say yes to single interest bargaining!
Video coming soon!
How can we achieve single interest bargaining?
To convince the Fair Work Commission to authorise us to bargain in this stream, the IEU needs at least 50% of all teachers at your school to sign our petition.
We call on all teachers at your school to say ‘yes’.
Now’s the time to act. Together we can improve your pay and conditions. Together, we are stronger.
If you are not yet a member of the IEU, join today and be part of the movement towards better pay and working conditions!
Resources
- Sign the petition: Say YES to single interest bargaining in your school
- Video: What is Single Interest Bargaining? *COMING SOON
- Video: What are School-based Standards? *COMING SOON
- Video: Why is this important for your school? *COMING SOON
- IEU Reps speak out: hear from IEU Reps in AIS schools about what their colleagues are concerned *COMING SOON
