Tasmanian Catholic members rally for an Agreement
Tasmanian Catholic IEU members have conducted strongly-attended activities on the student-free final day of Term 2 to demonstrate their frustration with their employer for failing to finalise an Agreement for their schools.
At Guilford Young College in Glenorchy, over 70 staff from several sub-branches enjoyed a get-together held prior to the working day, with a coffee cart hired for the occasion doing brisk trade on a cool but dry morning from 7.30am.
Most members wore their union colours to the event, with one member even knitting a new blue, green and black scarf on the spot! The merch table was a popular destination and members were keen to be photographed behind banners proclaiming, ‘We Will Not Be Moved’ and ‘Catholic Education Tasmania: Show Us The Respect We Deserve’.
St Brigid’s members make their feelings known.
The mood was upbeat, given the rare opportunity for hard-working staff to socialise and compare notes, and many found it hard to tear themselves away. But there was also anger that the conditions of Tasmanian Catholic staff now lag behind other sectors on such fundamentals as parental leave.
As always, dedicated staff concluded their rallies prior to their work duties.
Members also gathered at St Patrick’s College, Launceston raised awareness by donning the union colours at a rally this morning.
St Patrick’s staff dress the part in Launceston.
And on Wednesday, members in Burnie also gathered to publicise their plight.
But every time these campaign events occur, the solidarity and determination of staff grows.
And every day that the Agreement isn’t signed makes the Catholic sector a more conspicuous outlier on working conditions for educators.
Two Years is too long – and it’s now been well over two years since the expiry of the last IEU-negotiated Agreement.
Tasmanian Catholic members deserve the following improvements, to match those already in place in government schools:
full payment of the Lower Income Payments delivered in government schools
a reduction in scheduled class time for primary teachers (to match government schools)
a better School Support Employees classification and wages structure
improved paid parental leave entitlements
top-up payments for Deputy Principals and Education Officers
15 days personal leave for all staff
workload reductions for graduate teachers and mentors
limits to meetings
preparation time for Teacher Assistants.
What IEU members in Tasmanian Catholic education can do:
Invite non-members to join you in your union. We need to keep growing to win this campaign!
Keep the conversations going in your workplace.
Support your Rep! A campaign like this is demanding for our hard-working Reps, and your support will mean a lot.