History shows why power matters in Victorian Catholic school talks
In Term 1, 2023, The Point celebrated the new deal in Victorian Catholic schools, and the determined and persistent campaigning of members over the previous two years.
That’s right. Two years.
Recently, in a letter to all staff, the Victorian Catholic school employers claimed they “do not wish to engage in processes that may distract or delay an agreement being reached”.
Well, the last Agreement represents their track history at the bargaining table.
In short: They were distracted, and they delayed.
Here’s a reminder of what really happens when you negotiate an Agreement with MACS and associated employers.
Victorian Catholic schools campaign: Latest news and information
In Term 4, 2021, we reported, “Negotiations for a new Agreement covering all staff in Victorian Catholic education are progressing – but not at the speed we would like. After our intensive period of member consultation in late 2020, we tabled our Log of Claims with employer representatives back in February.
“Since then, progress has been… slow. Just one example of this is the fact that, despite receiving our Claims right at the start of the school year, it took Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools until Term 4 to issue the paperwork necessary to commence formal talks”.
That’s right. Last time we bargained with these employers, it took over eight months for them just to get to the starting line to discuss our claims!
We said the unwillingness of employer representatives to meaningfully progress discussions of our many non-salary related claims throughout 2021 was “deeply frustrating”.
“As we end the year, we hope that 2022 will bring refreshed enthusiasm for productive bargaining to the representatives of the larger employer group.”
That was wishful thinking!
In February 2022, when a deal was already overdue and shortly after a draft Victorian Government Schools Agreement was finalised, hundreds of members sent in ‘solidarity selfies’ to create a photo petition for Catholic education employers. We wanted employers to see the faces of the educators they were denying progress on salaries, conditions, and workloads. The cover of The Point’s first edition for the year featured over 200 of those photos.
But still meetings were unproductive and disorganised, and employers dragged their heels on necessary discussions.
A snap teacher workload survey in March 2022 returned a remarkable 2000 submissions within just 24 hours offering proposed solutions to workload pressures including time in lieu for additional attendance, reduced administration, reduced Scheduled Class Time, caps on meetings and greater autonomy over the work done in non-teaching time.
In Term 2, 2022, we reported that Victorian Catholic bargaining was “happening at two speeds”.
“Negotiations with the Sale Diocese appear to be approaching resolution …” with the parties “working together constructively, with a shared understanding of the key issues (including workloads!) which need urgent attention”.
“However, the ‘MACS Group’, representing other Victorian Catholic education employers, is showing less inclination to properly tackle key concerns, and seem to expect something ‘in return’ for every workplace improvement.”
The Term 2, 2022 edition of The Point showcased the Report Card campaign, where members gave the employers represented by MACS a FAIL grade for their inaction on a deal.
By Term 3, 2022, the Sale diocese had struck its own deal with the IEU.
But progress across the rest of the Catholic sector “remained frustratingly and inexplicably slow”.
“They still seem in no hurry to complete a deal to improve the workloads of education staff and deliver wage parity with state government and Sale Diocese schools.”
IEU members were unstinting in their efforts to get the MACS group bargaining.
A major rally was held outside MACS headquarters in Melbourne
A statewide media blitz highlighted member concerns on radio, TV and in newspapers
Sub-branches issues motions calling for action on a deal
The No More Freebies campaign highlighted all the unpaid extra work Victorian Catholic staff had to keep doing while negotiations stalled.
Rally at MACS headquarters, 2022
The No More Freebies campaign called on all members to refuse to perform any work beyond that which was legally required of them from the start of Term 4, 2022.
Initially, No More Freebies targeted ‘extra’ work taken for granted by employers, such as answering emails, attending events, or consulting with parents after work hours. Other members and sub-branches conducted rallies outside school before the school day, staged communal walkouts at the end of the work day, organised petitions, wrote messages to parents, established campaign working groups, banned written feedback and enforced strict adherence to meeting time lengths.
When progress on a deal was finally announced at year’s end, it was due to the massive cumulative effort of members on many fronts.
Getting a deal took the IEU General Secretary at the time Deb James and Rep (and now Organiser) Heather Macardy addressing the Senate Committee Hearing into the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Bill, which revealed the toll of drawn-out negotiations was having on education staff.
It took letters to parents and principals and media organisations.
It took meetings, rallies in freezing winter rainstorms, walk-ins, walk-outs, talkback calls, social media posts and conversations and questions …
Negotiations that led to the in-principle deal for Victorian Catholic schools were supported throughout by “timely, tireless and enthusiastic campaigning efforts” by IEU members across Victoria.
So, when these employers deny basic industrial rights, effectively saying, “trust us, we know best”, believe them at your peril! They are in no hurry to genuinely improve pay and conditions.
