IEU celebrates SIA majority milestone

The IEU has secured majority support at all mainstream school employers for its historic Single Interest Authorisation (SIA) application, with the final employers (Sandhurst and Ballarat dioceses) passing 50% this week.

“This is a massive achievement by IEU members,” said IEU Victoria Tasmania General Secretary David Brear. “In the face of a highly resourced, uncooperative employer group that tried to undermine single interest bargaining – and bypass the union and proper bargaining altogether – members stood firm and delivered a remarkable campaign outcome.

“Every member who signed a statement of support, spoke with a colleague about the SIA, or forwarded an SOS form should be proud of their role. Their work has given tens of thousands of employees a chance to bargain with essential rights that would otherwise have been denied.”

Across more than 500 schools, over 18,500 staff have signed Statements of Support for fair bargaining. With a key FWC hearing only days away, the IEU is making a final push to make our majorities as strong as possible.

Brear said, “Every Statement of Support strengthens our case and brings us closer to negotiating meaningful, long-term improvements to salaries, conditions, workloads and safety that you deserve.

“If you haven’t yet signed, make sure you do!”

What happens next?

The IEU’s application to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) will now be amended to include the final employer groups that reached majority support.

The FWC will then assess the application to determine whether to grant a Single Interest Authorisation, which would provide access to Good Faith Bargaining Orders and the right to take industrial action.

The strong support for an SIA staff increases the likelihood that the FWC will do so.

Next week we will provide a more detailed run down on what 2026 could – and should – look like for bargaining.

But for now, it is time to celebrate a truly remarkable feat of grassroots campaigning. Conversation by conversation, you got this done. It’s something to be proud of.