Teachers and education support staff at Overnewton Anglican Community College have stepped up their protected industrial action, as their long-running bargaining dispute approaches 630 days without a pay increase.
This morning, members unfurled a protest banner on the bridge over the Calder Highway - a highly visible action accompanied by supportive honks from hundreds of drivers.
Members are also engaged in an escalating program of rolling 15-minute stop-work periods and work bans, with further action planned if there is no significant movement from the College.
By Friday, staff will have gone:
629 days since their last pay increase, on 1 February 2025
387 days since their Enterprise Agreement expired, on 1 October 2025
227 days since the first bargaining meeting, on 10 March 2026.
The latest action follows the historic half-day strike by around 200 Overnewton employees in September – the first strike in the College’s almost 40-year history.
Since returning for Term 4, IEU members have deliberately escalated their action in stages as they seek a fair offer from their employer.
Last week, teachers and education support staff at both campuses took part in four 15-minute stop-work periods across one day.
This week, rolling stoppages increased to two days, alongside an indefinite ban on yard duties. Some areas of the school have already been closed as a result of the yard-duty ban.
If there is still no significant progress, members plan to increase rolling stoppages to three days next week, alongside bans on responding to work emails and telephone enquiries and using College online systems. Health and safety and child-safety matters are expressly exempt from these bans.
Members have also notified targeted bans on parts of student reporting, including written comments and Learning Behaviour and Talent and Potential reporting. Students will continue to receive grades, marks and direct feedback.
Other ongoing protected action includes bans on attending meetings and professional learning, adhering to the College dress code and, for Junior School staff, attending parent-teacher interviews scheduled outside the school day.
Students and parents publicly back staff
The escalating campaign is also attracting increasingly visible support from students and parents.
Students have circulated an open letter to Principal Emily FitzSimons backing their teachers and expressing frustration at the continuing dispute.
In September, the Herald-Sun reported that an online petition, signed by almost 500 parents and others within the school community, had called for “fair and competitive pay” for the College’s “incredible teachers”.
In a letter to the board, a parent questioned the “disproportionate” gap between fee revenue and staff expenditure, saying it made “no sense” that teachers had to take industrial action - particularly when the school had an operating surplus of $4.2 million.
Pay and workload remain unresolved
IEU members are seeking fair wage increases that maintain Overnewton’s traditional modest premium over government and Catholic-school rates.
Members are also seeking clear classifications for Education Support staff and stronger workload protections for teachers, including protected planning and preparation time, reasonable limits on employer-directed duties and greater professional flexibility over attendance.
The dispute continues despite the College repeatedly linking fee increases to attracting and retaining quality staff.
In communications to families, the College described its 2024 fee increase as “essential for our staff”, referred in 2025 to attracting and retaining talented staff, and again linked the 2026 increase to attracting and retaining exceptional staff.
Staff received pay increases of just 2.5% in February 2024 and 2.5% in February 2025, and have received no increase in 2026.
IEU Victoria Tasmania General Secretary David Brear said members had shown extraordinary patience.
“By Friday, Overnewton staff will have gone 629 days without a pay increase, while continuing every day to deliver the education and support students and families expect.”
“Members have deliberately escalated their action in stages. They care deeply about their students and do not take industrial action lightly, but after months of bargaining their patience is understandably running out.”
David said the public backing from students reflected the strength of feeling within the College community.
“Students see first-hand how much work their teachers and support staff put into their education. Their support sends a pretty powerful message about who they believe is responsible for making Overnewton a great school.”
“The College has repeatedly told families that attracting and retaining excellent staff is a reason for increasing fees. Yet those staff have not received a pay increase since February last year.”
“The College can resolve this dispute by making meaningful improvements on both pay and workload.”
