Here are two simple truths about the IEU’s campaign for a new Agreement in Victorian Catholic education:
The IEU wants members in the Victorian Catholic sector to receive their overdue pay rises as soon as possible.
We want those increases delivered without sacrificing vital working conditions.
The key issues at a glance
Pay rises could come now
Victorian government school staff will receive backdated pay rises in November, but Catholic employers have delayed payment until early 2027 and made full backpay to 10 August conditional on reaching agreement in principle by 15 November.
This arbitrary deadline threatens three decades of pay parity. Employers imposed it knowing that key draft clauses remained outstanding, their own claims were unresolved and significant negotiations were still needed over proposals that would weaken existing conditions and fail to deliver meaningful workload improvements.
Employers can and should guarantee full backpay while negotiations continue.
They set the 15 November deadline. They can remove it.
Survey and SIA: the right to bargain fairly
Unlike their government-school colleagues and Catholic education staff in other states, Victorian Catholic education staff cannot currently access protected industrial action under their existing bargaining arrangements.
Rather than support the union’s application for a single interest authorisation (SIA) to secure these rights, employers have opposed it and now made withdrawal of the application a condition of their latest offer, attracting mainstream media attention.
More than 75% of respondents to the IEU’s recent member survey said they would take protected industrial action to advance their claims if they had the right to do so.
This entire process has reinforced why staff need effective collective bargaining rights, including access to protected industrial action.
The latest offer
The IEU has welcomed belated movement from Victorian Catholic employers on key working conditions, but further significant changes are needed to secure a fair Agreement.
In particular, employers have not withdrawn proposed changes to the calculation of paid employment fractions that could cost some part-time staff more than $1,000 a year.
Friday’s announcement did not address these proposals or other outstanding concerns.
Some other unresolved issues:
ES overtime: The five-day TIL model would apply where ES staff are directed to attend specified school-related activities, including camps. Overtime unrelated to those activities would retain current arrangements, and ES staff attending eligible overnight camps would receive both TIL and the camp allowance. This narrows the proposal, but paid overtime or individually negotiated TIL would remain at risk for activities brought within the five-day model.
Redundancy provisions: At a time when many members face the threat of job losses, proposals to weaken existing redundancy protections are particularly concerning.
Teacher workloads: An additional 20 hours annually of teacher-directed professional time is a step forward, but falls short of the 40-hour reduction in employer-directed time secured in government schools.
Staff leaving in 2026: The IEU is seeking guarantees that departing staff will not miss out on backpay, sign-on bonuses or allowances because of delayed payments.
Members want a deal – but not at any cost
The IEU survey was clear: members want overdue salary increases delivered and an Agreement finalised, but not at the expense of important working conditions.
That feedback has already helped secure movement and will continue to guide negotiations.
Survey results varied between employers, raising the prospect of an offer passing at some and failing at others. This could fragment bargaining outcomes and conditions across the sector.
The IEU wants a unified Catholic school sector – another reason for employers to bargain under an SIA.
Bargaining continues
Several bargaining meetings are scheduled over the next two weeks, with the IEU working to resolve outstanding issues and put a fair Agreement to members as soon as possible.
That requires employers to provide complete draft wording, address unresolved conditions and guarantee fair treatment for all staff.
Ultimately, members will have their say on the outcome.
The IEU will brief workplace Reps online on Thursday 5 November at 4.30pm about the survey results, revised offer and next steps.
The IEU is updating its Dirty Dozen series of short explainers to help members understand what has changed, what remains unresolved and how the proposals would affect different groups of staff. These will be available online and through the union’s social media channels.
Members will receive further updates as negotiations progress.
