Tasmanian state schools bargaining impasse challenges all sectors
In late October, Tasmanian teachers in the state sector staged staggered stop-work strikes after rejecting the government’s one-year 3% pay offer, saying it ignored workload, school violence and staffing shortages.
Rallies were held in Devonport, Burnie, Launceston and Hobart, public schools ran two-hour stop-works and some had full day closures. The AEU claim seeks smaller classes, more support, and improved pay to the “middle of the pack”, including for Teacher Assistants.
Implications for Tasmanian IEU members
The main issue is that the State Government is delaying progress on key concerns such as workload concerns, classroom violence, and educator shortages while offering only a short term deal with relatively small one off pay increase.
How does the AEU action affect Tasmanian IEU members?
The AEU’s negotiations with the Tasmanian Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) on pay and conditions set an important benchmark for bargaining in the Catholic sector. In Catholic education in particular the parity provides a strong connection with what’s achieved in the public sector.
For example, reductions in face-to-face teaching time and enhancements to paid parental leave were in part achieved in the Catholic EA because the industry standard was improved in the public sector.
When is bargaining due to commence in the Tasmanian Catholic school sector?
Claim development is now occurring in Tasmanian Catholic schools. A member survey and regional meetings during November will ensure that all members have input and claim endorsement should be completed by early March 2026. Bargaining should commence shortly after ahead of the nominal expiry of the current Enterprise Agreement on 30 June 2026, or within three months of the Department for Education, Children and Young People (DECYP) finalising a new Agreement ̶ whichever occurs first.
This commitment to commence bargaining earlier was agreed following the last round of extremely protracted bargaining, to prevent Catholic employees from falling behind and being delayed in accessing improvements won in the state sector. This was seen as particularly important in ensuring Catholic schools remain competitive during an unprecedented staff shortage.
Quote from IEU member at Sacred Heart Geeveston:
“Teachers are leaving our profession at an alarming rate due to unsustainable workloads, increasingly challenging behaviour from students and parents, a curriculum that is impossible to teach and the constant challenge of meeting diverse needs. Fighting for and protecting the pay and conditions of teachers should be at the forefront of the work of every education authority. Unfortunately, it is not, and that is why industrial action is vital. We stand with our AEU colleagues knowing we too will be joining the fight when we are due to negotiate our new agreement'.”
What are the main issues for members in the Tasmanian Catholic school sector?
While the member survey will be key to identifying priorities, early member feedback has already highlighted that workload is the dominant concern for teachers, driven by a sharp rise in compliance paperwork in recent years. For school support staff, classification structures and restrictive barriers progressing to higher pay points are recurring issues. Forced transfer of staff between schools, which was an employer claim last bargaining, remains a significant concern for members.
What is different – and similar – for staff in the state and Catholic sectors in Tasmania?
It’s now more than 20 years since pay parity was won for teachers in Catholic schools, ensuring that they earn the “same pay on the same day” as wages in state sector.
These salary percentage increases have traditionally flowed flow through to all staff in Catholic schools, not just teachers.
Parity of conditions is a more complex task for both teachers and support staff which we strive to address in each round of bargaining. Across sectors, key differences remain: in DECYP, teachers progress incrementally regardless of their full-time equivalent (FTE) fraction; in secondary schools, “extras” are counted as part of the teaching load (or are paid where applicable); and provisionally registered teachers have a smoother pathway to the top of the scale.
We’re ready to work with Reps and members to shape the Log of Claims and kick off the next bargaining round. Add your voice through the survey and by attending sub-branch and regional meetings in the coming weeks. We also send strength and solidarity to our colleagues in the AEU and across Tasmanian public sector unions as they campaign for improved outcomes for the workers who keep Tasmania running.
