Year in review, 2025: Independent schools
Consolidating gains, building for the future
This is a defining phase in independent bargaining. After unprecedented member engagement and strong industrial gains in 2024, staff are more willing to act, employers are feeling pressure to offer competitive salaries, and the IEU is advancing new standards for professional recognition and workload protection.
At the time of printing, 28 independent school Agreements had been approved by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in 2025, with many more currently at the bargaining table, reflecting the momentum of IEU-led negotiations across Victoria and Tasmania.
The assertiveness of 2024 has continued, with members showing greater confidence, organisation, and unity. Stronger sub-branches have translated frustration over pay and workloads into real bargaining power, reflected in more approved Agreements, broader gains in conditions, and a growing readiness to reject poor offers and take protected action when needed.
The IEU-led effort for wage parity and sustained pay premiums keeps independent school staff competitive with national benchmarks. Schools such as St Margaret’s, Berwick Grammar, Fintona Girls’ School and Kardinia International College have secured salary rises averaging 10–15% over three years, preserving or improving existing margins.
Where parity has been achieved, attention has turned to protecting that position. In schools yet to reach parity, bargaining teams continue pressing for parity and pay structures that recognise teachers’ expertise and workload.
No means No - and better outcomes
Perhaps the clearest indicator of change has been members’ increasing readiness to say ‘NO’. At schools including Strathcona Baptist Girls’ Grammar, Hume Anglican Grammar, and Melbourne Montessori School, staff have rejected inadequate offers and taken or prepared for industrial action, ranging from symbolic protests to stop-work actions.
This shift in mindset marks a cultural turning point. Voting down unsatisfactory Agreements is no longer seen as divisive; it is now recognised as a legitimate and strategic way to secure fair outcomes.
As one IEU campaign highlighted, ‘A ‘No’ vote is not a vote for conflict – it’s a vote for respect’.
Take a load off
Workload reduction continues to sit alongside salary outcomes as a bargaining priority. Across numerous new Agreements, tangible improvements have been achieved, from capping meetings to two per week, to reducing face-to-face teaching time, and recognising the right to absent oneself from the workplace when not scheduled for duties.
The inclusion of Right to Disconnect and Delegates’ Rights clauses, as seen in recent agreements at Hume Anglican Grammar and St John’s College, reflects the growing alignment between independent school bargaining and national industrial law reform.
These inclusions promote work-life balance and ensure that staff have enforceable protections against unsustainable expectations.
New schools, new jobs
Agreement coverage has been expanded to include more Education Support Staff, Instrumental Music Tutors, and boarding house employees, recognising that every role contributes to the educational mission of a school and deserves fair pay and secure conditions.
The recent inclusion of General Staff in Agreements such as St John’s College, Launceston Christian School, and Melbourne Girls’ Grammar School is a model for the sector.
Beyond traditional independent schools, the union continues to strengthen representation in Registered Training Organisations, special assistance schools, and alternative learning environments. Staff in these settings, often working with vulnerable students or delivering vocational education, face unique challenges, including insecure employment and limited professional pathways.
The IEU’s advocacy for equitable pay, proper classification structures, and access to professional development underscores its commitment to fairness at all educational providers.
Training
In 2025, the IEU has significantly expanded its investment in training to strengthen bargaining outcomes across the independent sector. Recognising that confident, well-informed representatives are key to successful negotiations, the Union has rolled out a comprehensive program of bargaining workshops, delegate development sessions, and sub-branch pre-bargaining information sessions.
These initiatives equip members with the practical skills needed to analyse employer proposals, understand Fair Work legislation, and communicate effectively with colleagues. With new government and Catholic Agreements looming, schools are weighing whether to settle early or wait to align with new benchmarks.
The IEU supports members in adopting the approach that best fits their local context, but the guiding principle remains clear: no member should fall behind.
Members are no longer content to accept incremental change. By remaining informed, organised, and united, they are demanding parity, workload justice, and recognition for their expertise.
The message from the independent sector is clear: educators deserve conditions that reflect and reward their contribution.