Two Years, Too Long campaign

A collage of groups of people participating in protests and rallies, holding signs with messages like "Jesus is that the time? 2+ years and NO Agreement!" and "We will not be moved!" The central overlay text reads "Unite for Power." The groups include individuals in casual and formal attire, some wearing badges, and they appear to be advocating for social and political causes.

The Tasmanian Catholic Education Single Enterprise Agreement 2024 was achieved following a tough, drawn-out campaign.

It took information ‘blitzes’ of schools, a submission to the Fair Work Commission for a protected action ballot order, widespread media engagement, and repeated member actions, but in early September 2024, in-principle agreement was finally reached on a deal for staff in Tasmanian Catholic schools.

It was industrial action – and the threat of it – that finally moved employers to drop contentious claims, and end their resistance to badly-needed improvements in conditions, after three years of delayed negotiations.

Find out what’s in the deal here.

Watch the video below for a look back at the campaign for a new Agreement, featuring an original song about the campaign by The IEU All Stars!

Group of people holding banners advocating for respect and against being moved, standing in front of a brick building.

IEU members taking action as part of the campaign for a new Agreement

See photos and read more from our 2024 campaign blitz!

Timeline of Tasmanian
Catholic Education bargaining

  • 15 February Following extensive member consultation, the Independent Education Union provided a Log of Claims to the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office Bargaining Team.

    15 March IEU met with TCEO, and explained our log of claims in detail.

    23 May The employers issued the Notice of Employee Representational Rights.

    15 June
    IEU emailed TCEO seeking date for a bargaining meeting. 

    The TCEO fails to respond, and continues to refuse to meet with the IEU in person. TCEO claims it is consulting directly with staff through a ‘portal’, but cannot satisfactorily explain how this ‘consultation’ will operate.

    8 August
    IEU made an application to the Fair Work Commission for good faith bargaining orders.  Through this process we were able to get commitment from the TCEO to meet with us on three scheduled dates, including at least once in person.

    6 + 26 October The parties met online. Limited progress.

    7 December
    The TCEO met in person with IEU bargaining representatives at their lawyer’s office in Melbourne

  • Early 2023 Thanks to a change of personel on the TCEO bargaining team, regular in-person meetings resumed - however, progress has been far too slow, with employers apparently determined to undercut conditions in government schools.

    Mid-2023 The TCEO continues to resist crucial workload-busting measures that would bring Catholic schools closer into line with Tasmanian Government schools. They also, after 18 months of negotiations, table unnacceptable new claims to extend the working year and allow the forcible relocation of staff between schools.

    November IEU Reps from Catholic schools met and determined that we would commence member campaigning in Term 1 2024 if employer representatives continue to fail to bring an acceptable position to the bargaining table.

  • March 2024 ‘Campaign Blitz Week’ sees dozens of schools committing to take action to build awareness of the bargaining impasse and to put pressure on employers to revise their position.

    July We have had four meetings with the TCEO since March and there is some progress. However, many of our claims are still in discussion and awaiting formal response.

    August The IEU meets with Catholic Education Tasmania for a full day of bargaining negotiations and IEU member’s endorsement of the PABO resulted in real momentum at the table. The deal isn’t done but we appear to have moved closer to agreement around some key issues that we know really matter to members.

    IEU members begin to undertake industrial action in the form of partial work bans. The IEU meets again with the Employers during this time and the parties are able to reach in-principle Agreement on some of the key issues that were of importance to IEU members.

    29 August In-principal agreement reached with Catholic Education Tasmania on all of the key issues in dispute.

  • 25 February New Agreement overwhelmingly endorsed by 96.6% of voting employees.

A history of winning -
Tasmanian Catholic Campaign 2014/15

When we stand together, we win!

This video showcases the historic industrial action of IEU members in Tasmanian Catholic education during their inspiring campaign to win a new EBA in 2014/15. It’s a timely reminder of the power of solidarity as they again fight to secure overdue improved pay and conditions in a new Agreement.