Independent school teachers seek 19% pay rise

By Brenda Seymour

The Independent Education Union (IEU) has placed an award variation application for a 19 per cent pay rise for independent school teachers before the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC).

The independent schools that are said (by the employers) to still be in the state IRC system are the Uniting, Presbyterian and some Catholic schools. The EU's application is for the teachers in these 13 schools. A timetable for arbitration has been set with evidence to be filed by November 2006 and an arbitration set for February 2007.

The IEU hopes to achieve employer agreement without loss of conditions (including retention of the three extra weeks of school non attendance over and above that provided in the public system). The union's claim includes improved conditions, for example, the 14 weeks maternity leave provisions and a new 'professionally accomplished' teacher classification.

Brenda Seymour is the Assistant General Secretary (Research and Industrial).

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