QUEENSLAND INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION OF AUSTRALIA – QUEENSLAND & NORTHERN TERRITORY BRANCH BRISBANE 346 TURBOT ST SPRING HILL QLD 4000 PO BOX 418 FORTITUDE VALLEY
Phone: 07 3839 7020 Fax: 07 3839 7021 Freecall: 1800 177937 Email: enquiries@qieu.asn.au Internet: www.qieu.asn.au ABN: 45 620 218 712
Thursday, 7 June 2012
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CATHOLIC COLLECTIVE BARGAINING Improving Conditions Collectively
CHAPTER BRIEFING NO. 11 Employers evade negotiation of wage increases Employers refuse to include so-called ‘policy matters’ in EBA Remarkable parallel between Catholic and public sector employer positions Catholic employers warned not to go down public sector path Dear Colleagues Members have just received a Chapter Briefing regarding collective bargaining matters in the public sector, as they affect our colleagues working in Queensland state schools. Together, we have much to be concerned about. Queensland Catholic school employers have continually referred to the significance of any public sector bargaining developments in formulating their positions on wages and other matters. A remarkable synergy exists between the public sector offer to Queensland state school teachers (yesterday rejected by the QTU Executive) and the space in which Catholic employers are positioning themselves. Catholic employers’ negotiating positions have revealed two, highly problematic emerging themes: 1. Employer evasion of negotiation of wage increases, despite employees’ wage claim being tabled back in March and the expected date for school officer and services staff wage increases now past (1 May) and the expected date for teacher wage increases fast approaching (1 July). Catholic employers have not offered a wages proposal as yet, but had indicated they would look to public sector outcomes as a significant determinant. 2. Employer refusal to include so-called ‘policy matters’ negotiated in this round of bargaining within a replacement EBA, contrary to past practice in our sector. The parallel can clearly be drawn between yesterday’s public sector offer to Queensland state school teachers and Catholic employers’ responses in our negotiations. Left unchallenged and unchecked, members working in Queensland Catholic schools would also find themselves in the line of fire, in terms of the same inadequate wage increase offer and policy exclusions currently being pursued by the Queensland government in negotiations with state school teachers.
Catholic employers are on notice not to go down this path. Should Catholic employers choose to slavishly follow the story unfolding in the public sector, as they have continually referred to, it would mean the following implications for members: 1. Wage increase of 2.7% per annum for three years; 2. Incremental progression through the teacher classification structure would require certification by principals of teachers’ satisfactory conduct, diligence and efficiency; 3. Graduate teachers to remain on their entry classification level for three years, before being able to apply for annual increases; and 4. Stripping the EBA of many existing provisions, which would be considered as ‘policy’ and determined by the employer (eg class sizes, remote area incentives, consultative provisions). This would have obvious impacts for our profession and the educational outcomes for students in Queensland Catholic schools, and undermines employee working rights and conditions. Chapter action needed The defence of employee rights and conditions in the face of employer attacks will rely on continued member involvement and support in this collective bargaining campaign. Members are asked to convene an urgent Chapter meeting to consider this briefing and the attached resolutions. It is essential that we make our voices heard and call on Catholic employers to disavow and disassociate from the public sector position - and instead commit themselves to the negotiation of provisions that would better resource the expanding role of school staff in this changing educational environment.
Kind Regards
TERRY BURKE SECRETARY
Attach
Catholic Collective Bargaining (ColB7) IMPROVING CONDITIONS COLLECTIVELY
FAX BACK Fax (07) 3839 7021 Thursday, 7 June 2012
Chapter Briefing No. 11
SCHOOL NAME:
______________________________________________________
ADDRESS:
______________________________________________________
That the Chapter at ____________________________________________ calls on our employer to demonstrate commitment to quality education, the profession and their employees, by negotiating a collective agreement responsive to the needs of Queensland Catholic school staff.
□ Carried
□ Not Carried
That the Chapter at ____________________________________________ rejects as inadequate any wage offer which parallels the state government offer to QTU members - and calls upon our employer to instead remunerate employees justly for the vital work they undertake in Queensland Catholic schools.
□ Carried
□ Not Carried
That the Chapter at ____________________________________________ calls upon our employer to secure a fair, complete and comprehensive collective agreement that fully upholds employee rights and working conditions in Catholic schools.
□ Carried PLEASE FAX BACK TO IEUA-QNT by close of business FRIDAY 15 JUNE 2012 Fax: 3839 7021 or Email: catholiccolb7@qieu.asn.au
□ Not Carried