2024 in review: Victorian Catholic schools

The Victorian Catholic Agreements a year on

Last year in this space, we said, ‘… hopefully, the next bargaining period will be swifter and less frustrating for us all’.

The Catholic Education Multi Employer Agreement (CEMEA) was birthed through lengthy, often tortuous negotiations and its provisions came into effect 7 August 2023, following the much swifter and more efficient negotiation of an Agreement covering schools in the Diocese of Sale, which was approved by the Fair Work Commission in September 2022.

It was a huge challenge to overturn decades of work intensification, and teething issues were to be expected, but after just over a year in operation, many IEU members say the CEMEA has been a ‘gamechanger’.

Busy members appreciate measures like reduced face-to-face class time and meetings, no additional duties, two extra weeks of maternity leave, and super being paid for the first 52 weeks of that leave.

Many such improvements will only be noticed by members gradually, as they become applicable to their personal situations. But scores of these important changes were negotiated by the IEU in the CEMEA, and they are adding up.

One member told The Point that the Agreement has ‘drawn a line in the sand for teachers and stopped the continual add-on’ to workloads.

The union anticipated some initial challenges but aimed to visit as many schools as possible to help with implementation. IEU Organisers have noted that schools where the new system was running well were those in which there had been genuine ongoing consultation and where Reps and Consultative Committee members had been able to attend IEU training.

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Ongoing challenges

IEU Organisers have been working with Reps, members, and school leaders to ensure the proper implementation of the Agreements, although some schools still have a long way to go.

Schools that are proactive are seeing real improvements in workload management, benefiting their entire operations.

Challenges arise in schools where employers try to circumvent the Agreement, especially regarding time in lieu provisions. In 2024, the IEU has directed members to Know Your Agreement sheets and online resources to ensure they understand their rights and how the Agreement should function.

Schools that successfully implement workload improvements usually have strong consultative committees that collaboratively address issues based on their specific needs.

The core idea of the Workload Agreement is simple: schools where staff are respected and have the necessary time and energy to do their jobs perform better for students, parents, and employers than schools with overworked staff.

Looking ahead to 2025, pay will be the next major focus. Rising living costs and pay increases in other states have set a benchmark that Victorian Catholic educators cannot ignore.

With teacher shortages worsening, pay improvements must be a top priority. The IEU has already started gathering member feedback for the next round of bargaining, which will begin before the current Agreement expires at the end of 2025.

After the lengthy negotiations last time, the union aims to ensure that members’ needs are clearly communicated to employers early in the process.