IEU says competitive salaries are a must for independent schools
As Victorian independent schools negotiate new workplace Agreements in 2025, securing nationally competitive salaries is a top priority.
IEU members at independent school NECA out on strike in 2024
Fair pay is essential to attracting and retaining high-quality educators and support staff, ensuring schools can provide the best possible education.
Over the last two years, the IEU has achieved some very significant salary increases in Agreements negotiated in individual independent schools, with the top of the automatic teacher scale in some now paying well over $130,000. However, the salaries of many Victorian independent school staff are starting to lag significantly behind their counterparts in other states. Without salaries that match national benchmarks, schools risk losing experienced educators—undermining stability, student outcomes, and school reputations.
With the rising cost of living, fair pay increases are more important than ever. Educators and support staff consistently go above and beyond, and in the time of a workforce crisis it is simply not sustainable for their work to remain undervalued. Our negotiations in independent schools in 2025 will focus on ensuring that salaries keep pace with national standards.
Strong union membership is key to achieving this. The collective power of a strong IEU membership at each independent school provides the leverage needed to secure a fair and competitive Agreement.
Together, union members united have the collective power to push for equitable pay, better conditions, and professional respect. By standing united, they can drive real change — securing fair, competitive Agreements that strengthen the future of independent education.
Three examples of effective bargaining:
Kardinia International College
The IEU and members at Kardinia International College have reached in-principle Agreement after a determined campaign that saw staff vote No to a draft Agreement proposed by the employer that failed to include key demands of staff.
The Agreement was supported by 86 percent of votes cast. Following the historic No vote, negotiations secured an improved salary offer of 5 percent per year for 2025 -2027.
Additional wins included paid Special Maternity Leave, flexible work arrangements, Consultative Committee provisions, limits on part-time teachers' working hours, and face-to-face teaching limits (20.83 hours for Primary and 18.5 hours for Secondary). While the Agreement now moves to the Fair Work Commission for approval, the IEU ensured that salary increases and reduced face-to-face teaching hours take effect from early 2025.
Christ Church Grammar
Members prioritised workload clauses in negotiations at Christ Church Grammar, a small co-educational school for ELC and primary students. While the Employer resisted these claims, a Consultative Committee was established to provide a regular forum for discussing key issues, including workload.
Bargaining began in February 2024 and concluded eight months later. The Fair Work Commission approved the Agreement in January 2025, with a three-year term.
Key outcomes include salary increases of 4% in 2025, and 3% for the next two years. Employees also secured 2 days of flexible leave from personal leave, expanded parental leave (16 weeks paid for primary carers and 15 days for partners), 5 days of COVID leave, and 20 days of family and domestic violence leave.
Plenty Valley Christian College
The Fair Work Commission approved the Plenty Valley Christian College Agreement in January, with 96% of voting staff endorsing it — a strong recognition of the efforts by employee bargaining representatives.
The focus of negotiations was on improving working conditions rather than securing large salary increases. Teaching staff accepted a 1% pay rise, while general staff secured a 3% increase for 2025. In exchange, key workload improvements were achieved, including a reduction in face-to-face teaching hours to 18.5 for secondary and 21 for primary by 2026, covering all assemblies, extras, co-curricular activities, and pastoral care.
Additional gains include the right to be absent from the workplace, a cap of 2 one-hour meetings per week, an improved redundancy scale, extra compensation and time off after attending camps, and enhanced provisions for long service leave.