Ilim College staff improve their pay and working conditions

Staff at Ilim College have finalised a new Enterprise Agreement, achieving conditions which surpass those of many counterparts in the independent sector. 

Ilim College, one of Melbourne’s leading Islamic educational organisations, has five primary and secondary campuses across Dallas, Doveton, Glenroy, and Kiewa. It was founded by migrant Turkish volunteers in 1994 on the site of ‘a dilapidated boy’s technical college’ in Dallas, near Campbellfield, in the north of Melbourne. 

The previous Ilim Agreement expired in April 2018 and bargaining commenced in 2022, so these members have done the hard yards! 

After their employer issued a Notice of Employee Representational Rights, no fewer than 40 employees nominated as bargaining Reps, a telling indication of the commitment of staff to the process. 

Competitive salaries have been agreed for the life of the Agreement. A 3 per cent salary increase at the start of 2024 will be followed by six monthly increases of 1.5 per cent to the end of 2027. 

Other highlights include: 

• an increase in paid parental leave from four weeks to 14 weeks 

• five days of discretionary leave 

• LSL accrual rate of 1.3 weeks per year for all staff 

• 20 days of Domestic Violence Leave 

• IEU Rep training access 

• personal leave credited from beginning of the year 

• the establishment of a Consultative Committee 

• $150 per night camp allowance 

• a reduction in face-to-face teaching hours (22 hours for primary; 19.5 for secondary) 

• payment for extras 

• equitable workload provision 

• incremental wage progression 

• the ability to leave at 3.45pm if the staff member has no scheduled duties 

• confirmation that the early finish for Ramadan will continue for the life of the Agreement. 

A draft Agreement was provided to all bargaining representatives on 4 March. The IEU reviewed the draft and raised multiple items for correction, review or consideration with the employer on 12 March. Most of the matters raised by the IEU were agreed to by the employer, and the Agreement was ratified by the Fair Work Commission 28 June 2024. 

This story was first published in the IEU’s official newspaper The Point, Volume 14, No 3.