Overdue backpay explained (sort of…)

Members in most Victorian Catholic schools are about to receive some VERY long overdue backpay. Catholic employers have advised that payment will be made by 25 November 2022 (if not before). In short, the payments are to match what has already been paid in Government schools and the Diocese of Sale. 

See here for the full pay scales in the Sale Diocese Agreement.

Increases are made up of:

·       A “structural adjustment” (increase to each salary rate backdated to 24 December 2021. The amount of the increase varies depending on the position. Teachers mostly got 0.95%, many support staff also get the benefit of a changed structure. For example, virtually all ESS Level 1 people go to Level 2

·       1% wage increase from 1 January 2022

·       1% wage increase from 1 July 2022

These are in addition to any normal incremental increase you received from 1 May 2022.  

We have received many questions about how the payments are calculated, what the increases are for CEO staff, whether increases are payable on allowances and additional hours/overtime etc. 

The problem is that these payments have no legal basis whatsoever because MACS and their colleagues have failed to reach any agreement with us on an EBA.  The employers continue to refuse to meet basic workload measures that have been agreed in Government and Sale Diocese Schools and we know that members would reject the lousy offer that MACS has put as their “best” position – so there is no Enterprise Agreement. They can therefore pay or not pay any amounts they want to. 

We have asked dozens of questions about the payments, but MACS have been unable to answer them yet. As soon as we get further information, we will communicate it with members.