Survey reveals staff grievances in Tasmanian Catholic schools

The employees of Catholic Education Tasmania have spoken out – and their words ought to make chastening reading for their employers during negotiations for a long overdue Agreement.

“I'm disheartened by the lack of empathy and compassion from my employer. It makes me wonder if they remember we are real people.”

“Losing faith with employer. We’re just a number to them. I now realise that.”

These are the words of staff members in Tasmanian Catholic education when surveyed about how they’ve been impacted by continued delays in bargaining.

The survey results show that CET is losing goodwill by delaying the Agreement with anti-worker claims such as the forced transfer of staff over 65 km from their homes.

Delays in bargaining

Asked about the personal impact of the bargaining impasse, many employees spoke of a lack of respect from their employer.

“It has left the staff with a negative feeling towards the CET. We feel unappreciated and unimportant,” was a typical response.

“The delay in bargaining shows a lack of care or concern for employees from the employers/faceless organisations that should be supporting us.”

Another wrote about a “general feeling of not being taken care of and appreciated by our employer”.

Staff understand that what hurts them hurts students.

“Support is well overdue and not only are teachers suffering but as a result students are suffering with learning outcomes due to the unsustainable expectations of staff members”.

Some staff members have been pushed to the brink of leaving the sector: “Just bitterly disappointed that my employer doesn’t value the extra time and effort I already put into this job. If this is a sign of the direction teaching is going it’s probably time to explore other options”.

“Our workload is continuing to increase with no acknowledgement or support,” wrote another.

“This is having a huge impact on my wellbeing and making me question whether my love of teaching is enough to keep me in the profession.”

“Increasing uncertainty about salary and working conditions, adding to my stress. Lowering staff morale and motivation, affecting workplace culture. Thoughts of switching careers.”

One educator said schools continue to function because of “unpaid labour and our inherent sense of care for the children in our schools and their futures”.

“They are not making me feel valued, nor are they respecting my right to a work-life balance.

“Our workload is ever increasing, with no decrease in sight, our mental and physical wellbeing is at capacity, we no longer have to time to plan a meaningful and effective curriculum, teachers are increasingly needing to support high pastoral needs of students and take on roles more similar to that of counsellors, social workers and parents.

“I want to be a happy and capable teacher, not a burnt-out one. I want to be able to work my allocated hours and go home to spend time with family and friends. I want our system to return to our true core values in terms of what we offer, and how we treat each other.”

Forced transfers

The CET claim to forcibly transfer staff up to 65km from their home met a hostile reaction from scores of workers.

“Could not do it. Would be forced to resign,” was typical of responses.

“I would seek employment elsewhere. Such as state sector.”

Impossible, not feasible, came response after response.

It would be costly, inconvenient, affect childcare, force the children of educators to switch schools, reduce family time and wreck work-life balance.

“Highly disruptive and damaging potentially damaging to staff culture,” said yet another.

Parental leave

Staff were also scathing about CET’s failing to match the state sector’s paid parental leave provisions.

“This saddens and angers me, this time with children isn't something we can get back again; I want to be valued as both a parent and an employee and feel that we deserve this parity with the DECYP,” wrote one employee.

And they were angry that unless the Agreement is finalised they will miss out on four weeks of paid birth-related/maternity leave which their colleagues in Tasmanian state schools have been receiving since September 2022.

“This is incredibly unfair,” said a survey respondent. “Why does my family have to suffer because my employer continues to stall negotiations? I want this time with my family, and I am upset that the likelihood of regaining this four weeks is almost zero, despite all the hours of unpaid work I have done for my system employer over the years.”

Teacher’s Assistants and the low income payment

Employees in CET schools who earn under $75,000 annually are also missing out on additional 'low income payments' of $500 per annum being paid in DECYP State Schools.

Staff were surprised at this anomaly because they thought CET likes to say it matches the pay and conditions of DECYP.

“On behalf of our TA staff, this is completely unacceptable,” another submitted. “TA staff are incredibly hard working staff members; teachers couldn't operate without them, and they deserve not only a higher wage scale in general, but without a doubt are deserving of these low income payments!”

Staff were also aghast that CET is refusing an IEU claim for Teacher’s Assistants to receive planning time for the important work they do supporting students in schools.

One said that their employer was not “getting out there to actually see how some TAs are gifted employees actually teaching to the same level as teachers and not being recognised for their daily contributions”.

Teacher Assistants themselves expressed their frustration: “How are we supposed to do our best work when there’s no time provided to prepare?”

“We work with the hardest students, know them best and how to adjust for them but work 6 lessons on with no planning time. Any planning is in our own time.

The final words

Given the employer’s lack of urgency in negotiations, it is little wonder one educator suggests the following!

“The EBA needs to have a cut-off date in the appropriate timeframe, or penalties apply.”