Victorian Catholic Agreement - resources for Reps
Rep Action Plan
It’s been a long journey, but the end is now in sight. Thanks to tireless member campaigning in 2022 and many months of negotiation and drafting, the IEU and Catholic employers finalized the draft of a new Agreement.
We need to ensure that all staff understand the proposed Agreement and the voting process, and that members take some time to be proud of their achievements and celebrate the outcome. We should also make the most of the opportunity to invite non-members to join our union so that we can be even stronger next time around.
We’ll be relying more than ever on our hard-working Reps over the next couple of weeks to assist with this process. This plan is designed to help you.
The Voting Process
All staff should have received a link to the proposed Agreement text as well as explanatory information. The vote will take place in each school on 20 & 21 June.
Principals must ensure that in the ‘access period’ between the circulation of information and the vote, employees have a chance to be briefed about the voting process and the Agreement and to have any questions answered. The Rep should be invited to address staff. This could happen at a regularly scheduled staff meeting, morning briefing or at a special scheduled meeting.
The vote will take place via an in-person ballot, and you as Rep and the Principal will oversee the counting of votes and recording of the outcome. Arrangements will need to be made to ensure that employees who are not at the meeting are provided with an opportunity to vote.
When the vote has been concluded at a school, the Principal and the IEU Rep will tally the votes and log the result in a central online database.
All staff employed by the 31 respondent employers across Victoria are entitled to vote in this ballot. Each employer will only be bound by the Agreement (and their staff entitled to its benefits and protections) if the majority of voting employees in their workplaces vote in favour of it.
Here’s what we’re asking Reps to do:
1. Talk to your principal about the voting process
Your principal should have received information about the process which advises that the IEU Rep has a significant role to play, and they will be expecting you to discuss the voting process with them.
2. Schedule the information meeting and the vote meeting
The information meeting should be held in the week of 13-16 June, while the vote on the proposed Agreement must take place on 20 & 21 June
3. Make sure IEU members are informed and ready to vote
We have emailed all members with general info on the Agreement and you as Rep with more details on the changes. Members will also have access to the full Agreement via our website. Don’t hesitate to call your organiser or the Duty Officer for any clarification.
4. Engage with non-members
Non-members will also be eligible to vote, and they will also continue to receive the benefits collectively won by IEU members. Make sure they understand why we need to get this Agreement voted up so we can move on with implementing the big improvements to workloads and other conditions.
5. Play a role at the meeting
This Agreement is between the IEU and the listed employers across Catholic schools. Don’t hesitate to say a few words at the meeting. Work with your Principal to present the Agreement, perhaps answer questions, encourage a YES vote and then help count the votes.
Click here for our speaking notes
6. Notify the result of the vote
All schools must notify the result of the vote by 22 June. Your principal will have received instructions for how to do this, but you should also be involved in the process and be able to confirm that the results were correct and properly lodged.
7. Recruit
Make sure that you or other members of your sub-branch speak to any non-members about joining your union. Non-members are getting the benefits of everything that IEU members have worked so hard for, and they should be reminded of this!
8. Any questions?
If you have any questions, encounter any difficulties, or need any help, contact your Organiser or the IEU office.