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Catholic teachers demand parity Victoria’s Catholic school teachers are preparing for a tough round of EBA negotiations with the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria after their government-school counterparts received significant pay increases.
More than 180 Catholic and independent school teachers, principals and staff met on Saturday to discuss their pay and conditions claims and the progress of negotiations to date.
General Secretary of the Victorian Independent Education Union, Deb James said staff are concerned that pay parity would only be offered to Catholic teachers at the expense of resources and conditions.
“People are wrong to assume the recent outcome between the Brumby Government and State teachers will automatically result in better pay and conditions for Catholic teachers,” Ms James said.
“We are preparing for a battle.
“We already know the Catholic education administration are saying there will be serious difficulties in providing salary increases without increasing fees or cutting back on programs. That’s just not good enough.
“Teachers, parents and students should not bear the brunt of a hard fought pay increase win,” she said.
“The CECV needs to deliver pay parity, without threatening to remove support programs that assist students and teachers. Getting the same amount of money as our government school colleagues is pointless if we don’t have the same resources and conditions as them.”
“For our members to be able to provide students with a better quality of education we need to see a reduction in class sizes, less scheduled class time to allow for planning and preparation, greater resources to support students with special needs and genuine leadership career path options.”
Ms James said the current EBA for Catholic teachers and support staff expired in October 2007.
“Pay parity is an important part of our claim and we want a quick resolution to negotiations, but we will not agree to any deal that agrees to our wages claim but ignores the other concerns of Catholic teachers, principals and staff,” Ms James said.
“Our members have certainly been out there,
having their voices heard and expressing their own opinions and support
for an increase in wages and conditions,” Ms James said.
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