QLD Catholic school staff have voted no to cuts to working conditions and call for action on workload and wages

Teachers and support staff in nearly 300 Queensland Catholic schools across the state have voted no to an employer attempt to cut current working conditions.

The outcome of the recent employee ballot for Queensland Diocesan schools saw 51% of voters reject the agreement.

Independent Education Union – Queensland and Northern Territory (IEU-QNT) Branch Secretary Terry Burke said employees had sent a clear message to their employers.

“Queensland Catholic school employees in the five Dioceses (Brisbane, Cairns, Rockhampton, Toowoomba and Townsville) have voted to stop the cuts to their current rights at work,” Mr Burke said.

“These employees have also voted to make it clear to their employers that they must hear our voice on the critical issues facing staff in Queensland Catholic schools.

“Employees want action from their employers on unsustainable workloads.

“Employees also want their employers to provide wage justice through a contemporary wage scale for school support staff,” he said.

Mr Burke said he anticipated negotiations with Queensland Diocesan school employers would resume in early October.

The employer-proposed agreement for staff working in Queensland Religious Institute (RI) and Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) schools was approved in a separate ballot, with 4 in 10 employees rejecting the proposal.

These employers are now entitled to make application to have the agreement approved by the Fair Work Commission (FWC) and it would come into operation seven (7) days following the Commission’s approval.