AEU Teachers’ Agreement Negotiations Update

As at December 6, 2022

Salary Increases:        

December 2022 – 3.5%

• + $1000 Cost of Living payment, added to base salary
• + $500 Lower Income payment added to base salary (only for those paid at Band 1, Level 4 or below)
• + $1,000 one-off Lower Income payment (pro rata, not added to base salary, only for those paid at Band 1, Level 4 or below)

December 2023 – 3.0%

• + $500 one-off Lower Income payment (pro rata, not added to base salary, only for those paid at Band 1, Level 4 or below)

December 2024 – 3.0%

• + $500 one-off Lower Income payment (pro rata, not added to base salary, only for those paid at Band 1, Level 4 or below)

Example 1: here’s what the wages offer means for a Teacher on Band 1, Level 4 (Appointment level for four-year trained teachers):

Example 2: here’s what the wages offer means for a Teacher on Band 1, Level 13 (top of unpromoted scale):

Leave provisions:

• Parental Leave:
  • Primary carer: 18 weeks paid (increased by 2 weeks)
  • Secondary carer: total 16 weeks paid (increased by 13 weeks from current 3 week partner leave)
• Foster Leave: Up to 10 days per year paid.
• Aboriginal Cultural Leave: 5 days paid per year
• Disability Leave: 5 days paid per year
• Gender Transition Leave: 4 weeks paid, 48 weeks unpaid.
• Family Violence Leave: increase to 20 days per year.

New Educator wins:

• Mentor Time: teacher mentors’ instructional load reduced by two hours per fortnight.
• BeTTR Time: 1st and 2nd year teachers’ instructional load reduced by four and two hours per fortnight respectively.
• Teachers can progress to Band 1 Level 12 without full teacher registration.
• First year teachers will have access to paid time prior to Term 1 to attend a specialised professional development induction program.

Other improvements:

• Better define Instructional Load/DOTT:
  • Quarantined (self-directed) time for planning, preparation, assessment & family communication
  • Limits on meetings
  • Professional Activity Days being reduced to 4 per year (currently 5).
  • Relief Coordinator Allowance: $1,000 per term
• Isolated Schools Incentive Package: in development with AEU Advisory Group
• Teachers in Support Schools and Tier Four programs will receive an allowance of 1.35%
• ESS: Teachers Award provisions to apply to ESS positions (excepting Teacher Reg and Higher Duties)

Non-Agreement Matters:

• Pathway to permanency for ESS positions ensuring permanent vacancies prioritise Teacher Assistants who have gained the required ESS qualification.
• Review of Senior Staffing allocations (AEU claim is to increase numbers and remove hard barriers for smaller schools)
• Employment of an additional 30 FTE school based Social Workers over 2 years commencing in 2023
• Various reviews: Professional Activity Days, Teacher Transfer Agreement, central relief teacher pool, VET specialist teacher workloads, Educational Adjustments, extension school 11-12 teacher conditions, ESS positions in school establishment, Case Management Platform, relief teacher expectations (DECYP matter)

What isn’t included yet:

• Additional In-Class Support
• Increase Support Teacher Positions
• Safer Class Sizes
• Additional Professional Support Staff: School Psychologists and Speech Pathologists
• Complete removal of Principals from staffing quota
• Individualised Professional Learning and improved access
• Extending BeTTR time to third year and part time teachers (below 0.5 FTE)
• Commitment to ensure AST and AP salaries better reflect complexity of roles as part of review
• Paid Reproductive Health and Wellbeing Leave