Union bows to “lockout” threat over Catholic school teacher and staff wage deal

Catholic school teachers and staff will cease work bans at almost 200 schools across Queensland in the face of a potential “lock out” from classrooms

THOUSANDS of teachers will cease weeks of work bans at Catholic schools across Queensland today, with the union claiming the decision was made to “prevent classroom chaos” in the face of a potential “lockout” of staff.

The Independent Education Union of Australia announced Wednesday morning the industrial action – which has been in place at almost 200 schools and involved more than 7000 teachers and staff for the past three weeks – would end.

It comes after the union claimed staff taking part were being threatened with being “locked out” this Friday if they continued to refuse to perform certain duties under the work bans, such as playground supervision and attend staff meetings.

“In the face of the threats and intimidation by their employer, our members have put their schools and students first and suspended the action,” IEUA Queensland and Northern Territory branch secretary Terry Burke said.

“It should never be forgotten by school staff or parents of students in Queensland Catholic schools that the employers resorted to this kind of behaviour.

“Queensland Catholic school employers will forever have the shameful legacy as the first Catholic school employers in the country to threaten a lockout of their own staff.”

Queensland’s Catholic school employers wrote in a letter to all staff last Friday that unless a new wage deal was finalised by 5pm today, a notice in accordance with section 471 (4) of the Fair Work Act would be issued.

Under the legislation, employees who continued to participate in the partial work bans would not be entitled to any wages and could be refused any work for the entire day unless they agreed to perform all duties.

But Queensland Catholic Education Commission executive director Lee-Anne Perry denied employers ever had any intention of locking out teachers and school staff.

“The notices proposed by employers did not constitute a lock out under the Fair Work Act,” she said.

“Employers recognise that all Catholic school employees ultimately make the decision about when negotiations are finalised.

“This is done by employees voting by a majority to approve a proposed agreement.

“Employers have, and will continue to have, discussions with the union about how this can appropriately happen as soon as possible and in an agreed way.”

IEUA-QNT members have voted to seek assistance from the Fair Work Commission to facilitate collective bargaining negotiations.

“To undertake this program, Queensland Catholic school employers must also agree to it – and we will be asking them to do so at today’s negotiation meeting being held in Brisbane,” Mr Burke said.