‘Catholic teaching in crisis’: Wagga Catholic teachers strike for better pay deal

Wagga’s Catholic school teachers have joined statewide industrial action to fight for better pay and conditions, and make their voices heard. Here’s what they had to say.

About 70 Wagga Catholic school teachers joined their colleagues around NSW and ACT in taking industrial action on Friday in a fight for better pay and conditions.

Teachers met at the Romanos Hotel in Central Wagga at 10.30am to take part in the first strike by the Catholic system since 2004.

The Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT branch has two key demands.

It’s calling on the Catholic Diocese of NSW to raise teachers’ wages by 10 to 15 per cent over a two-year period; to reduce the high workload such as less paperwork; to address staff shortages and provide pay parity with their state government counterparts.

Wagga catholic school teachers going on strike today starting at Romano’s hotel and will march down the streets in Wagga, they are calling for better pay and better qualifications for their teachers and better workloads. #hearourvoicepic.twitter.com/oeNl7U3xxK

— Patrick Morrow (@MrPatrickMorrow) May 27, 2022

IEU NSW/ACT branch secretary Mark Northam said teachers and support staff were dedicated professionals who rarely took industrial action. This was the first Catholic school strike in 18 years.

“Uncompetitive salaries, unsustainable workloads and crippling staff shortages have pushed them beyond their limits,” Mr Northam said.

Kel Woodhouse, IEU representative for Kildare Catholic College, said teaching for Catholic or non Catholic schools was in crisis.

“It is well documented now that there are shortages of teachers and our salaries are uncompetitive, which makes working as a teacher impossible,” Mr Woodhouse said.

“Teachers are getting more work pushed onto them and now we are seeing teachers walking away from the profession that they love.”

 Mr Woodhouse spoke to the crowd, saying action was needed to ensure teaching staff and support workers received fair pay.

“We demand what we deserve, which is better pay,” he said.

Michael Kirkland, a teacher at Henschke Catholic Primary School in Mount Austin, wants urgent support for support workers and pay parity with state government teachers.

“I feel we are not getting new graduates into the role of teaching and we never seem to get the right graduates into our schools, along with replacing long term teachers with casuals,” he said.

Michael Kirkland a teacher at Henschke Catholic Primary School in the Wagga suburb of Mount Austin wants pay parity with state government teachers. Picture: Patrick Morrow

“First thing I think we need the Catholic system and the state system to get better support for support workers and also make sure we are valued as a worker instead of being an administrator.”

Mr Kirkland said his school was open for students who needed to be at school.

“Our school is open and has teachers and supervisors there at the school today,” he said.

The march went all the way to the Catholic Education, Diocese of Wagga Wagga office where Mr Woodhouse handed over a list of grievances to Wagga Catholic Diocese director Andrew Watson.

Wagga Catholic teachers have made their voices heard at in front of Diocese of Wagga headquarters #hearourvoicepic.twitter.com/0bCreRRL7e

— Patrick Morrow (@MrPatrickMorrow) May 27, 2022

Mr Watson spoke to the waiting crowd at the steps of the office building, in a show of support for the teachers’ hard work.

“We are mindful of the tough times people have gone through and are really appreciative of all the work people do,” he said.

Wagga catholic diocese director Andrew Watson spoke to the teachers outside the office buildings today. #hearourvoicepic.twitter.com/p2yGbGul0c

— Patrick Morrow (@MrPatrickMorrow) May 27, 2022

In an act of solidarity, the NSW Teachers Federation Wagga Wagga president Jack O’Brien made an appearance and spoke to the crowd before the march.

“We support your efforts you have put forward and the feeling of taken granted from the politicians is not on, we will keep fighting for better conditions for all teachers,” he said.

This strike has taken place only three weeks after state teachers walked off the job demanding an increase in wages and better working conditions.