Catholic teachers strike for 15% pay rise and less time teaching

18,000 Catholic school teachers from 548 schools walked off the job, with demands including a 15 per cent pay rise - in the first action of its kind in 18 years.

Teachers are seen protesting outside Commonwealth Bank headquarters in Liverpool Street, Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Striking teachers demanding a 15 per cent pay rise could force fee increases for Catholic school families, as wage rises fuel inflation.

Catholic Education directors across NSW and the ACT yesterday offered to “at least match’’ pay rises awarded to public school teachers, who also are seeking a raise of between 10 and 15 per cent over the next two years.

The Catholics’ offer – on top of a 2.04 per cent pay rise backdated to January 1, as well as an extra pupil-free day for planning and professional development – failed to stop a strike by 18,000 Catholic school teachers from 548 schools on Friday.

What a turnout! Congratulations and good luck to all the Catholic school teachers and support staff striking today! @IEUNSWACT#HearOurVoices#joinyourunionpic.twitter.com/LcRqTZFe7l

— UnionsACT (@UnionsACT) May 27, 2022

The Independent Education Union (IEU) wants a wage increase of between 10 and 15 per cent over two years, with an extra two-hour release from face-to-face teaching every week.

The union’s NSW/ACT branch secretary, Mark Northam, said teachers were reluctant to strike, and Friday’s industrial action was the first full-day strike in 18 years.

“Uncompetitive salaries, unsustainable workloads and crippling staff shortages have pushed (teachers) beyond their limits,’’ he said.

Protest in Sydney. A pay rise at the level demanded by Catholic teachers is likely to flow into higher school fees. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Flavio Brancaleone

Catholic teachers earn between $73,000 and $128,000 a year, based on seniority.

A pay rise at the level demanded by Catholic teachers is likely to flow into higher school fees, unless the new Labor federal government agrees to spend taxpayers’ funds to pay the wage bill.

“We have already provided a 2.04 per cent pay increase backdated to January this year outside of the expired (enterprise agreement) while we continue negotiations with the union on a new agreement,’’ Catholic Education spokesman Ross Fox said on Friday.

“We have also agreed to at least match any further pay rise provided by the NSW Government to public sector teachers along with a range of other measures to address teacher workload concerns.’’

Teachers and support staff in Sydney could be seen and heard from the rooftops! #HearOurVoice#auspolpic.twitter.com/ow4TR5uLs9

— IEU NSW/ACT (@IEUNSWACT) May 27, 2022

Mr Fox said Catholic Education valued the work of teachers but the strike was disappointing.

“We are in a very competitive market to attract and retain high quality teachers and always want to be the employer of choice,’’ he said.

“But we rely on government funding and the fees we ask parents to pay to keep our schools operating.

“The reality is any costs outside of government funding have to be met by our parents, so the challenge always is providing our staff the best pay and conditions we can while keeping our education affordable for the families we seek to serve’’.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) inflation data reveals that the cost of high school rose 3 per cent while primary school expenses jumped 4.5 per cent in the year to April, averaged across free public schools as well as Catholic and independent schools.