INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS NSW (TEACHERS) MULTI-ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT 2017
Briefing Paper for Heads and Business Managers
Negotiations are now finalised for the NSW (Teachers) Steps Model MEA. The outcome detailed below was achieved following extensive consultation with
member schools across NSW. The AISNSW sought the direction of the AIS Employment Relations Committee (ER Committee) which discussed the
negotiation strategy in meetings and determined resolutions to be approved by the AISNSW Board. We are pleased to provide this outline of the final Steps
Model MEA which is to be put to your teaching staff with the consent of the Independent Education Union.
The Outcome of Negotiations
Term or Conditions
2015 MEA
MEA 2017
Rational for Change
Term
2 years
4 years
Commencing 1 February 2017 with a
nominal expiry date of 31 January 2021
It was the overwhelming preference of AISNSW
members to have a four year agreement.
Salaries
2016 – 2.3% from the first full pay
period on or after 1 February
2016.
Salary increases will be paid from the first
full pay period on or after 1 February
2017
Consultation with AISNSW member schools and
our ER Committee resulted in feedback that
increases of 2.5% would be acceptable with a
lesser percentage for one year to assist regional
schools.
2017 – 2.3%
2018 – 2.5%
2019 – 2.5%
2020 – 2.5%
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AISNSW was able to achieve that aim.
Term or Conditions
2015 MEA
MEA 2017
Rational for Change
Personal/Carer’s Leave
Previously known as Sick and
Carer’s Leave.
25 days per year awarded in full
at the beginning of each year. Up
to 20 days accumulated each year
to a cap of 100 days.
Current accumulated leave balances
remain.
On 1 February 2017 each staff member is
awarded 15 days on the first full pay
period on or after 1 February 2017 and a
further 15 days which will accrue over the
course of the year.
In the second and subsequent years of
the MEA existing teachers will receive 15
days accruing over the course of the year
(approximately 3.5 days per term).
Any untaken leave will accumulate
indefinitely.
Special Leave
No provision.
The National Employment Standard (NES)
provides 10 days per year of personal/carer’s
leave which accumulates indefinitely.
An employee who has accumulated 10 days per
year for over 10 years will have more than 100
days of personal leave available under the NES
because the NES provides for indefinite
accumulation of leave. This means the NES
becomes more generous than the previous MEA
with its 100 day cap.
As personal leave can no longer be capped it is
reasonable to reduce the current leave benefit
to 15 days.
A further rationale is employers are no longer
permitted to cap the use of leave for the
purposes of caring for a family member/s. All
current and accumulated leave must be
accessible for either personal illness or injury, or
carer’s leave.
The inclusion of this leave was supported by
Schools to assist teachers to attend events that
cannot be scheduled outside of term time.
Support for teachers
undergoing
accreditation at
Proficient Teacher level
Teachers may use one day per year as
special leave which can be used to meet a
scheduled family commitment, where the
timing of the commitment is beyond the
control of the Teacher and where the
commitment cannot be re-scheduled
outside work time (for example, the
graduation of an immediate family
member).
The 2015 MEA requires the
In addition to the requirement to provide
school to provide support and
support, where the school becomes
assistance to teachers undergoing concerned that a teacher undergoing the
the process.
process will not meet their accreditation
or registration deadline, the school will
notify the teacher that there are
concerns that they are at risk of not
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These provisions are consistent with the
BOSTES requirements that the school support
teachers undergoing accreditation. The
provision ensures that teachers are provided
with enough notice to address any concerns
prior to the deadline and provides clarity to the
Term or Conditions
2015 MEA
Notice of compulsory
PD and/or meetings
No provision.
Steiner Schools
Leadership Positions
Leadership Allowances
distributed across the College of
Teachers in accordance with the
formula in clause 8.6
Service in Australia only is
recognised.
Overseas Service
Termination Clause
No requirement to ensure that
the notice of termination is
provided before the effective
date of termination.
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MEA 2017
Rational for Change
achieving accreditation at the
commencement of the final term of the
teacher’s second year of teaching.
The teacher is required to engage fully in
the process with the school.
Requirement to inform teachers by the
end of Term 3 of compulsory PD and/or
meetings in the following year. In
addition, such professional development,
should where appropriate, be registered
with the Quality Teaching Council of
BOSTES.
Steiner schools will adopt the same
leadership positions as all other schools
covered by the MEA
teacher about the expectations of the school in
relation to the process.
Teaching service in English speaking
overseas is recognised. The countries
are, the United States, United Kingdom,
Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, and other
English speaking countries in which the
teacher education qualifications are
recognised by AITSL as equivalent to
qualifications from an Australian
university.
The Termination Clause now provides
that the school must give notice of
termination prior to termination to
ensure clarity around notice periods, in
particular in relation to redundancy
processes.
The consensus amongst member schools was
that this was the case in practice and therefore
it was appropriate to include the provision in
the MEA.
To assist teachers to meet BOSTES maintenance
of PD requirements.
The previous provision is redundant.
To ensure compliance with the Fair Work Act.
Forfeiture Clause
Provision for schools to withhold
monies from teachers if notice
was not provided.
There is now a requirement to obtain
written consent to withhold monies from
the teacher who has not given sufficient
notice of resignation. However, if
consent is not provided, a debt to the
school is created which the school may
pursue.
To ensure compliance with the Fair Work Act.
What happens if your teaching staff do not support the MEA?
It is important to understand that if your staff vote ‘no’ for the MEA they will sit on the current MEA without any future pay increases. It will then be at the
discretion of the school to determine whether it will:
a.
do nothing, or
b.
offer the same agreement again (note, it may need to be a single enterprise agreement if no other schools are offering the same MEA), or
c.
offer an alternative single enterprise agreement, or
d.
not offer an agreement, but offer discretionary pay increases that are not provided in the current MEA.
Please encourage your teaching staff to vote as the result is determined by those who vote. For example, if five teachers vote and three vote yes, the
agreement is considered approved by all relevant staff regardless of whether they voted or not.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Workplace Management Team at AISNSW if you have any questions.
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