Lismore’s Catholic teachers and support staff will join their counterparts across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory on Monday in strike action.
Independent Education Union spokesperson John Quessy said members were at ‘boiling point’ after employers took the unprecedented action of putting an enterprise agreement to the vote without gaining union endorsement.
The employers’ vote is due to begin on Tuesday, 5 December.
‘This has never been done before in Australian history. Catholic employers are coming for our members’ rights and they will not tolerate that. We are urging a ‘no’ vote,’ Quessy said.
‘It is clear they want absolute power over their employees and the members are standing firm against this.
‘Our action is sending a clear message that we reject their enterprise agreement.”
‘This dispute is not about pay. A 2.5% pay rise was settled nearly a year ago, but has yet to be paid. Rather the dispute is about Catholic employers vetoing the right of the union to access the Fair Work Commission for arbitration. Details of the enterprise agreement also remain unresolved.
Mr Quessy said it was outrageous that employers were indicating staff needed to vote ‘yes’ on 5 December in order to get their pay rise.
‘Our members will not be held to ransom by employers dangling a meagre pay rise as a carrot,’ he said.
‘Teachers and support staff want their conditions protected by their enterprise agreement and by the Fair Work Commission. They do not want and will not put up with employers’ bullying.
‘The IEU calls on Catholic employers to stop their attacks on the rights of workers.’
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