Bargaining Loop #2 – 18 February 2026 | 🖨️ Download printable PDF
Employee representatives met with Queensland Catholic school employer representatives yesterday in a third Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) meeting to continue collective negotiations.
In short:
- Our union tabled a plan for ACTION NOW on workload and work intensification – key issues facing members in schools.
- Employers have tabled nothing to address workload.
- The next SBU meeting will be held on 17 March 2026.
A vision for the future of schools
IEU members have a vision for the future of Queensland Catholic schools.
The four key themes of the IEU member log of claims reflect that vision:
- ACTION NOW …on addressing the workload crisis.
- ACTION NOW …on wages that recognise the value of their work.
- ACTION NOW …on implementing contemporary rights at work.
- ACTION NOW …on the recognition of specialist and leadership roles.
In contrast, employers have shown no broad vision for the future of schools.
ACTION NOW on workload
The workload and work intensification crisis in schools requires ACTION NOW.
We need to protect the wellbeing of staff and stem the flow of teachers leaving the profession.
While employers have tabled no claims to address workload, our union tabled a range of claims at yesterday’s meeting.
HOURS OF DUTY CLAIMS
Teachers are under pressure to deliver quality education amidst the ever-increasing employer directed tasks they are expected to complete within their hours of duty.
Our union’s hours of duty claims would:
- Create one (1) hour per week of additional planning, preparation and correction time (PPCT) for full-time teachers (and between 30-45 minutes per week for part-time teachers) by reducing the employer directed “other duties”.
- Reduce the number of supervision or cover periods that can be taken from PPCT to five (5) periods per year (down from the existing 10 periods).
- Ensure PPCT is replaced for both “emergent” and planned school activities and that all PPCT is replaced in a timely manner.
- Strengthen the protection of PPCT for secondary teachers to ensure it is provided in minimum blocks of 30 minutes (unless otherwise agreed).
- Remove the outdated clause in the agreement that allows some schools to direct an additional hour of duty per week.
- Confirm hours of duty are performed continuously (except for scheduled breaks) within set start and finish times.
- Ensure changes to a school’s start and finish times are made by consultation and mutual agreement.
- Ensure attendance between the end of the school day and a directed after school activity is counted in hours of duty.
OTHER WORKLOAD CLAIMS
Our union also tabled claims to:
- Introduce a minimum three (3) term-weeks turnaround time to mark, moderate and finalise assessment.
- Empower Local Consultative and Enterprise Bargaining Consultative Committees to specifically consider interventions on workload and class sizes.
- Modify hours of duty for teachers with complex classes – those where at least 20% of students require differentiated adjustments.
Other IEU member claims
Our union tabled a range of other claims at the meeting including:
- Additional support and an allowance for teachers of inclusive student support.
- Continuing employment and enhanced provisions and pay for senior leaders.
- Enhanced support for itinerant specialist teachers working in inter-school and intra-school environments.
- Recognition of program leaders in primary schools.
- Streamlining parts of the collective agreement for consistency with the Fair Work Act.
- Recognising fostering status as family for paid parental leave access.
- Recognising Indigenous kinship to provide access to all forms of leave related to family.
Our union will table claims related to special assistance schools and flexi schools, counsellors, boarding staff and library staff at a subsequent meeting.
The previous edition of Bargaining Loop includes a summary of the claims tabled at the previous SBU meeting. For a full overview, read the IEU log of claims.
We look forward to a considered and constructive response from employers on the IEU member claims.
Employer claims
At the meeting, employer representatives tabled further claims.
Our union remains concerned that the employer claims present no broad vision to address the key issues in schools.
Certain claims – including a proposal to appoint some senior leaders to continuing positions (entirely at employer discretion) while others remain on fixed-term contracts – are particularly problematic.
The employers’ position also threatens to deny backpay to employees if they do not vote in favour of a proposed collective agreement by 31 October 2026.
A copy of the employer log of claims can be found here.
Next meeting
The next SBU meeting will be held on 17 March 2026.
Stay informed & grow our union
The ACTION NOW! Campaign Hub is the place to go for latest collective bargaining updates and resources.
Now is also a great time to encourage colleagues who are yet to join our union to become a member.
We need a strong collective voice to ensure employers take ACTION NOW on wages, workload and contemporary rights at work.