A guide to the proposed certified agreement
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 127 No 8, 2 November 2022, page no. 8
By the time this Journal reaches you, the department will have begun balloting members on the new certified agreement.
Since member acceptance of the government offer in the QTU ballot, the Union has been working with the department and government to finalise the agreement. This process was finalised on 19 October, and the next steps in the certification process began.
After departmental consultation and ballot, the agreement will be certified through the QIRC. Once certified, the increases and changed conditions under the agreement will commence, including the back payment of salary.
To assist you in reading the agreement, the QTU has developed the following easy guide to navigating the agreement, which outlines the components of the offer and where in the agreement to find the clauses that deliver them.
Additional information can also be found on the QTU’s dedicated EB10 webpage: https://www.qtu.asn.au/eb10
Offer |
Further information |
Proposed agreement clause |
Review of school staffing allocative methodology |
A comprehensive review of school resourcing arrangements, including methodologies, procedures and systems, to examine the appropriate resourcing arrangements to support schools in meeting the needs of 21st Century education |
1.8 |
Review of the duties of teachers, heads of program and school leaders, specialist teachers (music), and instrumental music instructors/teachers |
1.8.1.4 |
|
The review will also lead to a review of resourcing thresholds contained in the classification structure. In recognition of the current limitations of the thresholds for primary principals, the agreement will provide an interim measure for primary school leaders in schools with enrolments greater than 1,100, enabling them to apply for a reclassification based on the complexities and circumstances of their school |
5.9.5 |
|
Salary increases |
The new EB10 agreement sees salaries increase by: 1 July 2022 – 4 per cent; 1 July 2023 – 4 per cent; 1 July 2024 – 3 per cent |
6.1 |
Cost of living adjustment |
If annual inflation (measured at March Quarter, Brisbane CPI) exceeds the base wage increase in an agreement year, a non-recurrent cost of living payment will be made:
|
6.2 |
Allowances |
Inclusion of youth detention centres in the specified sites allowance |
7.2.1 |
Attraction and retention Changes to Recognition of Rural and Remote Service Scheme (RoRRS) |
Increase in beginning teacher payments as follows: TR6: $1,500; TR7: $2,000 |
4.15.7.1 |
Introduction of beginning teacher payments for TR4 & TR5 locations: $1,000 |
4.15.7.1 |
|
Increase in the recognition of travel allowance to all dependents (>2 years) to the same rate as teachers |
4.15.5.6 |
|
Additional flight for Duan and Ugar (Stephen) Islands |
4.15.6 |
|
Where an employee on Mornington Island and Pormpuraaw chooses the travel flight option instead of allowance, they are now entitled to three full flights |
4.15.6 |
|
The recognition of location flight option for part-time employees is no longer calculated on a pro-rata basis. It is now paid in full |
4.15.6 |
|
Current RoRRs discretionary additional (TR4-TR7) leave, now included in the certified agreement |
4.15.4.1 |
|
$900 per year for regional Transfer Rating 2 (TR2) and Transfer Rating 3 (TR3) schools (subject to Director-General approval where evidence of attraction and retention issues) |
4.15.9.1 |
|
Introduction of attraction incentives for locations and extension of retention incentives |
4.15.5.2 |
|
Review of teacher mobility |
A comprehensive review of the transfer rating system to modernise it and address current challenges |
1.8.2 |
Attraction - internships |
Two days TRS to support mentors with the Turn to Teaching program |
5.1.5 |
Workload and workplace health and safety |
Additional administration time for teaching principals |
4.8 |
Use of three hours of student free day hours to be at teachers’ discretion |
4.9.5 |
|
Additional day at the end of Term 4 for instrumental music teachers/instructors |
4.9.7 |
|
The recognition of safe work environment practices in relation to all duties (and additional duties) of a role, including the clarification of travel time associated with work requirements, such as reasonable expectation for travel to occur during rostered duty time |
9.1.2 |
|
Strengthening the provisions within the principles of good workload management clause to recognise safe work environments and practices in relation to all duties, tasks and responsibilities of a role, and taking all reasonable steps to support teachers, heads of program and school leaders |
9.4 |
|
A commitment to develop a flexible work/health and wellbeing guide for fatigue management (eg. fatigue management principles) where continuous periods or late nights may have the potential to cause fatigue (e.g. school overseas trips, camps and concerts) |
9.3.3 |
|
Establishment of an encouragement to disconnect clause as part of wellbeing structures in schools |
9.5 |
|
Recognition of safety when setting class sizes for practical subjects |
9.1.2 |
|
Cultural respect, recognition and support |
Provision of cultural and capability training in all workplaces |
4.1.10 |
Community teachers |
Restructure of the community teacher classification, establishing a four step rather than a seven step scale, and community teacher pay rates comparable with or above teacher-aides’ |
5.2.2.2 |
Introduction of senior community teacher (pay level closely aligned with three-year trained teacher) |
5.2.3 |
Other elements of the offer to be resolved via policy
- A. Superannuation – the removal of the requirement for members to contribute 5 per cent in order to secure the government’s 12.75 per cent contribution, ie the government will pay a 12.75 per cent contribution to superannuation regardless of co-contributions by employees.
- B. Principals to be the highest paid officer in a school – Where a P3 principal is entitled to a DP allocation as per authorised allocation by DoE and this results in them being paid less than the DP, their classification will be revised to P4 (subject to DG approval).
- C. Support for district relief teachers – a review of existing information to educate and provide clear, concise awareness of terms and conditions of employment for DRTs.
- D. Leave –
- Provision of up to three days paid special leave each year for members who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander for the purposes of sorry business or kinship.
- Employees with a combination of casual and temp employment (at least 12 months) eligible to apply for paid parental leave if they worked continuously during this period (except for vacation periods). Conditions will apply.