Executive Director’s Update to Principals #17 - 4 April 2023
Enterprise Bargaining Update
We understand that MACS, CRMV & CES Ltd plan to communicate with their principals in the coming days to advise them to implement a number of additional entitlements, intended to be included in the replacement Agreement, effective from Term 2.
What entitlements will they operationalise from Term 2?
- Meal allowance increase
- Tool allowance to increases
- Medical support allowance increase
- 20 days of paid Family and Domestic Violence
- Paid Parental Leave to increase from 14 weeks to 16 weeks
- Paid Partner Level to increase from 1 week to 4 weeks (to be taken within two Terms of the birth of the child)
- The qualifying period from 42 Term weeks to 30 terms weeks or 3 full school Terms
After careful consideration, DOBCEL has decided not to follow suit with the other Dioceses at this time. That is, we will not require DOBCEL schools to implement these changes from the start of Term 2.
What is the rationale for not operationalising the additional entitlements now?
There are a number of reasons, including:
- We strongly believe that we should wait until we have a "yes" vote on the proposed replacement Agreement before any additional entitlements are rolled out. It is unusual to implement significant changes prior to an Agreement going to vote.
- We are focusing our efforts on finalising the entire Agreement, with the inter-Diocesan bargaining group and IEU, so that we may be in a position to go to vote mid-May – therefore we do not anticipate a lengthy delay.
- We have already implemented several significant changes that apply widely to all/most staff, including salary increases and back pay, recording of TIL for camps, SCT reduction, 30+8 model, and reduced extras for Secondary schools. These substantial changes are intended to have a positive impact on staff and their workload. As previously communicated in late 2022 and early 2023, those changes should be in effect by Term 2.
- We are mindful of any impact on school leadership being minimised.
- We want to ensure that school leaders have the tools and resources available (guides, templates, tools) prior to asking you to operationalise any further entitlements that will be part of the new Agreement. These resources are not yet available however, we are working with CECV to have the implementation guide for managing teacher workload (30+8 model), the SCT calculator, and the guide for a time in lieu for teachers and the TIL calculator available for schools as soon as possible.
- Time is needed for payroll staff to prepare and implement system and process changes, which will be difficult to achieve ahead of the vote.
Is this fair for our staff? Will they be disadvantaged?
There will be no disadvantage to any DOBCEL staff. We have already made a commitment that these entitlements will be backdated to the start of T1, 2023 for DOBCEL staff following a "yes" vote.
Further, should any staff member wish to access equitable entitlements (particularly parental leave), local arrangements can be made on a case-by-case basis, with support from CEB People and Development team.
Please contact Maree Baker, Jo Huntley, or Ange Jones for advice.
Can this be communicated with staff?
Principals can refer to these notes as talking points in discussion with staff as may be required on a case-by-case basis. Additionally, the following will be published in the DOBCEL Weekly Newsletter tomorrow.
EBA Update for Staff
DOBCEL continues to support efforts to finalise the entire Agreement, with the inter-Diocesan bargaining group and the IEU, so that we may be in a position to go to vote in Term 2.
DOBCEL schools will continue to honour the already implemented changes including salary increases and back pay, recording of TIL for camps, SCT reduction, 30+8 model, and reduced extras for Secondary schools. These substantial changes are intended to have a positive impact on staff and their workload.
DOBCEL has agreed additional entitlements provided for in the new Agreement will be backdated to the start of T1, 2023 for DOBCEL staff as agreed following a "yes" vote.
DOBCEL continues to recognise the extraordinary work of staff in our schools and offices and continues to work to bring the entire agreement before employees as soon as possible.
Principal Attestation
Thank you to everyone for submitting Attestations - all Principal Attestations were in on time.
Annual Report to School Communities
The ARSC are due to be completed by 5th May 2023.
A number of schools have already started the process. Below are reminders regarding reporting:
- If you do not have a report in the optional sections - Parish Priest and SAC, you can just hit the completed button and this section of the report will drop out, rather than having a Not Applicable in your report
- In the Student Attendance section, you should be giving a statement about monitoring the every-day attendance of students including contacting parents of those absent. You will already have percentage rate of students attending if you drop the prepared information into your report
- There should be a $ amount for average spending on staff PD
- You must have a statement regarding MO 870 AND MO 1359 - as there was the change over during the year and this has to be acknowledged in the ARSC
- Principals should "verify" the report (green tick), so that the Diocese can approve the report and send it on to CECV for endorsement. If the report is not verified, we are unsure if this is a draft copy of your report
Insight SRC
There is an invitation for ALL schools to participate in the Insight SRC Organisational Health Survey in 2023.
If this is not the year that you were scheduled to have the survey and you want to be part of it, please contact Susan Crowe as soon as possible. Preferably before the end of the term.