Over 22,000 School Employees Affected
Queensland Catholic school teachers and support staff are advocating for a 4% annual wage increase and new allowances. They aim to align their salaries with those of New South Wales Catholic schools. Over 22,000 staff across more than 300 schools are involved in this push for fairer wages and improved working conditions.
The Independent Education Union – Queensland and Northern Territory (IEU-QNT) leads the negotiations. Assistant Secretary Nicole Kapernick stressed the urgent need for wage adjustments. She stated, “School support staff wages have not been properly reviewed for over 30 years and are long overdue for an update.” Kapernick noted that their roles have expanded in responsibility and complexity, yet compensation has not reflected these changes.
In addition to salary increases, the proposal includes new allowances for tasks such as overnight camps and administering medications. These duties have grown more complex, requiring fair compensation. Kapernick explained, “Our claim would phase in fairer school support staff wage rates over the life of the agreement, using Australian public sector benchmarks as a guide.”
Details of the Wage Proposal
The wage claim is structured to gradually introduce fairer wage rates, guided by Australian public sector benchmarks. This ensures alignment with similar classification structures. New allowances are sought for duties involving significant additional responsibilities. For example, providing support for students with complex medical needs and managing overnight camp duties, which currently rely too heavily on staff goodwill.
Queensland Catholic school employers have not yet responded to these wage claims. The next negotiation meeting is scheduled for 12 May 2026. This meeting is crucial as it represents one of the largest collective bargaining negotiations outside the Queensland public school sector.
IEU-QNT represents over 17,000 teachers, school support staff, and other education workers across Queensland and the Northern Territory. The union is dedicated to ensuring that Catholic school staff receive wages reflecting the true value of their work. Kapernick highlighted, “Queensland Catholic school teacher wages have fallen behind the real value of the work they do and have not kept pace with rising living costs.”
As negotiations continue, Catholic school employees remain hopeful for fair outcomes that recognise their contributions and address long-standing wage disparities.
Last updated: 29 June 2026, 12:18 pm
