Over 17,000 staff from 540 Catholic schools will be taking the day off on May 27, as a statewide strike in Catholic schools takes off with the endorsement of the Independent Education Union.
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Across NSW and the ACT, union members across 11 dioceses formally voted on their decision to take industrial action, with all 11 voting that it was time for action. With the message clear, IEU executives endorsed a full-day stop-work on May 27 along with series of rallies.
"Taking protected industrial action is no small thing - we don't take it lightly," said Independent Education Union of Australia NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Mark Northam.
"Teachers and support staff across both the government and non-government sectors are dedicated professionals pushed to breaking point. Schools have been running on good will, but it is rapidly evaporating."
IEU organiser Anthony Telford said that the teachers were hitting a tipping point, with older teachers retiring and nobody to replace them.
"They're fed up. The workload has become too much and we're losing teachers both at the bottom end, the young teachers coming are finding the job difficult. And the older teachers are contemplating retirement."
Jesse Chant, the union representative from the Saint Francis de Sales Regional College in Leeton, said that they felt they were being very reasonable in their demands.
"All we're asking for is to make it so we get enough staff."
"In terms of money, we're currently just saying 'more than what they're offering.' In regards to planning time, we want two more hours a week," he said.
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They're also asking for equal pay for support staff, bringing them in line with the public system.
Mr Chant emphasised that the problems they faced were the same as the public system, but they were acting as a separate union.
"We're federally funded, not state funded so we're not working with them but we're searching for a common solution."
The rally itself will see Griffith and Leeton teachers gather at 81 Fitzmaurice Street in Wagga, before marching to the Catholic Education Office, but students here will still be able to attend school if needed.
"Schools will be offering minimal supervision, so parents can still send their kids and someone will still watch them - but no teaching or learning will happen," said Mr Chant.
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