C10 Workplace relations

Staff Enterprise Agreement

During the reporting period the Directorate successfully negotiated the current ACT Public Service Education and Training Directorate Enterprise Agreement 2011-2013 (Staff Enterprise Agreement). The Staff Enterprise Agreement replaced the ACT Department of Education and Training Staff Enterprise Agreement 2010-2011 and covered all Directorate staff other than teachers.

Following endorsement by an employee vote in November-December 2011 and subsequent Fair Work Australia approval, the Staff Enterprise Agreement came into operation on 22 December 2011. The Staff Enterprise Agreement nominally expires on 30 June 2013.

The first pay increase and back adjustments were paid to eligible employees on the pay day of 19 January 2012.

Highlights of the Staff Enterprise Agreement include:

• the creation of a new School Assistant 4 classification for future employment of Youth Support Workers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Officers to better meet the operational requirement of the school
• provisions to enable the appointment of temporary employees who have worked an extended period of two years continuously without a further merit process, enhanced support for preschool assistants
• enhance conditions for temporary school assistants in relation to incremental progression process and payment between school years
• a revised BSO classification structure
• a commitment to implementing agreed outcomes of the Business Managers Classification Review from the beginning of the 2012 school year.

A joint Directorate and Union(s) implementation committee was established to oversee the implementation of the Staff Enterprise Agreement.

In response to a recommendation of the Business Managers Classification/Work Value Review, all permanent Administrative Service Officer Class 4 (ASO4) business manager positions were reclassified to the ASO5 classification in accordance with section 58(4) of the Public Sector Management Act 1994. The reclassification pay increase was paid from 30 January 2012 as agreed in the Staff Enterprise Agreement. The reclassification is an agreed outcome of the review and recognises the vital role business managers play in providing innovative, inspiring and safe learning environments in our schools.

The Directorate has implemented a new School Assistant 4 (SA4) classification for the future employment of Youth Support Workers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Officers. Current Youth Support Workers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Officers are classified as Administrative Service Officer Class 4 and have been given the option to transfer in the new classification. The SA 4 classification employment conditions are designed to more appropriately match the school environment they work in.

The revised BSO classification structure includes a new BSO2 and BSO3 classification.  A working group has been established to develop duty statements and selection criteria for the new classifications.

Teaching Staff Enterprise Agreement

During the reporting period the Directorate and employee representatives including the Australian Education Union (AEU) continued bargaining for the ACTPS Education and Training Directorate (Teaching Staff) Enterprise Agreement 2011-2014 (Teachers' Enterprise Agreement). Following endorsement by an employee vote in March-April 2012 and subsequent Fair Work Australia approval, the Teachers' Enterprise Agreement came into operation on 27 April 2012. The Teachers' Enterprise Agreement nominally expires on 30 September 2014.

The Teachers' Enterprise Agreement delivered initial pay increases of five percent, to be followed by total increases of seven percent in subsequent years. For most classroom teachers this translated to an increase of nearly 15 percent over the life of the Agreement. The initial pay rises, effective from 1 October 2011, including back pay adjustments were implemented for all permanent, temporary and casual employees during May and June 2012.

Other highlights of the Teachers' Enterprise Agreement include:

• introduction of new Executive Teacher (Professional Practice) positions in identified schools focused on modelling best practice and capacity building in classroom teaching
• reduced teaching hours for first year teachers to facilitate enhanced support
• accelerated incremental progression for outstanding classroom teachers
• enhanced support for school counsellors.

A joint Directorate-AEU Implementation Committee oversees the implementation of the Teachers' Enterprise Agreement.

Special Employment Arrangements and Australian Workplace Agreements

Special Employment Arrangements (SEA) are made in accordance with the provisions of the relevant enterprise agreement. SEAs are part of the Directorate's attraction and retention strategy, allowing the needs of the Directorate to be met through the employment of officers with specialist skills and qualifications.

Table C10.1: The number of Special Employment Arrangements

Source: Human Resources Branch

Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA) made prior to the introduction of the Fair Work Act 2009 will continue to operate until terminated. The number of AWAs as at 30 June 2012 was three. No new AWAs were made during the reporting period. No AWA was terminated/lapsed due to formal termination or staff departure in 2011-12.

Table C10.2: Classification and remuneration for officers on Special Employment Arrangements and Australian Workplace Agreements

Source: Human Resources Branch

For more information contact:
Director
Human Resources
(02) 6205 9202