Catholic employers need to see sense and show respect to their employees, Lavington teacher and union representative Simon Goss says.
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It comes as more than 87 per cent of participating Catholic teachers voted to reject an enterprise agreement that did not include a provision guaranteeing arbitration.
Mr Goss said the numbers spoke for themselves and with just under 16,000 people voting in the ballot, the result “couldn’t be much more resounding”.
The ongoing conflict centres on the interpretation of an arbitration clause.
Mr Goss said the employers were correct the clause had not changed, but their interpretation of it had and they had proved this year they were not willing compromise with employees.
“They have not come to the negotiation table,” he said.
“It shows disrespect to the teachers, not the union.”
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Mr Goss said an independent body needed to resolve the issue, for better or for worse.
He said the 2.5 per cent pay increase had nothing to do with the current negotiations, but the employer was refusing to pass it on.
“We need a sense of justice for those retiring or those whose contracted are ending – they’re entitled to back pay that’s not being given,” Mr Goss said.
The Catholic Commission for Employment Relations executive director Tony Farley said he was disappointed the proposal was not given the green light.
He said employees had been convinced by an intensive union campaign.
“We’re still very keen to get the back pay and further increases to staff as soon as possible and I’ll be meeting with the union this week to see how we can make that happen,” Mr Farley said