With the commencement of trials for complex behaviour support coordinators and small group tuition, SSTUWA members have now secured implementation of 37 items of the 2023 General Agreement.

Significantly too we have seen a new direction for the Ministerial Workload Taskforce, with a far stronger commitment at ministerial level than was present when the taskforce first met under the previous minister.

In parliament, Education Minister Sabine Winton acknowledged the work of SSTUWA members in securing these wins, saying: “Importantly, these were the key asks of the enterprise bargaining agreement with the State School Teachers’ Union of WA and forms part of the specific work that the [workload] task force is undertaking to monitor the success and impact of those programs. These initiatives are critically important to make sure that every student, no matter where they go to school, gets the support they need to make sure that they can reach their potential. I am very pleased to be able to report back on specific practical ways in which the funding from this landmark agreement between the federal government and the state government is having an impact in classrooms and schools every single day.”

It is crucial to remember that your action as members across WA on 23 April 2024 secured the vital extra concessions from the Department of Education (DoE) around the workload taskforce, small group tuition and complex behaviour management. These additional improvements and some other wins were not on the table prior to the 23 April rallies.

It is timely to remind ourselves of what else has been achieved through the 2023 Schools General Agreement.

Salary

The 2023 salary increase of five per cent was effective from the date the General Agreement was lodged with the WA Industrial Relations Commission. That meant that eligible staff received this pay increase in October 2024.

The 2024 salary increase of four per cent became effective from 6 December 2024 and the final three per cent salary increase for this Agreement will be effective from 6 December 2025.

The work of teaching and leading

The following list refers to items under the work of teaching and leading that have been completed:

• Changes to the class sizes clause (improvements to clause 12).
• Teacher observation as part of teacher performance management (in the Exchange of Letters).
• Professional learning (improvements to clause 59).
• Online professional learning (new item in clause 29).
• Internal relief rates.
• Casual rates for school psychologists.
• New starters professional learning (new item in clause 59).

Student documented plans, a new clause included in the Schools General Agreement, provides greater clarity around where plans are required and, more importantly, when they are not required.

Further negotiations have seen the drafting of new guidelines on student documented plans, which are set to be released soon.

Work continues on implementing:

• School leader performance management.
• Workload reduction review of Principal Professional Review.
• TOIL for school psychologists.

System support

District high school (DHS) funding and principal reclassification changes, (including agricultural principals at Level 6, DHS principals at Level 5, Level 3.5 and Level 3.6 introduced for Level 3 principals) have been implemented.

The graduate allowance has been increased to $2,000 per annum, up from $1,600. Eligible 2024 employees received a top up payment in late January.

Attraction and retention

The following list refers to items under attraction and retention that have been completed and delivered:

• Long service leave (LSL) – access to pro rata LSL during the first accrual period after completion of seven years of continuous service; five days of LSL credit to be carried over until next entitlement of LSL accrual.
• Staff placement trial for teachers and school leaders for regional positions.
• Vacation travel concessions for eligible employees in the Kimberley, Pilbara and Goldfields.
• Extended air conditioning subsidy for eligible employees.
• Locality allowance and country incentive allowance has been replaced and aligned to district allowance.
• Senior Teacher Level 2 (ST2).

30 schools have been accepted to participate in the Level 3.3 Classroom Teacher trial and are now moving to advertise these positions. Existing Level 3 Classroom Teachers are encouraged to check the internal jobs board to see where these positions are and to submit an application.

Safety culture in schools and general Issues

The work health and safety item is ongoing as we continue to work with the DoE to implement the Work Health and Safety Act 2020, including the implementation of the three Codes of Practice associated with psychosocial health and safety.

Union rep time has been formally added to the Award and the School Psychologist Branch has been recognised as a “school”, ensuring union representative time entitlement.

This schedule has been in place for some time as industrial relations advice for schools but has now been incorporated into the Award to remove any potential confusion on the entitlement.

Right of return for school leaders, including collegiate principals who are appointed to a system level position, has also been implemented.

Implementation discussions are underway regarding advanced skill school psychologists and the commencement of 2026 will see principals being able to work in a part-time capacity. Additional information about this new initiative will soon be released to schools.

The review of the School of Isolated and Distance Education continues in consultation with the SSTUWA.

Public sector standards

All new leave entitlements or changes to existing leave conditions are fully implemented. These include:

• Personal leave.
• Leave without pay.
• Compassionate leave for early pregnancy loss.
• Foster carer’s leave.
• Superannuation on unpaid parental leave.
• Parental leave.
• Emergency services leave.
• Defence Force Reserve leave.
• Bereavement leave.

As can be seen, a large portion of items you, our members, helped to secure are now fully implemented or are well on their way.

Whilst many good wins have been secured there is far more to be done.

We need to ensure full funding is delivered at an accelerated rate and that funding is focused where it is needed most.

We need to continue to work to improve respect for teachers, not just from parents and pupils but from the employer.

There is still much to be done around WA having the largest class sizes in the country and to improve conditions for all teachers, particularly regarding workload, burnout and in other associated areas such as GROH.

You can play your part as the process of developing the 2026 Log of Claims gets underway later this year.