The ‘in principle’ teacher salary pay rise outcome achieved today between the NSW Teachers Federation (NSWTF) and the NSW Government provides a platform to rebuild the profession from the ground up.
The interim settlement agreement between the Independent Education Union (IEU) and NSW/ACT Catholic dioceses (excluding Broken Bay) means dioceses are committed to pass on salary increases received by teachers in NSW government schools to teachers in NSW Catholic systemic schools.
NSW Teachers Federation acting President, Henry Rajendra, called the new proposal “the most significant improvement to NSW teachers’ wages in decades”.
Under the proposal, the starting salary for NSW teachers will increase from $75,791 to $85,000. For a top-of-the-scale teacher in the state, the salary will climb from $113,042 to $122,100.
Unprecedented pay rise
“This is a great achievement in addressing the teacher pay problem. Pay increases of this order are unprecedented,” said Mark Northam, IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary.
“There is an opportunity to commence the slow rebuild of the teaching profession, in the face of a teacher supply crisis and the decline of the attractiveness of the teaching profession. This pay rise will improve the quality of teaching and learning.
“In tandem with workload improvements, and the recently announced teacher five-year self-attestation process, change is underway.
“The 2022 joint work stoppage between the NSWTF and the IEUA NSW/ACT, and ongoing member action since, have culminated in this win. All NSW/ACT teachers benefit from this nation-leading agreement.
“IEUA NSW/ACT members can be proud of taking action to defend the profession. The action has paid dividends,” Mr Northam said.
