AEU ACT Branch CIT teaching staff log of claims, August 2025 #
View log of claims
Claim outcomes tracker #
1.7.26 – While we have made good progress on a number of claims, including work on re-drafting relevant clauses, CIT continues to state that it can’t afford a pay offer better than that of Whole of Government.
We have reminded the Minister about the ACT Government’s election commitments in relation to pay for CIT educators.
In line with the instruction from CIT Council in May, we will be applying for a Protected Action Ballot Order over CIT’s July recreation leave period, so that members can be balloted when they return to duties later in July.
Nation leading pay
| Claim description | Outcome | Details |
| Ensure that CIT Educators are the highest paid TAFE educators in the country. | Awaiting government response | June 2026: The AEU wrote to Minister Pettersson and the Board on 29 June reminding them of ACT Labor’s election commitments about pay for CIT educators and seeking an explanation of how they will honour those commitments. This includes commitments to progressing towards pay parity with school teachers. |
| Salary increases must ensure AEU members see real-terms wage growth every year of the agreement. | Awaiting government response | As above |
| Continue working towards pay-parity with teachers in ACT public schools. | Awaiting government response | As above |
| Ensure no financial disadvantage to educators moving from ACT public schools into CIT | Awaiting government response | As above |
Value, recognise, and remunerate expertise
| Claim description | Outcome | Details |
| Pay rates/allowances should be at least comparable, if not better than, the relevant industry standard. | Awaiting government response | As above |
| Streamline processes for accessing paid time to maintain industry currency | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT opposed to inclusion in EA, but proposed amendments to streamline processes for industry currency and professional development |
| Streamline process for accessing paid time for professional development | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT opposed to inclusion in EA, but proposed amendments to streamline processes for industry currency and professional development |
| Aim to have managers (HoDs and College Directors) working in their area of expertise, or if that’s not practicable, ensure managers undertake professional learning to develop relevant skills and understandings | Not agreed – subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT opposed to inclusion in EA, but plans to address via capability frameworks and role profiles |
| Ensure mandatory backfilling of staff on long-term leave | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT opposed to inclusion in EA, but agreed to updating policy/guidance |
| Improve processes for engagement of casual educators and ensure pay rates genuinely reflect the amount of work to be undertaken | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | Discussion on 1.5 hour minimum engagement, with flexibility provisions, for casual work |
Improve workload
| Claim description | Outcome | Details |
| Provide student free days (one per term) for quality, educator-led collaboration, planning and preparation (that count towards teaching load/annualised hours) | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT opposed to adding these days to the EA, but open to local planning and collaboration occurring during student-free weeks |
| Continue the workload piloting provisions | Not agreed – ongoing discussions | Reformation of Annualised Teaching hours makes this claim irrelevant. |
| Reassess the Direct Teaching Activity (720 hours) provisions in relation to: Timely payment of overtime, Sustainable and collaborative management of workload throughout the year, Defining what counts towards hours and what work attracts a reduction of those hours | Not agreed – ongoing discussions and drafting | CIT described proposed reforms to teaching and working hours. See below. |
| Clarify paid non-attendance, and who it applies to | Not agreed – subject to ongoing discussions | CIT opposed to PNA for staff who get flextime (e.g. College Directors and EDS staff). PNA included in CIT’s teaching hours proposal. |
| Adequate admin, technical, IT, and student support for departments, HoDs and College Directors | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT proposed strengthening policy, rather than inclusion in EA |
| Paid time for sub-branch representatives to perform their duties as an elected representative | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | In-principle agreement on consultation structures including department-level AEU representatives and EA Implementation Committee feeding up to CITCC as needed. Time for reps included in CIT’s weekly working hours reform. |
Ensure a psychologically and physically safe workplace
| Claim description | Outcome | Details |
| Provide physical, technical and human resources to promote safety | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT proposed strengthening policy, rather than inclusion in EA |
| Provide training that supports educators to support students safely (e.g. training around occupational violence and supporting students with additional needs) | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT committed to consultation on providing training, but did not agree to inclusion in EA |
| Clarify job descriptions for Educators, EDS, HoDs and College Directors | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT opposed to inclusion in EA, but plans to reform job families and profiles as part of the VET Blueprint project, with a commitment to consult with the union and ensure broad workforce involvement. |
Yurauna Centre-specific conditions
| Claim description | Outcome | Details |
| The working conditions of staff at the Yurauna Centre are unique amongst employees at CIT and require special employment conditions that reflect the nature of their work. Amend the agreement to recognise these unique conditions. | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | CIT does not agree to a Rostered Day Off entitlement. However, there is in-principle agreement on a dedicated clause for the Yurauna Centre including: – Formal acknowledgement of cultural responsibilities – a Cultural Load Allowance of $5000 per annum paid to all educators working in the Yurauna Centre |
CIT’s claims #
The following claims have been proposed by CIT
| Claim description | Outcome | Details |
| Amalgamate General and Teaching Staff Enterprise Agreements | Not agreed – subject to ongoing discussions and drafting | AEU not opposed to this, but expect CPSU will oppose. |
| Reforming annualised teaching hours | Not agreed – subject to ongoing discussions and drafting | CIT described proposed reforms to teaching and working hours. See below. |
| Allowing sessional and seasonal employment on a permanent basis | Not agreed – subject to ongoing discussions and drafting | Discussed proposals to allow sessional employees to be engaged permanently, adapting to Fair Work Act changes, and clarifying definitions and arrangements for casual and sessional employment. |
| Aligning qualification requirements with the RTO standards | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | Relevant clauses to be re-drafted as to align with RTO standards. |
| Aligning casual employment conditions with new Fair Work Act requirements | Agreement in-principle subject to further discussion or drafting | Discussion on 1.5 hour minimum engagement, with flexibility provisions, for casual work |
CIT’s proposed changes to annualised hours #
CIT’s proposal is still subject to negotiations and drafting.
The proposal would address 2 issues commonly raised by AEU members during claims development:
- Overtime/TOIL would apply and be payable on a fortnightly basis, rather than an annual basis. This would prevent excessive workload being placed on an employee over a period and then mitigated by a slightly lower workload over the rest of the year.
- Overtime/TOIL would apply to all teaching work, not just direct teaching activity.
It would also see more favourable arrangements on penalty rates (or daylight equivalency), the retention of paid non-attendance entitlements for all members who currently receive them and a clear consultation requirement whenever there is a proposed change to rosters or shift patterns.
The general features of the proposal are:
- The full-time work week is 36.75 hours. This time accounts for all duties required of CIT educators, including direct teaching, duties associated with teaching (e.g. planning, marking, supporting students), and all other work directed by CIT (e.g. program coordination, development work, promotional activities, professional development, meetings etc.)
- Hours worked between 36.75 and 40 are accounted for via paid non-attendance
- Overtime (or TOIL) applies once 40 hours per week is exceeded (pro-rated), and is paid on the next applicable payday (e.g. fortnightly). Members do not have to wait until the end of the year to claim overtime and their work cannot be averaged out over the preceding or following fortnights to avoid the payment of overtime or application of TOIL.
- Any material change to a teacher’s existing pattern of work (eg. asking for increased teaching hours or a change in days/times that courses are taught) would require consultation in accordance with the formal consultation provisions of the agreement, including the ability for members to be represented by the AEU in that consultation.
We note that some members have raised concerns about the potential for increased teaching hours. We will work with CIT to ensure that those concerns are addressed.