The AEU Industrial Update provides you with information on industrial issues impacting you and your workplace. This edition contains information on:
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- Pay increases for members in schools
- CIT classification restructure and pay increase
- Special education allowance
- Studies assistance
The AEU Workplace Advocacy team is planning future editions of the Industrial Update, as well as the fact sheets that we write on a range of industrial topics. If you have a spare 2 minutes, please fill in the this survey to help us better understand the information you want to see in the future.
Upcoming pay increases for members in schools
If you are a teacher, school psychologist, school assistant or school leader, you will be receiving a pay increase soon. Through enterprise bargaining, the AEU won a series of pay rises that are being implemented over the course of 2024 and 2025.
A pay rise came into effect on 6 June 2024. This means that you will see an increase on your payslip in the next pay period. A further increase will occur in December of this year, and again in June and December of 2025.
Increases will also apply to some allowances, like the special education allowance and corporate citizens’ allowance. (Increases don’t apply to motor vehicle allowance and the school support allowance received by school assistant members).
If you want to see the full schedule of salary increases for our classroom teacher (including casual relief) and school leader members, check out the AEU salary explainer. We have also created a salary explainer for our school assistant members.
CIT classification restructure and pay increase
The AEU won a series of payrises for CIT staff in our enterprise bargaining campaign. The reclassification of CIT educator salaries took effect on 6 June 2024. This included a 1.5% increase to salaries.
You will receive your increase in pay from your next payslip onwards.
Check your new classification and salary level here in the CIT educator salary explainer provided by the AEU.
Further salary increases will commence on 5 December 2024. This will also include the introduction of an additional increment point to the Educator Level 1 and 2, and an additional increment to the Head of Department and College Director Levels. The AEU will provide further information about the new increment points, including eligibility, later in the year.
Special education allowance
Our members working in specialist schools, in designated special education classes, or employed to teach/assist with an individual special education student(s) are entitled to receive a ‘Special Education’ allowance. The allowance is payable to classroom teachers, school leaders B and C, and school assistants. In addition, casual teachers and school assistants should also receive the allowance, particularly if they are casually engaged to work in a specialist school.
In relation to eligibility, you will be entitled to receive the allowance if:
- You work at one of the ACT’s four specialist schools (Black Mountain School, the Woden School, Cranleigh School or Malkara School); or
- You work exclusively or partly in a designated special education class within a mainstream school (i.e. a small group program or learning support unit); or
- You are employed exclusively or partly to assist a student who is identified as eligible for additional education support. This will generally be based on outcomes of the Student Centred Appraisal of Need (SCAN) process.
The amounts payable for the allowance vary, depending on your role.
- For a classroom teacher/school leader B or C, the annual allowance was $3,118 before 6 June. This increased to $3,165 on 6 June 2024, and will increase to $3,242 on 5 December 2024.
- For a school assistant 1-3, the annual allowance was $1,592 before 6 June. This increased to $1,615 on 6 June 2024, and will increase to $1,670 on 5 December 2024.
- For a school assistant 4, the annual allowance was $1,719 before 6 June. This increased to $1,745 on 6 June 2024, and will increase to $1,804 on 5 December 2024.
While the allowance is an annual amount, eligible employees will receive the allowance in fortnightly payments. For instance, a classroom teacher working full-time in a specialist setting would currently expect to receive around $120 per fortnight.
Furthermore, if you only work part time, or if a fraction of your working week is spent in a specialist setting, designated special education class or with a special education student, you will receive a pro rata amount based on the percentage of time spent working in the special education class or with the special education student. For instance, if you are a classroom teacher who spends 50% of your week in a designated special education class, you would expect to receive 50% of $120 per fortnight, so around $60.
If you believe you should receive the allowance, you should first make a request to your school leadership. If you are eligible, approvals are made through school leadership to Shared Services.
Should you require any further advice or assistance, please reach out to us at aeuact@aeuact.org.au.
Studies assistance
Are you a permanent employee with more than 12 months of service? Did you know you may be able to apply for study assistance? This might take the form of paid leave or financial assistance to complete a course.
If you are thinking about studying or are already undertaking additional study that is relevant to your employment, we recommend that you read the relevant policy. See here for the EDU Studies Assistance Guidelines, and here for the CIT Procedure.
Note that the provision of studies assistance is separate to the calendar of professional learning at your school or CIT’s individual learning and development allocation.