More than 30,000 Western Australian public school teachers have received a three per cent wage increase, including back pay, under the new School Education Act (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2021.
The agreed increase will be back-paid to eligible staff dating from 6 December 2021.
Early in Term Four, teachers are also to receive their one-off $2,500 cost-of-living payment, which was announced last month as part of changes to the Public Sector Wages Policy.
Part-time and casual employees will receive a pro-rata cost-of-living payment.
Minister for Education and Training, Sue Ellery said the new agreement included additional measures to address wellbeing and workload matters.
“These include implementation of a modern, flexible personal leave entitlement for school year 2023; additional flexibility and consideration for the provision of time off based on additional hours worked, and one existing school development day dedicated to curriculum support,” Ms Ellery said.
“There are also improvements to support graduate and regional teachers, principals and deputy principals, including compensatory leave for principals and a reduction in administrative red tape, including performance management and improvements to staff transfer arrangements.”
She said the recently-registered agreement was a positive outcome for teachers and the public education system more broadly.
“In addition to these commitments, work continues to be done to attract and retain teachers, including developing a National Teacher Workforce Action Plan with Education Ministers from around the country,” Ms Ellery said.
Minister for Industrial Relations, Bill Johnston said teachers would be the first to receive the sector-wide cost-of-living payment, part of the latest changes to WA’s Public Sector Wages Policy.
