Schools Breaking down the financials

The in-principle VGSA 2022 delivers teacher pay rises over the life of the agreement in excess of the Andrews state government’s initial offer of 1% every six months. Here is a breakdown of the increases, and when to expect them. 

View the proposed salary tables here.

Range 1 and Range 2

Firstly, all teachers in Range 1 and 2 will receive the initial increases to their current salary in two steps.

For first-year teachers, the starting salary of $72,058 will increase by 2% to $73,499 through a structural adjustment aimed to keep graduate salaries competitive with other states and territories, and with comparable professions. This increase is back-dated to the first pay period on or after 24 December 2021. A further increase of 1% will take a first-year teacher’s salary to $74,234 from the first pay period on or after 1 January 2022. 

All other Range 1 and 2 teacher salaries will increase by 0.95% through a structural adjustment, back-dated to the first pay period on or after 24 December 2021.

A further increase of 1% will apply from the first pay period on or after 1 January 2022. For example, a teacher at the top of Range 2, with the current salary of $108,003, will increase to $109,029 and then to $110,119. 

Increases for all teachers

All teachers will receive a further 1% salary increase from the first pay period on or after 1 July 2022. This will take the graduate salary to $74,976, and a top-of-the-scale salary to $111,221 – an increase of over $3,208, or 2.98%, in six months.

In addition to these, all Range 1 and Range 2 teachers will receive a new allowance of 1% of their salary paid in December 2022. For graduates, this will be $750. For a teacher at the top of the scale it will be $1,112. In 2023, 2024 and 2025, teachers will receive a 1% increase on 1 January and another on 1 July, in addition to the new allowance paid every December.

This means that by the end of the Agreement, the graduate salary will grow to $79,589, up by 10.45%, plus four annual 1% allowance payments. For a teacher at the top of the scale by the Agreement’s end, the salary will be $118,063, or a 9.3% increase, plus four annual 1% allowance payments. The allowance paid in December 2025, for example, will be $1,181.

The annual allowance will continue to be paid after the nominal expiry date of the agreement (31 December 2025), subject to the AEU negotiating a replacement agreement.

Salary progression through the incremental scale remains a feature of the Agreement (subject to the same performance and development processes), on top of the percentage increases and allowance. Incrementing teachers will receive between 2.62% and 8.17% for each annual sub-division increment increase, depending on their current sub-division. 

Leading Teachers and Learning Specialists

For the first time, the Agreement creates a 5% gap between the teacher salary at the top of the scale and the first sub-division of Leading Teachers (LT)/Learning Specialists (LS). This means a teacher in the first sub-division of a promotion position will receive 1.24% through a structural adjustment driven by the gap, back-dated to the first pay period on or after 24 December 2021. A further increase of 1% will apply from the first pay period on or after 1 January 2022. This means that a teacher’s salary at this level will increase from the current $113,079 to $114,480, and then to $115,625.

A teacher in the top sub-division will receive 0.85% through a structural adjustment, back-dated to the first pay period on or after 24 December 2021, and a further increase of 1% will apply from the first pay period on or after 1 January 2022. This means a teacher’s salary at this level will increase from the current $118,620 to $119,632, and then to $120,828.

All LT/LSs will receive another 1% salary increase from the first pay period on or after 1 July 2022. This will take the salary at the first sub-division to $116,782, and the top sub-division to $122,037 – increases of around $3,500 in six months.

In addition, LTs and LSs will receive the new allowance of 1% of their salary, paid in December 2022. In 2023, 2024 and 2025, LT/LSs will receive a 1% increase on 1 January and another on 1 July as well as the new allowance paid each December.

For a LT/LS at the top of the scale, their salary by Agreement’s end will be $129,544 (a 9.21% increase), plus four annual 1% allowance payments. The allowance paid in December 2025, for example, will be worth $1,295. 

Subject to the ratification process and the employee ballot, we will advise members when the Department will pay the back-dated salary increases

CRT salaries

A 3.66% increase to the daily rate for CRTs will apply from 1 January 2022. This includes the 0.95% structural adjustment that all teachers receive, the first 1% increase, and an increase in the casual loading from 20% to 22%. The daily rate from 1 January 2022 will increase from $383.13 to $397.15. The six-monthly 1% increases then apply over the life of the Agreement. The daily rate in July 2025 will be $425.80.