Catholic schools knock back IVF leave in new workplace offer

Queensland’s Catholic schools are ignoring union demands for a generous reproductive leave policy that would put private school teachers on equal footing with their state sector colleagues.

The Independent Education Union began championing reproductive leave entitlements for private schools across the country after Queensland’s public sector was awarded 10 days of reproductive health leave in September 2024.

Under a fresh wage offer released on Thursday, teachers and non-teaching staff at hundreds of Catholic schools – including All Hallows’, St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace and Marist College Ashgrove – would be entitled to up to five days of reproductive leave annually, with strict caveats.

An employee would need to suffer from “chronic symptoms” of one of eight approved reproductive health conditions or medical procedures, including endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), menopause, or if undergoing a hysterectomy.

The leave would also only be accessible to staff members who had fewer than 10 days of personal leave remaining.

In state schools, teachers and non-teaching staff can access their 10-day entitlement for circumstances spanning four categories: chronic conditions, fertility treatments, including IVF, preventative screenings, and treatments such as vasectomies or hysterectomies.

In a statement to a federal review last year, the union said workplace protections for reproductive health, including IVF, were essential. “Lack of support in this area contributes to gender inequality, economic disadvantage, and workplace discrimination,” it said.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane, like other Catholic bodies around the world, opposes assisted reproductive technology treatments, including IVF.

It also works with the Australian Catholic University’s Queensland Bioethics Centre, which provides advice on bioethical issues, including reproductive technologies, end-of-life treatments, and cloning.

Catholic Education Queensland chief executive Allan Blagaich said school staff were informed of its position throughout the bargaining experience, which began in late 2025.

“Employers have been guided by negotiating an outcome that is fair and reasonable for employees and that values their important contributions, while keeping Catholic education sustainable and accessible for families,” Blagaich said.

Union officials were unimpressed with the offer, which they said skipped workload issues raised by staff and would, in some instances, worsen workplace conditions.

Logan Flexi School teacher Alex Patten, who is also an executive in the Independent Education Union’s Queensland branch, said the offer would leave non-teaching staff paid up to 25 per cent less than their NSW counterparts by the end of the deal.

Brisbane teacher Sam McKinnon also said the offer was unfair.

“It cuts existing conditions, it ignores most of what staff asked for, and it’s being put to a vote without in-principle agreement at the bargaining table,” she said.

The schools’ deal promised backpay to the last deal’s expiration in June if an agreement is reached before the end of the month, with the voting window closing on October 29.

Some 25,000 teaching and non-teaching staff members in Queensland will be covered by the collective agreement.

They are employed within five diocesan zones and non-systemic Catholic schools, including those in Catholic education bodies such as Marist Schools Australia and Edmund Rice Education Australia.

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