Teachers and ancillary staff members rallied at the Tomakin Sports and Social Club on Monday morning, August 25, during a three-hour stoppage.

They signed an open letter to be delivered to the Canberra-Goulburn Catholic Education Office on Tuesday, August 26, calling for the proposed changes to be withdrawn.

Independent Education Union officials say a draft proposal would demote teachers and increase class sizes.

However,  Tony Farley, Executive Director of the Catholic Commission for Employment Relations has called the Union’s continuing industrial campaign premature and unhelpful .

“Employees continue to receive messages from the union that are not reflective of the constructive conversations that are taking place to progress a new enterprise agreement,” Mr Farley said.

“From the beginning, Catholic Employers advised the union that the draft proposal was the start of a discussion about developing a modern agreement.

“This is a new landscape for education.

"Schools are different places than what they once were.  

"A new model of schooling needs a modern approach to consultation," Mr Farley said.

“We’re talking with and listening to staff in a number of ways and we’re very confident we will reach an agreement that staff will support.

“The work of teachers is changing across the globe. We need to ensure we have safeguards and a document that supports professional learning and teaching practice going forward.

"We need a contemporary agreement for contemporary schooling.

“Ultimately, Catholic School Employers want a good outcome for teachers, students and families.”