After both unions recently took industrial action on separate occasions with no desirable outcome, the decision was made to join forces for the first time since 1996.

Organiser for IEU (Independent Education Union) Australia Jackie Groom said she was at the rally in 1996 and is taking action again 26 years later, not only for the teachers but for children now and in the future.

"Both unions have the same concerns about the future of the teaching profession," Ms Groom said.

"On the two different occasions where we separately took action, nothing's changed. Now we've decided as colleagues to come together, because our concerns are the same.

"We need salaries and conditions that make the teaching profession attractive which allows us to attract and attain quality teachers."

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The key issues of concern are wages and working conditions.

Teachers are asking for their salaries to match the rate of inflation, and with the Catholic employers basing wages off the government's salary cap, the Catholic sector won't receive an increase until the public system does.

Teachers are also being overworked without financial compensation.

If these issues aren't addressed, teachers will continue to leave the workforce without replacement.

"If they don't do something soon, the people who will suffer are going to be the students. There simply won't be enough teachers to go around," Ms Groom said.

"It's not only about salaries, it's about workloads. Teaching is now more complex than it has been before and the employers need to acknowledge that."

Ms Groom said, based on current circumstances, the Catholic employers have estimated a 15 per cent teacher shortage by the end of the decade.

Action needs to be taken sooner rather than later if this is to be prevented.

"That equates to about 4000 teachers and that's only seven years away," Ms Groom said.

"In the Bathurst Diocese, according to our statistics that we've been able to amass, there's a 66.23 per cent of unfilled vacancies."

Teachers from Bathurst and the surrounding regions met at KeyStone 1889 on Thursday, June 30, for formalities, before marching to Paul Toole's office.

Ms Groom said the turnout was terrific and not only do they need their voices heard, but they need to be listened to.

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