THOUSANDS of Catholic teachers and support staff ­believe their private lifestyles are threatened by a proposed new “intrusive” code of behaviour based on Church values.

Catholic teachers are “outraged” by the Church ethos employers want inserted into a new enterprise agreement governing behaviour inside and outside the workplace.

Employees claim that the clause lays them open to investigation­ over lifestyle decisions­ including gay rights advocacy, in vitro fertilisation and sleeping with a partner outside of marriage.

The Daily Telegraph has been told negotiators are working on a fourth draft of the clause because Catholic employers and the Independent Education Union cannot agree on the wording.

“Our members are outraged by it, they do not want it as it is unnecessarily intrusive into lifestyles,” IEU secretary John Quessy said yesterday.

It is understood the new ethos potentially outlaws any behaviour that contravenes the values and teachings of the Catholic Church.

The behaviour code is among a raft of issues affecting more than 20,000 teachers and support staff who have been in serious dispute since a strike eight months ago.

Mr Quessy said he had no problem with employees supporting the Church’s mission but drew the line at any intrusion into their private lives.

Catholic Commission for Employment Relations executive director Tony Farley said: “The (proposed) ethos provisions are entirely consistent with arrangements at the ­moment. “Our ethos provisions are a clear expression of identity and expectations that are made clear to staff. It is not a change; we are putting it upfront and in the agreement.”

Catholic schools are bursting with enrolments but ­almost a quarter of children in their classrooms are now from families outside the faith. More than 58,000 children from outside the faith are now enrolled in NSW Catholic schools.