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UNIVERSITIES ENTERPRISE
BARGAINING UPDATE NO. 18
THE
RACE TO BE LAST
The
race to see who can reach an Agreement on the latest round of
Enterprise Bargaining last, is on for the three South Australian
universities. CPSU, along with the other unions, put in our Log of
Claims in June 2008. This means that it is almost 2 years and still
no agreement has been reached. Little wonder that the union
negotiators are becoming very frustrated.
University
of South Australia
This
frustration has led to NTEU members threatening to walk off the job
if adequate responses to the union claims are not met. Paramount for
members of CPSU and the unions involved in the negotiations is the
length of time that the Enterprise Bargaining negotiations are taking
with no end in sight, conditions matters that are claimed to be
threshold matters and no agreement as yet likely, and that no quantum
amount for a payrise that is comparable to other Australian
universities has been made. The meeting held on Thursday 27 May was a
crucial meeting in an attempt to bring lagging negotiations to a
head. The university management responded and significant progress
was made at this meeting though the union negotiators were
disheartened to hear management were not prepared to block out
significant time blocks to address the outstanding clauses. The
management proposed fortnightly meetings are not sufficient to settle
the contentious issues in any reasonable or acceptable time frame.
Currently we have 31 clauses agreed in principle, 35 clauses that are
not too far apart, 22 threshold issues and 6 clauses that need to be
re-evaluated. Unions preference is to have weekly and longer meetings
with drafting meetings in between. CPSU position is that we continue
to pursue agreement at the bargaining table and that, as a lot of the
contentious issues, but by no means all, are academic issues, we
should seek to reach agreement at the bargaining table. However, if
negotiations do not proceed with a reasonable chance of concluding in
an acceptable time frame, with acceptable conditions for professional
staff and a just and fair wage increase, we will have no alternative
but to apply for a ballot of members to take protected industrial
action under the Fair Work Act 2009.
Flinders
University of South Australia
The
pace of bargaining at Flinders University is also frustratingly
slow. NTEU put in a Good Faith Bargaining Order under the Fair
Work Act but this has now been suspended.
The University has
responded to the bargaining order and supplied to all unions involved
in the negotiations a document summarising matters that appear to
unresolved, and a proposal for future meetings. The meeting held on
31 May made progress on some of the unresolved matters. The matters
unresolved were itemised as matters that could be resolved in
drafting and where there were clear differences in positions.
Taking
into account the university response it seems reasonable that we try
now to put our energy into the negotiations and a focus on how the
Agreement could be finalised. A drafting meeting will be held 7/6 and
meetings of the Formal Negotiating Group will be held on 28/6 and
19/7.
University
of Adelaide
Next
meetings for the Enterprise Bargaining at University of Adelaide will
be held on 22/6 and 24/6. 39 clauses have been agreed, 1 clause is
close to agreement and there are 28 clauses that are not agreed at
this point.
Industrial
Action
CPSU
policy is that we do not pick up any duties that are part of bans by
any other union. CPSU recognises the difference for
Professional/General staff when taking industrial action with less
flexibility of working hours. CPSU has not applied at this stage for
a ballot to take industrial action.
Will industrial action
achieve a better pay increase and better conditions for University
staff? Industrial action at the universities in the past has helped
in achieving the conditions you currently have. Without industrial
action no worker would have the conditions we currently have.
Historically industrial action has achieved better pay and conditions
which have been enjoyed by all employees.
The three
South Australian universities have put out salary offers that are not
remotely competitive against the numerous agreements reached to date
around the country. Traditionally the South Australian universities
sit back and see where comparable universities finally reach an
agreement hence we are now in the race to see who can get an
agreement up last.
CPSU, along with the other
unions, put in our Log of Claims in June 2008. Despite our best
efforts to bring collective bargaining negotiations to a satisfactory
conclusion this has not been achieved. University staff have
continually delivered quality educational outcomes; we believe they
deserve quality pay and conditions. The negotiations have taken far
too long and the university management must now deliver agreements
that are in line with other Australian universities.
Please
do not hesitate to contact CPSU Industrial Officer, Margaret Warner
for clarification on any of the issues on mw@cpsu.asn.au
or phone 08 8205 3209. Your comments and views would be greatly
appreciated as we strive to get an agreement that will deliver on a
just and fair pay increase and restoring unions rights and quality
conditions in the agreements that set out rights at work. Now is a
great time to approach fellow work colleagues and ask them to join
with you to make sure that all who benefit join the union.
CPSU
WORKING FOR GENERAL/PROFESSIONAL STAFF IN UNIVERSITIES
RIGHTS
AT WORK - WORTH WORKING FOR IN UNIVERSITIES
2 June 2010
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