News Flash

University of South Australia

Please note: there is an important questionnaire relating to conditions matters below that CPSU would appreciate responses from Professional staff. 

Enterprise Agreements have two components -

1.  A salary offer that will attract and retain quality staff that is competitive with other comparable universities and that university staff have a fair and just wage increase.

2.  Conditions matters.  The provisions that protected university staff were removed from our Agreements under the Howard Government's Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs).  The only reason why these provisions were agreed to was to enable universities to receive their share of the $500 million in additional grants that the
Howard Government made conditional on HEWRRs being met.  With HEWRRs being abolished 12 months ago, there is no reason or justification for any university not to reinstate the pre-HEWRRs standards in new and improved Collective Agreements. 

These are important issues for professional staff that the unions involved in the negotiations are reluctant to compromise and are working hard to have clauses in the new agreement that would give professional staff conditions such as workload regulation, job security in restructures, clear and transparent professional staff classification issues, union rights and resources, casualisation of staffing, indigenous employment, etc.

It is clear from our survey of professional staff that the conditions matters are far more important than the salary issue.  However, the three South Australian universities have now put out salary offers that are not remotely competitive against the numerous agreements reached to date around the country.  Most universities have offers that are around about 16% over the 4 year period of Agreements.  Traditionally Adelaide universities sit back and see where comparable universities finally reach an agreement.  Universities are competitive not just for income but in being able to offer salaries that will attract and retain the best staff that will make each of our universities competitive.

The salary offers from the three South Australian universities at present are:-

University of Adelaide
4.5% June 2009 Administrative increase
3.0% June 2010
3.0% June 2011
3.0% June 2012 Cumulative amount 13.5% over 4 years

University of South Australia
2.00% from 8 August 2009 Administrative increase
3.5% from 30 September 2010
3.50% from 30 September 2011
3.50% from 30 September 2012 = Salary increase of 12.5% over 4 years

Flinders University of South Australia
2.1% 3 January Administrative increase
1.4% on certification
3.25% 30 June 2010
3.5% 30 June 2011
4.0% 30 June 2012 = 14.25% inclusive of the 2.1% increase paid from 3 January 2009 over 4 years 

University of South Australia tabled its proposed bargaining framework. The framework is an attempt to limit the scope of bargaining and retain and extend the high degree of management prerogative provided under the Collective Agreement 2006.  The union bargaining team will not accept this. 

When questioned by the unions about the capacity of the current salary offer to attract and retain quality staff, the management response was that discretionary funding would be used to attract, presumably, "high flyers". 

CPSU requests that Professional staff fill in the questionnaire below so that we can best represent your interests at the negotiation table.
This questionnaire is more comprehensive than the previous questionnaire and contains the conditions matters.

1. Do you feel CPSU should continue to negotiate for an improved wages
outcome?

( ) Strongly agree ( ) Agree ( ) Not support ( )
Strongly Oppose

2. Conditions of Employment

How important is it that the pre HEWRRs conditions are reinstated

( )Very Important ( )Less Important ( ) Don't know

3. Workload Regulation

That the Agreement provide for substantive and clear regulation of workload for general staff and that there is consultation and procedures to ensure that work is not excessive, and that there be appropriate planning for taking leave, backfilling of staff on leave and other approved absences and appropriate terms of reference for an appeals committee. 

How important is this to you?

(   )Very important (   )Important  (   )Less important (   ) Not important

4. Casualisation of General Staff

How important is it that there are limitations on the escalating casual
staff numbers

(   )Very important (   )Important  (   )Less important (   ) Not important

5. Job Security and Managing Change

That job security for employees be enhanced by measures including maintaining the size of the workforce, limiting casual employment and contracting out.  That Managing Change clauses in the Agreement be enhanced so that staff have job security and fair processes. 

(   )Very important (   )Important  (   )Less important (   ) Not important

6. General Staff Classification
That the Agreement prescribe clear, comprehensive and objective procedures for classifying general staff, which include agreed position description, joint classification processes and determinative appeal rights.

(   )Very important (   )Important  (   )Less important (   ) Not important

7. Union Rights and Resources

That the Agreement provide for facilities, resources, time release, encouragement of union membership and other benefits for the union as contained in the pre HEWRRs Agreement.

(   )Very important (   )Important  (   )Less important (   ) Not important


8. If CPSU put in for a ballot would you vote to take protected industrial action should the negotiations reach an impasse. Yes/No


9. Other Issues

Please comment on any other issues you consider important.

Would you be prepared to

Be a contact for your work area
Attend lunch time meetings
Distribute CPSU Enterprise Bargaining material
Ask co-workers to join CPSU
Become a CPSU Worksite Representative


The feedback from members responding to the conditions matters will be invaluable to your union negotiators as we work towards an Agreement that will best meet the wishes of Professional staff.  Thank you to all members who responded previously and look forward to the additional information that you can now provide. 

Please do not hesitate to contact CPSU Industrial Officer, Margaret Warner on 8 205 3209 or mw@cpsu.asn.au if you need clarification on any issues

26 August 2009