In May 2008 the NTEU provided management with a log of claims developed after extensive consultation with members and other staff. UQ management consistently delayed starting bargaining until May last year.  Progress was very, very slow up to the point at which NTEU members took industrial action in September, October and November 2009.

It was only the industrial action taken by NTEU members that got management to start bargaining seriously.  It was only action taken by NTEU members that got significant concessions from management on a number of matters including outsourcing, professional staff workloads, disputes procedures, professional staff re-classification, academic workloads and contract research staff conditions.

There are still a number of important outstanding matters.  We need to get management to move on conditions for casuals, including proper payment for all marking.  We need improved severance payments for contract research staff to give the University a real incentive to keep them on long-term.  We need better limitations on the use of fixed-term contracts to improve job security.  We need a better pay offer to keep UQ salaries competitive.

So NTEU Members are again taking industrial action, with a ban on the use of phones and email for two hours on Wednesday 24 Feb, and a 24-hour strike on Wednesday 3 March.  Members of the NTEU are not taking this action lightly, and realise that some students may be affected by these actions.  Unfortunately this is a by-product of industrial action.  In the end though, students will benefit from having staff who are respected and rewarded in their workplace, and who get paid for all the work they do.  Students would surely prefer have a lecturer who is concentrating on their courses rather than trying to find a permanent job.  Casuals will have more time for consultation if they are being paid fairly for all their marking.  Happier staff = happier students!

Students can show their support for UQ staff by contacting the Vice-Chancellor at vc@uq.edu.au.  Remind him that University is its staff, and they deserve the best conditions possible.

UQ Staff can show their support by participating in the actions.  If you are not already an NTEU member, you can join and get involved.  It is only taking action that has produced results, and NTEU members are the only ones taking action.

Dear NTEU Members at UQ

Thank you to the many members who turned out to the meeting today.  It is a busy time of year for everyone.

I provided a briefing to members about the state of play of bargaining.  I outlined the significant progress we had made at the end of last year when management agreed to bargain intensively with us.  I touched on some of the matters that are still to be finalized, including our claims surrounding casuals, termination payments for contract research staff, parental leave and job security.

I outlined management’s position on university finances.  I informed members that management have given us a budget briefing that provided some detail in terms of figures, but which showed the UQ budget heading into deficit in the medium term, primarily due to a large draw down of funds in 2012 to fund capital works through the Asset Management Plan.  It has to be noted that UQ again had a healthy operating surplus in 2009.  I advised members that management indicated that they had now included some of the forthcoming increased indexation (from 2012 only), but management did not provide a specific figure on this.  We have advised management that we will provide them with our analysis of the increased indexation.  There are still four days to go until a deadline set by a resolution passed at a members’ meeting last year expires, but we have received no indication that an improved salary offer is forthcoming or likely.  I then opened the meeting to discussion.

There was a general discussion over the salary offer and what our response should be.  Members discussed the relative merits of the forms of industrial action available to us (and some that are not available!).  It was interesting to note that the discussion from the floor was all about what would be the most effective industrial action to take.  The following resolution was moved from the floor:

“That if management does not make a suitably improved pay offer by Monday 15 February, the UQ Branch of the NTEU resolves to strike for 24 hours on Wednesday 3 March and take other forms of industrial action commencing during orientation week.”

The motion was passed unanimously.

I think the meeting today and the resolution resulting from it demonstrate the depth of frustration with UQ management over the quantum of their pay offer and the manner in which it is doled out.  Members indicated that they do not accept management’s argument that UQ cannot afford an appropriate salary increase.  Management appear unwilling to slow down the rate at which they spend money on capital works, some at least of which are discretionary.  The Senior Executive continues to expand, but there is no money for improved salaries for the staff who actually are the University of Queensland.

We will keep members informed of any developments and the Campaign Committee will be in touch with members next week.

Best Wishes

Andrew Bonnell

What’s on the bargaining table?

The University of Melbourne is now offering a nominal 16 per cent salary increase, 2 per cent of which was paid as an ‘administrative increase’ in April 2009 and another 2 per cent of which will be back-dated to 2009 if we come to an agreement relatively quickly. ‘Nominal’ means adding the point-by-point percentage salary increases over the life of an agreement without taking account of percentage compounding.

In November 2009 the National Tertiary Education Union reduced its claim to 18 per cent (including the 2 per cent already paid). The NTEU also endorses an additional 2 per cent being back-paid.

This paper updates an earlier version that preceded the University’s most recent offer. It repeats some of that paper but recalculates the data tables to show the relative effects of the 16 per cent offer and the 2 per cent back-dating.

It concludes that the University’s offer is inadequate.

Download the updated document here (pdf).