Following the resolution of the NTEU General Meeting held on April 29^th, the Newcastle Branch Committee was directed to prepare for an industrial campaign including a secret ballot of members for protected industrial action to pursue our bargaining claims.

The Branch has now been successful in its application for a ballot of members. The ballot will open on Monday 2^nd August and close on Thursday 12^th August. 

The Australian Electoral Commission will conduct the ballot and send your ballot paper with ballot questions to your home address next week.

Please ensure you post your vote by Tuesday 10th August at the latest.

Voting ‘YES’ in the ballot does not lead automatically to industrial action but is a serious step towards it.  It is now more than a year since our University of Newcastle enterprise agreements expired. While progress has been made on a number of areas of the NTEU claim, there are still a number of key outstanding issues under serious negotiation. The purpose of the proposed industrial action is, if necessary, to put pressure on the University of Newcastle management to finalise collective agreements that improve areas such as workload regulation and provide for a competitive and reasonable pay rise.

More information on the ballot will be sent to members next week. 

If you would like to assist the Branch with campaign activities or you require further information at this stage contact the NTEU Newcastle Branch Office on 49216870 or email newcastle@nteu.org.au.

You can also find more bargaining update information at our webpage https://www.nteu.org.au/newcastle/localissues.

 KEY OUTSTANDING ISSUES STILL UNDER SERIOUS NEGOTIATION.

Negotiations between the NTEU and University Management for new Academic, Teachers and General Staff Agreements have been ongoing since August last year. The negotiation process for new enterprise agreements is a means of achieving a more democratic, fairer and sustainable workplace.  Progress has been made on a number of key areas of the NTEU claim including improvements to workload regulation for general and teaching staff; restoration of Union representation and consultation rights in the agreements; improvements to the managing change processes and intellectual freedom protections.

However, there are still a number of key outstanding issues still under serious negotiation. In particular, improvements to academic workloads; improvements to employment conditions for casuals; limits on the use of casual and fixed term appointments; and a reasonable, competitive pay increase for all staff.  

The University paid an administrative increase to staff of 1.5% in March this year. This is the only pay increase University of Newcastle staff have had since May 2009 and is well short of the NTEU wage claim of 20% over three years.

The NTEU is committed to bargaining in good faith to achieve a swift resolution to negotiations.  Nevertheless, we will notbe pressured by management into settling on Agreements that fall short of what the staff at UoN deserve. Our bargaining claims may need to be pursued through a protected industrial action campaign in the near future.

The NTEU Bargaining team will be bargaining with management again this week and a more detailed update for members will be provided after these negotiations.

COME ALONG TO AN IMPORTANT NTEU MEETING- FRIDAY 16^th July, 2010 @ 12noon.

An important bargaining update meeting and information on the NTEU Protected Industrial Action Ballot will be held for members next week. All delegates, members new and old & workplace contacts are invited to attend to help support the finalisation of the bargaining campaign.  

DATE AND TIME: Friday 16^thJULY, 2010, 12noon

WHERE: SRLT1 (Social Sciences Building, Callaghan Campus)

NTEU Newcastle Branch members back ballot for industrial action

This month will see the first anniversary of the expiration of the 2006 workplace agreements and NTEU Newcastle Branch President Suzanne Ryan believes the university community deserve greater certainty.

University of Newcastle staff face a difficult working environment increasingly exacerbated by the casualisation of positions and rising student-to-staff ratios. Members want University management to agree to better pay and conditions for academic, general and teaching staff at the University. The enterprise bargaining process is a way of achieving a more democratic, fairer and sustainable workplace for all staff.

“Internal union surveys at Newcastle show our members are extremely concerned about excessive workloads and are finding it almost impossible to achieve a satisfactory work/life balance,” Dr Ryan said.

The NTEU is committed to bargaining in good faith with University management, and the process is continuing.  However, almost one year after their previous Agreements expired union members are disappointed.

“The University paid an administrative increase of 1.5% in March. That doesn’t even cover the rise in the cost of living and is well short of the NTEU wage claim of 20% over three years. Not surprisingly our membership is feeling devalued and has voted overwhelmingly to look at protected industrial actions.” Dr Ryan said.

“While it would be premature to speculate on what protected industrial actions the Union membership may take, it would be equally premature to rule anything out,” she said.

What can you do to help your NTEU bargaining team?

• Encourage everyone to join NTEU. We are bargaining for better pay and conditions for all staff.
• Pledge your support to participate in the Bargaining Campaign by contacting Jenny (Branch Organiser) at Newcastle@nteu.org.au  T: 49216870