Dear NTEU Members,

Thank you to the hardy souls who turned out in sometimes foul weather on Wednesday to get our message across to staff, students and particularly management that members are still unhappy with management’s current proposals and pay offer.  For those of you that couldn’t make it, we had “lines of protest” of members and students at the Green Bridge, Sir Fred Schonell Drive and at Chancellor’s Place.  We then had a couple of speakers address the crowd about bargaining at UQ.  One of our members there read out a message that one of his students sent to the VC.  It is worth repeating:

Dear Vice Chancellor,

Newbee

It is clear that many students support staff in their endeavours to achieve a reasonable set of working conditions and a fair pay rise.  The Branch Committee will be meeting next week to consider the next steps in the campaign, and we will look to have a meeting of members in the near future.

Thank you again to all our members who participated in industrial action yesterday.  Just by doing so you make a difference for all staff at UQ.

Best Wishes,

Andrew Bonnell

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 Graduand and Families

The National Tertiary Education Union welcomes you to your graduation.

We hope you enjoy this important milestone in your life. We would like to ask you to consider for a moment the staff at UQ that have taught and helped you during your time at UQ. Staff need your help.

The University of Queensland has a world-class reputation and the degree you receive today reflects the high standard of teaching and research that staff have delivered over many years.

For the past 18 months, staff at UQ have been trying to negotiate a new Collective Agreement to cover their wages and conditions. We have recently made some progress, but we are still a long way from an Agreement, and university management have offered a salary increase at the very bottom of salary increases across the country. We feel that staff at UQ are among the best in the country and should have conditions that reflect that.

If you think staff at UQ are great and deserve to be treated as staff are at other top institutions, please write to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Greenfield. His email address is vc@uq.edu.au.

• You can let him know that you think staff at UQ deserve a salary increase that puts them up where they belong, among the top institutions in the country.

• You can tell him that more manageable workloads for staff mean better outcomes for students.

• You can tell him that staff need job security so that they can focus on what’s important: students and research.

Thank you for taking the time to read this leaflet.

Again we congratulate you on attaining your degree today and wish you well in your future endeavours.

Dr Andrew Bonnell

UQ Branch President

University Of Queensland

Phone 3365 2538