Petition: Defend union rights at UTS; lift suspension of NTEU President

I am posting this petition on behalf of the CPSU delegates who are also involved with bargaining @ uts who are concerned that bargaining in good faith has been brought into question with these actions against the NTEU President by the University. 

We encourage all our CPSU members to sign the petition please click on the link below.

Since I posted this further support has been called from Unions NSW!

NTEU Lecture 2013_3599 (Photo credit: NTEU Flickr)

Petition: Defend union rights at UTS; lift suspension of NTEU President

Posted 11 December 2013 by Emma Clancy (University of Technology Sydney)

In an extraordinary move, University management yesterday suspended NTEU Branch President Simon Wade by handing him a letter in the corridor, alleging serious misconduct. This happened after Simon had responded to a management directive to meet with only two hours notice by requesting a reasonable time frame to meet in order to arrange an NTEU support person, and requesting advice as to the nature of the meeting. 

This move comes after months of Simon being targeted in his workplace due to his involvement in enterprise bargaining on behalf of UTS staff. These attacks led to a hearing in the Fair Work Commission in September where protocols were established to provide for Simon’s attendance at the bargaining table. Despite these protocols the attacks continued unabated.

Staff and elected officials at the NTEU Branch and Division level are working to support Simon in refuting these allegations and to challenge the broader attack on the rights of members at UTS to be active in the NTEU. The work that is being done by Simon, and other people like Simon, to defend staff conditions against management’s attempt to avoid fair process and procedures, and remove any accountability for its decision making, is vital to ensuring UTS is a workplace where staff are treated with respect.  But we need all members to take action.

Please take two minutes to join with your colleagues and sign the online petition which demands that UTS follow the proper process in relation to Simon’s case - including lifting his suspension while the allegations are investigated - and that UTS respect the right of staff to organise in a trade union. Please also encourage member and non-member colleagues to sign.

There has never been a more important time to come together and stand up to management.

Now more than ever it is vital for UTS Professional staff to join together to stand up for your rights, if you are not already a member join today (https://membership.psa.asn.au/join/)