CPSU Professional Staff 19.10.17

UTS Update on Academic Strike 19/10/17

Members of the academics’ union, the NTEU at University of Technology, Sydney are taking industrial action on Thursday 19 October over issues such as teaching only roles for academics.
CPSU NSW members (and staff who are not members of a union) are not protected to take industrial action under the Fair Work Act.
Only members of the academics’ union are entitled to take protected industrial action for that day.
This means all other staff, including CPSU NSW members, are required to either report for work on Thursday 19 October or to have reasonable grounds for not attending work that day.
Please contact your local CPSU NSW delegate or CPSU NSW Industrial Officer to find out more about this.
CPSU NSW members have not yet voted for protected industrial action and therefore CPSU NSW members are required to report to work.
Your CPSU NSW bargaining team will continue to aggressively pursue the bargaining agenda as decided by CPSU NSW members and will report back to members on the progress of bargaining.

Three reasons why the CPSU NSW is not taking industrial action now

1. CPSU NSW members are committed to our Log of Claims.

The CPSU NSW conducted extensive consultation with members to develop our Log of Claims that details professional staff priorities for UTS. This has lead our bargaining strategy and the CPSU NSW remains committed to it.

2. Negotiations are progressing

CPSU NSW members have not yet voted for protected industrial action and therefore CPSU NSW members are required to report to work.  Your Professional Staff Bargaining Team continues to negotiate in good faith, and while progress is slow it has not yet come to stalemate.
The University has already agreed to maternity leave for the primary carer, regardless of gender; 5 days of leave for NAIDOC week and paying trainees under the Professional Staff Enterprise Agreement.
The University has also agreed to consider a working from home clause and an allowance for Health and Safety Representatives. Your Professional Staff Bargaining Team is working hard to progress members’ claims and will be in discussions with members over the coming weeks to see if members’ are interested in industrial action at this stage.

3. Unprotected Industrial Action is illegal

CPSU members, along with the entire trade union movement, successfully campaigned against WorkChoices because it threatened our rights at work. Unfortunately, the WorkChoices era industrial action laws are retained in the Fair Work Act. This means that unless you were part of the vote on protected industrial action then you are not protected in taking industrial action, meaning that the full weight of industrial relations law and University disciplinary action can be used against you.

Authorised by Stewart Little, State Branch Secretary, Community and Public Sector Union (SPSF Group), NSW Branch
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