Showing posts with label CPSU UTS EB8. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CPSU UTS EB8. Show all posts

Thursday, October 19, 2017

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.
  1. 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.
  1. 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
Please do not reply to this email address. The PSANews email account is not monitored.
For membership inquiries, please email
membership@psa.asn.au


Wednesday, July 19, 2017

University of Technology Sydney Enterprise Bargaining


Member’s update: Meeting number 4.



The CPSU met again with UTS HR Management and the NTEU on 4 July for the 4th Enterprise Agreement negotiation.

The CPSU presented and spoke to “General Conditions” section in our Log of Claims, numbers 21 through to 31. The NTEU presented draft clauses for:

1. Fixed Term Employment – the CPSU’s position is to improve the process of converting fixed term and casual professional staff to continuing employment status. We say that if the position or role continues after 12 months it is a continuing position and conversion to permanent continuing employment should take place (as long as the applicant is merit selected). Not after 3 years, which is in the present Agreement and which the NTEU have not documented for change. They did agree with CPSU proposal of 12 months (then conversion), when discussions took place during bargaining.

2. Managing Change clause – the CPSU is still insisting that if we had a Joint Consultative Committee, it would benefit all unions and bosses, as there would be a forum to discuss all workplace changes and restructures within the University. The NTEU has also proposed the benefits of having a JCC clause in the EBA, by presenting a clause for this purpose.

3. Disciplinary clauses – the CPSU has asked for the inclusion of the definition of “misconduct” and “serious misconduct”. We will revise Clause 54 to 56, which is Part F – Discipline, in the UTS Professional Staff Agreement during our next CPSU pre-bargaining team meeting. Both unions will look at wording in this section of the EBA.

The CPSU presented a new Clause (26) for Health and Safety Representatives in the workplace, democratically elected by their workgroup. We say that HSR’s should have an Allowance, under Schedule 4 in the EBA comparative to the First Aid Allowance, adjusted annually, in line with the First Aid Allowance.

The CPSU can also provide training for HSR’s.

UTS management will be bringing the manager of Work Health and Safety to the next negotiations meeting to respond to the CPSU’s HSR clause.

The next meeting with UTS will be held on the 25 July 2017. It will be EBA Negotiation meeting number 5.


  • 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/)

Thursday, July 6, 2017

University of Technology Enterprise Bargaining Members Update


The CPSU negotiating team met with HR management and the NTEU on 20 June, 2017 for negotiation meeting number three.
Management presented two items for change: Sick Leave and Fixed Term Appointments and Conversion.
Management said that managers/supervisors are having trouble with the wording and understanding clause 9 of the EBA regarding fixed term conversion and severance pay and have simplified it. As entitlements remain unchanged, no one challenged the editing.
The university wants to make changes to sick leave. They want: “for the fourth and subsequent sick leave absences in the year”, employees provide a Medical Certificate for every day absent on every occasion. We oppose this.
Both Unions want a Joint Consultative Committee. All NSW Universities, State Owned Corporations and the Public Service of NSW already have JCCs, as a forum for consultation. UTS do not want one. They argued they already consult, but both unions argued it is haphazard at best and needs to be formalised into a JCC.
Further in the CPSU claims are:
·         Additional days for Domestic Violence Leave, bringing it up to 20 days.
·         Specific guidelines for Working from Home.
·         Adding an Allowance for Health and Safety Representatives in the workplace.
·         Clarifying “flexible work place”, which should be accessible to all employees.
·         Backfill positions when staff are absent for more than five working days.
·         Cab charge for employees working past 8pm.
·         There is a need of guidelines for broad banding.

The CPSU will finish discussion on our Log of Claims in the next meeting, scheduled for July 4, 2017.  


  • 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/)

Saturday, May 6, 2017

UTS CPSU Log of Claims 2017


The CPSU serves the following claims on the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) for an Enterprise Agreement for professional staff employed by UTS.

That the University of Technology Sydney Professional staff Agreement 2017 shall provide:

1.                  All existing conditions of employment to be maintained for professional staff, unless otherwise improved as a result of negotiations with the CPSU.

Consultation

2.                  The university and combined unions will form a Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) for consultation on matters affecting Employees covered by the Agreement.

3.                  Improvements to the process for policy development will be dealt with through the JCC

4.                  Ensure increased transparency and accountability during Consultation relating to Change Management.

Salary and Related Matters

5.                  Negotiated and fully funded Salary (and allowance) increases guaranteed  over the life of the Agreement. Professional staff are to be reimbursed for any delays and each pay increase will compound onto the previous salary.

6.                  Professional staff provided with career paths through ongoing training and career development opportunities. This will create a trained, multi skilled workforce with increased job satisfaction.

7.                  Any staff member may apply to have the classification level of their position reviewed. If the position is reclassified to a higher level the incumbent will retain the position. 

8.                  Improvements to broad banding, so that all broad banding proposals will be developed in accordance with the agreed guidelines.

9.                  Opportunities to act in a higher position shall be offered to eligible staff on a rotating basis. When considering which person shall act in a higher position, the supervisor shall consider a range of issues including merit, staff development and the fair allocation of higher duties allowances.



Hours of Work

10.              Ordinary hours of duty band to span from 6am until 6pm Monday to Friday excluding Public Holidays.

11.              To ensure the right to flexible work arrangements be available to all professional staff in the University, with all requests documented. When requests are denied, management will provide reasons in writing.

12.              The University shall ensure that when staff work beyond normal hours they will be paid a meal allowance in accordance with the clause in this Agreement.

13.              Cab Charge dockets supplied or reimbursed through NEO to staff working after 8pm as a WH&S measure.

14.              Provision for ‘Working From Home’ arrangements to demonstrate a commitment to providing a flexible working environment;

15.              Working hours and workloads will always take into account caring responsibilities.


Leave

16.              All staff should be able to access their leave at a mutually agreed time and date. The supervisor/manager will provide in writing a reason why leave cannot be granted.

17.              A commitment that professional staff who are on leave for more than one week have their positions backfilled

18.              Improvements to parental leave, including:

                                      i.      primary carer leave regardless of gender,
                                    ii.      fully paid parental leave to fixed term employees if their contract expires after 20 weeks of pregnancy,
                                  iii.      in the event of a multiple birth an employee is entitled to four weeks extra paid parental leave for each additional child and;
                                  iv.       a clear statement that all paid parental leave entitlements shall be in addition to the Paid Parental Leave Act 2010.

19.              A commitment to provide increased support to professional staff experiencing family and domestic violence, including:
20.               
                                      i.      20 days per year for paid special DV leave

                                    ii.      Where requested by the employee, temporary or permanent changes to working times and patterns, changes to specific duties, or redeployment or relocation

                                  iii.      Measures to ensure a safe working environment, for example changing a telephone number to avoid harassing phone calls

                                  iv.      Professional staff cannot be adversely affected at work because they are experiencing domestic violence – for example being disciplined for job performance problems or denied opportunities for promotion, and
                                    v.      Professional staff who support other staff experiencing domestic violence may take carers leave to accompany them to court, to hospital or to mind children

21.              For the purposes of long service leave recognition of prior service is to include service with a controlled entity of UTS, TAFE NSW, CSIRO, and ANSTO.

General Conditions

22.              The preferred employment of professional staff should be on a continuing basis. Continuing positions which are substantively vacant should be filled permanently

23.              Improvements in process of  conversion of fixed term and casual professional staff to continuing employment status

24.              A commitment to investigate provision of public transport (Opal Card) for professional staff

25.              To avoid printing costs and improve sustainability the university will provide their staff with tablets

26.              The Agreement recognises that Professional Staff are involved in delivery of teaching and remunerates them accordingly

27.              A $2000 sign-on payment for all professional staff

28.              Indexing the current employer superannuation contributions so that any increases that result from the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Amendment Act 2012 during the term of this agreement will result in increased superannuation payments to professional staff.

29.              Severance payments for fixed term staff to be the same as found in the Higher Education Industry—General Staff—Award 2010.

30.              An outsourcing clause that provides that UTS cannot outsource the work performed by existing professional staff unless:

                                      i.      In particular circumstances where specialised equipment or specialised services are not readily available or cost effective within the University. Supporting evidence to back this claim must be provided in writing to the CPSU.

                                    ii.      The CPSU reserves the right to challenge any potential outsourcing of services/work that are currently done, or could be done by CPSU members.


31.        Professional staff elected as Health and Safety Representatives (HSR) will be provided with an            allowance comparable to the first aid allowance.

32.        Misconduct clause to include and define “misconduct” and “serious misconduct”.





Termination of Employment

33.         Improvements to the redundancy clause, including:

                                      i.      for the purpose of redundancy/retrenchment pay, continuous service is to include any service as a casual at UTS

                                    ii.      payment of all reasonable costs and charges associated with a program of retraining or other agreed measure to mitigate the effects of a position being made redundant
                                  iii.      job search assistance scheme of up to $5000 each, for professional staff made redundant

Other

34.            The CPSU reserves the right to raise other matters throughout negotiations that would     

                 benefit professional staff at UTS.