Enterprise Bargaining Members Update

The CPSU NSW negotiating team met with UTS HR Management for Bargaining Meeting 6 on August 29, after the scheduled meeting on 23rd August was cancelled (by UTS management) when the two unions arrived for negotiations.

Both unions have tabled half their clauses and are waiting on a response from UTS management. The Academics and the CPSU NSW are both adamant regarding a Joint Consultative Committee clause. As we both tabled different JCC clauses, we were all ready to negotiate these into the one clause. Most Universities in NSW have Consultative Committees and the Public Service of NSW does also. Management have continually said no to a JCC as they argue they already consult in various circumstances, with specific communications around things such as workplace change. The CPSU NSW argues that a forum such as a JCC would cover all issues on campus that will affect all employees, not continually “putting out spot fires”. This would benefit all parties.

Bargaining Meeting 7 was held on the 12th of September. The University is proposing that Internships, filled by students become paid positions, with supervision, development plans and feedback. The CPSU NSW said these Internships should be brought into the Enterprise Agreement with a clause constructed and pay rates listed in a Schedule. The University has agreed to work on the wording for this clause. UTS has also proposed:

· Clause 33.5, Paid Parental Leave. A change to “Primary Carer” which will mean no medical evidence is needed to prove that the female parent is unable to care for the child. Can be either parent as primary carer.

· Clause 34, Community Leave. NAIDOC week. Increase the days from 1 day to 5, even though the additional days could, in the present Agreement, be accessed through Personal Leave.

· Clause 35, Domestic Violence Leave. UTS said they will get rid of the requirement for evidence documents, but will not increase the days from 5 days. The CPSU NSW pointed out the word “paid” is absent from this clause and UTS has agreed to put this into the Agreement.

· The CPSU NSW is also waiting for a response regarding our new clause and an allowance (in the Schedule) for Health and Safety Representatives elected by their work colleagues.

The CPSU NSW still wants further work to be done in regard to Misconduct. We would like clear definitions of Misconduct and Serious Misconduct in the Agreement.

Our next Enterprise Bargaining meeting will be held on Tuesday October 3rd. Please note, CPSU NSW members are also members of the Public Service Association of NSW. The PSA is the Associated Body for, and resources and manages, the CPSU NSW

JOIN the CPSU NSW on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CPSUnsw

http://psa.asn.au/

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/)

One reason our UTS Professional Staff Agreement matters

To understand just how important our Enterprise Agreement is at the University of Technology Sydney starts by looking at a comparison of the salary range in the Federal award that the professional staff would be covered under if we did not have our local enterprise agreement in place. 
Our agreement has another salary step for level 5 professional staff that the Federal award does not have.
There are other benefits in our agreement that help protect you as well that you will not find in the Federal Award.

If your not a member of the PSA/CPSU it may be a good time to seriously think about becoming a member to help us negotiate a better outcome for you in our next round of bargaining.

• 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/)

HEW Level 5.5

50,374.54

Federal Award top of level 5 salary range.
 

http://awardviewer.fwo.gov.au/award/show/MA000007#P381_41652

HEW 1055                                   74,443

University of Technology Sydney Professional Staff Enterprise agreement top of step 5.5 our agreement also contains a further  step on this level.

http://www.hru.uts.edu.au/docs/manual/prof-staff-agreement-2014.pdf