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 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/)