News

Monday, 17 July 2017

UTS Enterprise Bargaining update


UTS Enterprise Bargaining update – July 2017 (PDF version)

The CPSU met again with UTS HR Management for the fourth Enterprise Agreement negotiation.

The CPSU presented and spoke to the “General Conditions” section in our Log of Claims, numbers 21 through to 31. The Academic Union also presented draft clauses.

  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 three years, which is in the present Agreement.
  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 Academic Union has also proposed the benefits of having a JCC clause in the EBA and has presented 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 HSRs 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 HSRs.

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.