News

ACU Bargaining update and important member vote

After months of negotiations, CPSU NSW and the university appear to have reached in-principle agreement on a new Enterprise Agreement to cover ACU staff.

For the most part, there will be a rollover of existing conditions, with only minor amendments.

CPSU NSW has secured the following improvements for Professional Staff:

• Two per cent per annum pay rise (nominal expiry
  30 June 2021)
• 17 per cent super for all fixed term and ongoing staff from January 2021
• Increase to 18 months’ salary maintenance for staff HEW 6 and below who are redeployed to a lower-level position
• 10 days of paid Domestic Violence Leave
• Staff up to and including HEW 10 will now be covered by the EA, and HEW 10 has been added to the Position Descriptors
• Evidence of illness for Sick Leave will be accepted from a broader range of healthcare providers, including Pharmacists
• Maternity Leave becomes Primary Carer Leave, and can be accessed by the non-birth parent
• 20 working days to escalate a Dispute if unresolved at the local level
• Unions have 15 days to provide feedback on draft policies.

In addition, CPSU NSW was able to protect the following conditions from attack:

• There will be no change to core hours
• The university will not be able to contact healthcare providers directly to test the voracity of supporting evidence for Sick Leave
• There will be no new fixed-term employment categories for Professional Staff
• Staff will still receive notice if they are terminated while on Probation
• The EA will not require Professional Staff to achieve “performance excellence” in line with the Capability Development Framework.

In exchange, the unions have agreed to the university’s claims for:

• Review by an independent person (chosen by unions and university) for Medical Retirement, rather than a panel
• Classifications Reviews to be conducted by trained HR staff in the first instance, while retaining the current panel mechanism for appeals
• A revised discipline process, based upon the Deakin University clause.

The university have asked us to enter into a Heads of Agreement to secure the position that’s been negotiated while we finalise the drafting of the new EA. Before we can do this, we need your approval as CPSU NSW members.

The following motion has been proposed:

THAT the CPSU NSW ACU Branch members endorse the in-principle agreement reached at the bargaining table, and authorise the Bargaining Team to enter into a Heads of Agreement with the University.

Moved:  Richard Faulkner

Seconded: Sam Hou

Please click on the link emailed to ACU members to cast your vote. The survey will remain open until 5pm Monday, 16 April.