News

Macquarie University – Bargaining update and survey

Macquarie University – Bargaining update and survey – December 2018 (PDF version)

Bargaining for the Macquarie University Professional Staff Enterprise Agreement has concluded. We are now in the process of completing drafting and presenting it to members to seek endorsement. A copy of the DRAFT EA can be found HERE. It has not yet been endorsed by any of the parties and remains a draft until endorsed.

WE ARE PLEASED TO ADVISE THERE HAS BEEN NO LOSS OF CURRENT CONDITIONS AS A RESULT OF THE BARGAINING PROCESS

The proposed new Enterprise Agreement contains the following improvements:

• Salary increases in line with the sector – two per cent in March 2019, 2020 and 2021
• Superannuation increases for fixed-term staff. For staff members employed on a fixed-term contract of less than two years, the legislated superannuation contribution guarantee in place from time to time. Increasing to a total of 13.25 per cent of Ordinary Time Earnings effective from the first full pay period in March 2020 then increased to a total of 17 per cent of Ordinary Time Earnings effective from the first full pay period in March 2021
• New Professional Staff Implementation Committee (for union members only) to meet with management in relation to implementation of matters in the Enterprise Agreement. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander committees will brief the PSIC, as will the Gender Equity committee. Chair of the Committee will rotate amongst the three parties.

CPSU NSW members will have a seat on the Gender Equity committee and also the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy Committee

• New forms of leave

Dedicated Domestic and Family Violence Leave

Twenty days of paid Domestic and Family Violence Leave

Five days of unpaid leave for casuals

Dedicated Surrogacy Leave

Six weeks’ paid leave

Parental Leave return to work part-time

Staff member returning to work from parental leave is entitled to return part-time at 0.6 FTE and at a lower fraction by negotiation with manager and/or Director, HR

• Purchased Annual Leave increase – from five to 10 days increased to four weeks
• Fixed Term “Other Circumstances” clause (currently 3.7.13 (e) ) This has been altered to reduce the length of contract available from five years to three years with a requirement to report to the new Professional Staff Implementation Committee on use of this category
• Redundancy review will still be a single person but will have more checks and balances – the union will have right to speak with reviewer on behalf of member, member will receive copy of report, reviewer will be from a pool agreed by the union
• Research misconduct – union will be consulted where subject of investigation is union member and will nominate suitable staff members for panel members as required
• Career Development clause has been altered to recognise ‘development’ rather than ‘training’
• Change to coverage – Level 10 Bands 1 and 2 will remain covered by the Enterprise Agreement. Current Level 10 Bands 3 and 4 will be ring-fenced and new employees at these Bands will not be covered by the EA.
• Improvement to the definition of disability to bring it into line with current thinking on what disability is.

A Survey Monkey has been created and can be found HERE.

Please use this to vote on whether or not to endorse this Agreement. It will remain open until 5pm on Wednesday 5 December.

We will also hold a member meeting on Wednesday 5 December in Building 17WW Room 209 between 12 noon and 2 pm to discuss the changes. You will then be in a position to make an informed decision about endorsing the Agreement.

Please take the opportunity to consider the summary document and to look at the proposed Enterprise Agreement prior to either attending the member meeting or voting in the Survey.

CPSU-NSW is your MQU Professional Staff Union that is formed by a growing number of Professional Staff working at Macquarie University.

Professional Staff members work together to contribute in different ways to furthering the interests of Professional Staff which also helps to ensure there is an independent voice for Professional Staff at Macquarie University.

Please forward this Enterprise Bargaining update to other Professional Staff you know who may be interested, and ask them to JOIN your MQU Professional Staff Union and get involved!

You can ask your colleagues to stand with you by joining CPSU NSW today.

Macquarie University Bargaining Team

• Leigh Stanger – CPSU Macquarie University Branch Delegate
  
• Phoebe Dangerfield – CPSU New South Wales Branch Industrial Officer