CPSU NSW endorse changes to SCU Enterprise Agreement – July 2020 (pdf version)
Dear Colleagues,
Our Branch of the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU NSW) has voted overwhelming to support a suite of cost reduction measures that will save Southern Cross $5.6 million over the next 18 months and protect around fifty university jobs.
Following weeks of difficult negotiation with Southern Cross, the CPSU NSW has reached agreement with the University on a package we believe is prudent and necessary, balancing the employment interests of all staff with the urgent need to act and support our University’s financial sustainability.
The key changes we support include:
We have received correspondence from the Vice Chancellor guaranteeing payment of the 2022 salary increase which falls outside the nominal expiry of the current enterprise agreement. Click to read the VC’s letter HERE
Additionally, should the University out-perform expectations and post an operating surplus in 2021, the University will pay staff up to 1.4% in recognition of the cancelled 2020 salary increase. Southern Cross has also agreed to an additional day of paid leave in 2020 during the Christmas close down period.
In terms of job losses, Southern Cross has consistently said that downsizing is unavoidable and the University was not in a position where it could commit to maintaining current staffing levels. In response we have been successful in gaining a commitment to an expression of interest process for voluntary redundancy, in an effort to match organisational changes with employee preference.
We recognise our colleagues in the NTEU do not support our agreement with SCU. We believe their position is ill considered and will ultimately result in additional unnecessary job losses.
Across the sector our colleagues are doing it tough. Charles Sturt University has this week announced plans to shed 160 jobs as part of the first wave of restructuring that is expected to result in hundreds of further job losses. The University of Wollongong also walked away from negotiations after failing to reach any agreement with the NTEU and now plans to cut 350 jobs over the next 12 months. These are outcomes we do not want replicated at Southern Cross.
In endorsing the proposed changes outlined above, we are convinced Southern Cross will not adopt the NTEU’s National Framework – which requires the University to cede financial control to a third party “expert panel” – and will, instead, respond with more severe cost reduction measures than the savings negotiated with us. We also believe the measures contained in the NTEU’s framework, including 15% pay cuts, would be unacceptable to Southern Cross staff.
There is no question our University faces a genuine financial crisis that requires everyone in the university community to step-up and respond with difficult, but pragmatic, decisions.
We believe we have made the right call.
SCU PROFESSIONAL STAFF MEETING
The CPSU NSW will be holding a Zoom meeting on Monday 6 July at 12:00pm to explain our position. All professional staff are welcome to attend.
Register for this meeting HERE
Toni Ledgerwood
Shelley Odewahn
Not a member? Join today HERE
CPSU NSW – The Professional Staff Union
Staff contact lists are obtained by the CPSU NSW through publically available sources. To unsubscribe contact
