CPSU NSW successfully maintains leave conditions at UTS
Both unions have now concluded their log of claims presentations to the university.
At the bargaining meeting on 28 September 2021, the University Librarian presented on Leave and Related Matters. The presentation has been uploaded to the UTS EB9 Sharepoint site.
The CPSU NSW questioned the university’s proposal to reduce the amount of accrued annual leave from 40 days to 20 days before a staff member can be directed to take annual leave. The union asked for the university to provide data around current leave accruals. In addition, we asked if the university had any explanation as to why staff are not able to take leave, such as high workload issues. In addition, the CPSU NSW argued that both the qualifying period for parental leave should not be extended from 40 weeks to 52 weeks, and that long service leave should continue to be able to be taken at half pay.
The union was successful in persuading the university to retain:
a 40-week qualifying period for parental leave. The proposed change raising this qualifying period to one year (52 weeks) was dropped.
the option for staff to take long service leave at half pay. The proposed change removing this option entirely was dropped.
clarification on meaning of ‘genuine operational reasons’ in relation to why long service leave may be declined. The definition removal was cited as simplification and not changing meaning, however when the clause allowing for long service leave to be declined was added in a previous bargaining round clear boundaries were also set in order for parties to reach agreement.
In addition, the university agreed to create a specific clause for gender affirmation leave.
The university’s position on items where there was not initial agreement is:
The university’s proposal for reducing the maximum annual leave accumulation and the extended close down period are inter-related measures for supporting staff to be able to take a break. The CPSU does not see how reducing the leave threshold does anything to handle those who are above the current reasonable 40 days accumulation which the university also used to justify their proposed reduction. Facilitating staff to take leave through proper workload management and backfilling will improve wellbeing far more than reducing individual choice and being punitive around taking leave.
The university’s position is to include a reference in the parental leave clause directing staff to the ‘Breastfeeding at UTS Guideline’.
The university does not see the justification for creating further provisions for pandemic leave as flexible work arrangements, personal leave, sick leave and paid special sick leave provisions are available and UTS has also extended access to community leave to include time for vaccinations. Our concerns include that the existing provisions may not be sufficient if Coronavirus case numbers explode once reopening occurs and further variants and waves of infection were to become the norm. Streamlining pandemic leave into one section of the agreement.
UTS will be revising its Draft EB9 with outcomes from today’s meeting. V.2 should be distributed for comment before the next meeting.
Maintain separate Professional and Academic Staff agreements
The CPSU NSW continues to argue there must be separate Professional and Academic Staff agreements. If you have not yet signed the petition please do so here www.megaphone.org.au/p/UTSProfessionalStaffAgreement
Next bargaining meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 12th October 2021 for 3 hours via Zoom, and is set aside for General Conditions of employment.
The Professional Staff-specific matters include:
Ordinary Hours of Work
Shiftwork
Overtime
Rostered Day Off (RDO) Scheme
Flexitime Scheme
On-Call Allowance and Rate of Pay
Higher Duties Allowance
Travel Allowances and Reimbursement
First Aid Allowance
Incremental Progression
Position Classification and Evaluation
Broadbanding
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