News

CPSU NSW update: University of New England Enterprise Bargaining

Progress of Bargaining for Professional Staff Enterprise Agreement replacement

You CPSU NSW UNE Bargaining Team has been hard at work negotiating and tabling amended drafting to UNE management for a replacement Professional Staff Enterprise Agreement (EA).

Your Bargaining Team, Organisers and Industrial Staff are meeting on a regular basis to progress negotiations. The CPSU NSW is meeting once a fortnight with UNE management to press our claims.

In a win for CPSU NSW members, the university has affirmed its commitment to a separate EA for Professional Staff. This will ensure that academics do not get the opportunity to vote on Professional Staff employment rights at UNE.

The latest meeting was held on 8 September 2023, where excellent progress was made.

In-principle agreement was reached on:

• Joint Consultative Committee
• A commitment to a stronger voice for union members to effect real change
• Family and Domestic Violence Leave
• 20 days’ paid leave with relaxed evidence requirements
• Workloads
• The ability to request a review of workloads to ensure a Professional Staff member is not overloaded, stressed, or performing work above their level without consent.

In-principle agreement was reached on the below some meetings ago:

• The Right to Disconnect
• Providing clarification that Professional Staff have no obligation to response to work emails and calls outside of their normal hours, except in case of emergencies.

The parties further discussed at the meeting on 8 September 2023:

• Gender Affirmation Leave

With the clause complete, the university has committed to a position on the quantum of leave per year, at the next meeting. The CPSU NSW is asking for the industry standard: 30 days per annum leave.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment
• 10 days’ cultural leave agreed
• Further collaboration to be done on the clause
• Sentiments are positive from the University
• Workplace Change
• Parties are working through the claim on a limitation to the amount of restructures a staff member can be subjected to during the life of the agreement

The CPSU NSW Bargaining Team will update members as negotiations progress.

Your CPSU NSW UNE team

April Youngberry Branch President
Ian Gesch Delegate
Stephen Mears Organiser
Michael Cope Industrial Officer

What can you do?

• Give a copy of this bulletin to your colleagues.
• Print this bulletin and put it up on your notice board.
• Ask a colleague to join the CPSU NSW
• Get involved as your Area Contact
• Become a CPSU NSW Delegate
• Not a member? Join online HERE