UAC Enterprise Bargaining Update: Current State of Negotiations
The CPSU NSW has been in negotiations with University Admissions Centre (UAC) management over the new Enterprise Agreement since June 2024.
On 8 January 2025, management tabled the most recent draft. Below is an update on the current state of negotiations.
Improvements
Improvements to Flexitime entitlements
the ability to carry over up to 14 hours’ accrued flexitime from two prior settlement periods;
the right to take flexitime without disclosing a reason.
capacity to take flexitime as whole days, half days and shorter increments if agreed to by a manager.
Broadening the scope of Paid Emergency and Disaster Leave to allow up to two days of training leave for staff who volunteer with State Emergency Service, St John Ambulance, Rural Fire Services and other similar organisations,
Expansion of coverage for Carers Leave to include family members extending beyond workers’ immediate family or household.
Increase Domestic Violence Leave entitlement from 10 days to 15 days.
Broadening the definition of Family and Community Service (FACS) leave to include ‘significant events based on merit’ such as medical, legal and formal appointments
Personal Leave
removal of the 3-month requirement to work for UAC before access to paid Personal Leave (previously Sick Leave);
inclusion of use of Personal Leave for Menstruation and Menopause related illness which may not count towards the 5 day maximum for undocumented absences;
inclusion of using Personal Leave for pregnancy related matters such as IVF and other assistive reproductive health treatments.
10 days of unpaid Cultural and Ceremonial Leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
30 days of paid Gender Affirmation leave
a requirement to provide a written reason for rejection of Remote Working Arrangement requests
pay increase across the three years of 3.9 per cent, 2.8 per cent and 3.2 per cent
Re-establishment of regular Joint Consultative Committee meetings
Undertaking from Management to discuss a formalised flexitime recording system as well as staff development planning systems
What CPSU NSW Disagrees with
Management reducing the cap on excess Annual Leave from 8 weeks to 6 weeks (from 40 to 30 days)
Unwillingness to negotiate a pay rise higher than 9.9 per cent across the life of the agreement.
CPSU NSW’s Position on the Agreement
CPSU NSW has had significant wins in introducing new leave entitlements and expanding the amount and access to a number of existing leave types.
However, the CPSU NSW is disappointed in two key areas. The pay increase offered remains significantly below the rate that the CPSU NSW and its members proposed as a reasonable increase when accounting for the current cost living and previous low pay increases.
The CPSU NSW has presented several counter claims which have been rejected by Management.
Management has reduced the maximum Annual Leave balance UAC staff can accrue before being directed to take leave. The CPSU NSW has made numerous representations to set this aside or compromise on the level of reduction, but management has refused to change their position.
Therefore, the CPSU NSW cannot endorse the Enterprise Agreement in its current form.
If you have any questions or concerns you can also contact your local delegate from your team or CPSU NSW staff.
Your UAC Team
Mark Powter – CPSUNSW Delegate:
Diane Jardine – CPSUNSW Delegate
Carlos Cuidad Real – CPSUNSW Delegate
What can you do?
Give a copy of this bulletin to your colleagues
Pint this bulletin and put it up on your noticeboard
Ask a colleague to join the CPSU NSW
