News

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

Southern Cross University member update


Southern Cross University member update – June 2018 (PDF version)

Your CPSU NSW bargaining team has been meeting almost weekly with the university in order to reach agreement on your pay and conditions for the next three years.

In a very tight fiscal environment, with lower commencing student rates and ongoing cuts from the Federal Liberal/National Government, we have pushed hard for a reasonable pay rise, job security and improvements to conditions.

Your local delegates and bargaining team are ready to bring an offer to CPSU NSW members for consideration and endorsement.

The key clauses include:

  • A reasonable pay rise
  • A new domestic and family violence clause including 15 days’ leave
  • New Christmas shutdown clause to lock it in
  • Increased access to flexitime
  • Improved conversion, workload and classification clauses for professional staff.

We will be holding a members meeting to finalise our position on Wednesday 20 June, 12:30 in R1.68 Conference Room.

Your bargaining team and local delegates is recommending that you support this offer.

If you can’t make it to the meeting please vote HERE.

Asren Pugh ‑ Regional Organiser

Toni Ledgerwood ‑ SCU Branch President

Shelley Odewahn

Marnya Flanagan

Luke Davis

You can support your Professional Staff Bargaining Team by

  • sharing this update with your colleagues
  • asking your colleagues to JOIN the CPSU NSW online HERE
  • and provide feedback to your Bargaining Team.

Please note:

CPSU NSW members are also members of the Public Service Association of NSW. The PSA is the Associated body for, and resources and manages, the CPSU NSW. www.facebook.com/CPSUnsw

 

Clause

Proposed Changes

Length of agreement » 30 June 2021
Flexitime

IMPROVEMENTS

» Increase to 10 hours’ flexi-leave per settlement period

» No reduction in payout from negative flexi-leave balances at the end of employment

Christmas shutdown

NEW CLAUSE

IMPROVEMENT

» A new clause that locks in the Christmas to New Year Shutdown.

» All staff required to work those days will be paid at overtime rates or time in lieu

Domestic and Family Violence Leave

NEW CLAUSE

IMPROVEMENTS

» A separate standalone clause

» 15 days specific leave for domestic and family violence with access to personal and carers leave as top up.

» Additional protections for staff impacted by domestic or family violence

Casual conversion (professional staff)

IMPROVEMENTS

» All casual staff eligible for conversion after 12 months (instead of 24 months for some staff)

» Better notification to casual staff of their rights to conversion

Professional staff workloads

IMPROVEMENTS

» New requirements to review workloads including identified signs of excessive workloads for professional staff
Professional staff career development

SMALL IMPROVEMENT

» Better access to career development fund for professional staff.
Professional staff classification

IMPROVEMENTS

» New requirement for comprehensive position descriptions for all positions

» PDs to be updated regularly to reflect the actual role

Superannuation

IMPROVEMENTS

17% extended to all fixed term staff from 30 June 2021
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment

IMPROVEMENTS

Improvements to the clause
Special Leave

IMPROVEMENTS

Additional rights to access special leave to volunteer with the community
Managing Unsatisfactory Performance and Misconduct

SOME CHANGES

The Committees remain but become review committees rather than investigation committee and would not be required for instances where the proposed penalty was limited to counselling, training, guidance or a warning
Redundancy

SOME CHANGES

SOME IMPROVEMENTS

» Greater focus on redeployment

» Additional four weeks for people over 50 years rather than 45

» provide a list of relevant current positions and their position descriptions for redeployment

Academic Duties Some improvements
Disputes

IMPROVEMENTS

»      Clarification of the process of disputes

»      More focus on dealing with disputes at the local level where possible

Intellectual Freedom Some improvements
Parental Leave

SMALL IMPROVEMENT

» Small improvement to rights for adopting children
Casual Academics » Improvements
Significant Workplace Change

IMPROVEMENTS

» Improvements to the operation of the Joint Consultative Forum

» Clarification on consultation processes

Bullying

NEW CLAUSE

SMALL IMPROVEMENT

» Including a standalone bullying clause in the Agreement
Salary » $500 increase to annual salary rates from first pay period on or after 31 January

» 1.4% increase from first pay period on or after 30 June 2019

» 1.4% increase from first pay period on or after 30 June 2020

» 1.4% increase from first pay period on or after 30 June 2021

» $500 increase to annual salary rates from first pay period on or after 30 June 2021

 

What does this mean over the life of the agreement?

» HEW 1.1 = an average of 2.22% pa salary increase

» HEW 5.1 = an average of 1.91% pa salary increase

» HEW 7.1 = an average of 1.8% pa salary increase

» HEW 10.1 = an average of 1.7% salary increase