Note: UniSA CPSU/NTEU members meeting Thursday 30 July, Mercury Cinema, 13 Morphett Street, Adelaide. 12.30 pm - 1.30 pm. Please attend this important meeting.

UniSA management have confirmed that consistent with clause 10.5 of the EB protocols, UniSA staff who are union members will be entitled to attend union meetings without loss of pay. Travel time is included as attendance at union meetings.

Meetings have been held at Flinders University and University of Adelaide. These meetings are to provide feedback on developments in bargaining to date and to consider types of industrial action that may be necessary. Due to time constraints imposed by the Fair Work Act, members have to consider types of industrial action that may be necessary in the future. This does not mean that industrial action will be implemented just that, if we need to, we have taken the necessary steps as required by the Fair Work Act.

Flinders University and University of Adelaide have put offers in Heads of Agreement documents. University of South Australia is yet to do so.

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The University has technically withdrawn the Proposal Leading to a Heads of Agreement.  The proposal included the following salary percentage increases:-

1.4% on the first pay period after the date of certification
2% from the first pay period in July 2010
2% from the first pay period in January 2011
2% from the first pay period in June 2011

A 2.1% increase was paid on 3 January 2009 outside of the Collective Agreement.

Although it is recognised that we are bargaining in uncertain and hard economic times university members have overwhelmingly indicated we should continue to bargain to get an offer that delivers a fair and just pay increase and that the conditions at Flinders University are such that Flinders attracts staff who can deliver outstanding service to students and to society.

A meeting of the union negotiators was held on Thursday 23 July to discuss the latest proposal from the University and the union's response. 

There have been many headline items including casual conditions improved, recognition and reward (General Staff) also Items resolved, Items in progress, Items for resolution, machinery provisions and timelines which will provide the basis for the parties to reach a new Draft Agreement by the end of September 2009 in a form ready for the process of certification by FWA. 

The CPSU General Staff representative on the Collective Bargaining Committee is Kevin Knox who can be contacted on 8201 3369. 

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

In stark contrast to previous meetings, the meeting held on 13 July made progress towards an Agreement. Several signs that the meetings will progress the negotiations including basing the negotiations on the pre HEWRRS Agreement to work from was a sign that negotiations might proceed in a more productive manner.

It is hoped that the 2% increase outside of the Agreement will auger well for negotiations to proceed so that staff will have certainty in these uncertain times. It is hoped by the unions that this is not a stalling tactic. The email from the Vice Chancellor does precede the announcement that he recognised that the negotiations may take a period of time and given the complexity of issues and differing views on significant matters. The negotiations are proceeding in other Australian universities and the other two South Australian universities with the same complexities and issues. 

No salary offer has yet been made and no indication as yet of when this might happen.

UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE

Negotiations at University of Adelaide are proceeding with a series of accelerated meetings which might still provide the finalising of the process expeditiously. 

Minutes of the meetings are provided to all parties involved which helps to keep all parties up to date with summaries of the outcomes and actions. 

There are a large number of in principle agreements reached and drafting meetings are being held to facilitate and progress matters. 

The salary offer in the Heads of Agreement is as follows:-

Administrative increase June 2009 4.5%
Salary increase June 2010 3.0%
Salary increase June 2011 3.0%
Salary increase June 2012 3.0%

The University agreed that University of Adelaide need to offer salary increases that are in line with other GO8 universities. This does not necessarily mean that the University of Adelaide receives the same salaries but it is important that the relative increases to not differ to the point where University of Adelaide staff do not keep up but fall further behind. Dr Rod Crewther from the NTEU did an diagrammatic comparison with the University of Sydney pay offer of 18.3%. Not only is the Sydney offer considerably more generous but the staging of the increases further benefits by making increases earlier e.g. two 2.5% increases pa instead of one increase of 5%. 

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All members are reminded that these negotiations provide pay increases and conditions that all staff will benefit from. To be able to successfully negotiate we need every single person who works in the universities to be members. Every non-member reduces our bargaining power. Log into the website www.cpsu.asn.au, pick up a membership form, and ask a work colleague to join. Join a new member to the PSA/CPSU and you will both go into a draw to win a prize of a $200 Woolworths or Coles card for you, and a $50 Woolworths or Coles card for the new member you recruit each month.

CPSU THE UNION NEGOTIATING ON BEHALF OF PROFESSIONAL/GENERAL STAFF

WORK TOGETHER, WIN TOGETHER