FLINDERS 26 August 2009

Flinders University of South Australia 

Enterprise Bargaining Update No.8

Enterprise Agreements have two components -

1. A salary offer that will attract quality staff that is competitive with other comparable universities and that university staff have a fair and just wage increase.

2. Conditions matters. The provisions that protected university staff were removed from our Agreements under the Howard Government's Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs). The only reason why these provisions were agreed to was to enable universities to receive their share of the $500 million in additional grants that the
Howard Government made conditional on HEWRRs being met. With HEWRRs being abolished 12 months ago, there is no reason or justification for any university not to reinstate the pre-HEWRRs standards in new and improved Collective Agreements.

These are important issues for general staff that the unions involved in the negotiations are reluctant to compromise and are working hard to have clauses in the new agreement that would give professional staff conditions such as workload regulation, job security in restructures, clear and transparent generall staff classification issues, union rights and resources, casualisation of staffing, indigenous employment, etc.

It is clear from our survey of general staff that the conditions matters are far more important than the salary issue. However, the three South Australian universities have now put out salary offers that are not remotely competitive against the numerous agreements reached to date around the country. Most universities have offers that are around about 16% over the 4 year period of Agreements. Traditionally Adelaide universities sit back and see where comparable universities finally reach an agreement. Universities are competitive not just for income but in being able to offer salaries that will attract and retain the best staff that will make each of our universities competitive.

The salary offers from the three South Australian universities at present are:-

University of Adelaide
4.5% June 2009 Administrative increase
3.0% June 2010
3.0% June 2011
3.0% June 2012 Cumulative amount 13.5% over 4 years

University of South Australia
2.00% from 8 August 2009 Administrative increase
3.5% from 30 September 2010
3.50% from 30 September 2011
3.50% from 30 September 2012 = Salary increase of 12.5% over 4 years

Flinders University of South Australia
2.1% 3 January 2009 Administrative increase
1.4% on certification
3.25% 30 June 2010
3.5% 30 June 2011
4.0% 30 June 2012 = 14.25% inclusive of the 2.1% increase paid from 3 January 2009 over 4 years

Flinders University of South Australia has put forward a Consolidated Draft Heads of Agreement dated 17 August. The unions have responded to this document. The unions are seeking a salary increase in line with comparator Universities such as Deakin. The Universities current offer would open up by 2012 a significant salary differential.

There are significant clauses that have been agreed, some clauses that we have almost agreed on but some significant clauses that will still need to be negotiated on.

The feedback from members responding to the conditions matters is invaluable to your union negotiators as we work towards an Agreement that will best meet the wishes of general staff. Thank you to all members who responded.

Please do not hesitate to contact CPSU Industrial Officer, Margaret Warner on 8 205 3209 or mw@cpsu.asn.au if you need clarification on any issues

CPSU working for General staff in universities
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