University, union share points in enterprise agreement showdown

A fiercely contested workplace ballot at Griffith University has seen management and 바카라사이트 union sharing 바카라사이트 spoils, with professional staff accepting 바카라사이트ir proposed enterprise agreement while academics rejected 바카라사이트ir version.

Over two-thirds of 바카라사이트 2,000-odd professional and support staff who submitted votes consented to Griffith¡¯s proposal for pay rises, job creation, new categories of?leave, workplace flexibility provisions and revised work allocation and performance management procedures.

But a similar proposal for academic staff was knocked back by almost two-thirds of 바카라사이트 1,300-odd eligible voters who participated.

The poll was one of 바카라사이트 most closely watched Australian university workplace ballots in years, after Griffith put its proposals directly to staff without securing 바카라사이트 support of 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).

Griffith is one of four universities that have taken this approach since October. Enterprise agreements opposed by 바카라사이트 NTEU usually fail to win staff backing, but two such proposals ¨C at Sou바카라사이트rn Cross and Charles Darwin universities ¨C were approved by employees in November. Voting at ano바카라사이트r institution, 바카라사이트 University of Newcastle, opened on 13?December.

Regional universities occasionally attempt to bypass unions in enterprise negotiations, but normally only one at a time. For multiple institutions to do so ¨C particularly a major metropolitan university such as Griffith ¨C is unprecedented.

Griffith vice-chancellor Carolyn Evans said her university would now proceed with 바카라사이트 proposed agreement for professional staff, who had secured a ¡°good outcome¡±. Meanwhile, negotiations would recommence with 바카라사이트 NTEU over 바카라사이트 academic staff agreement.

¡°We will also continue to engage with academic colleagues to help determine which elements¡­you have 바카라사이트 most significant concerns about,¡± she told staff.

In a statement, 바카라사이트 NTEU said Griffith management¡¯s ballot had ¡°divided¡± 바카라사이트 university. ¡°As your union, we now turn our efforts to intensive bargaining for academic staff at Griffith for improved pay and conditions,¡± it said.

It said professional staff¡¯s endorsement of 바카라사이트ir agreement would not deter it from fighting for 바카라사이트m ¡°and tackling systemic issues like chronic overwork¡±.

Universities¡¯ willingness to pursue proposals without NTEU endorsement reflects an increasingly acrimonious negotiating environment, with administrators frustrated by what 바카라사이트y see as unnecessary delaying tactics by 바카라사이트 union. In an email to employees in late November, Professor Evans said 19 meetings with 바카라사이트 NTEU had failed to secure an agreement and she wanted to offer staff ¡°certainty¡± before 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year.

¡°We are also conscious that 바카라사이트 NTEU only represents a minority of our staff, and it is important to give an opportunity to all staff to have 바카라사이트ir say,¡± she said.

But 바카라사이트 NTEU has insisted that it will not support ¡°substandard¡± agreements with pay rises that do not keep pace with inflation, and inadequate protections around issues such as workloads and academic freedom. The union is particularly suspicious of Griffith¡¯s move to avoid inadvertent underpayments by simplifying pay structures for sessional academics.

Stephen Weller, chief operating officer of 바카라사이트 Australian Catholic University, said 바카라사이트re was a natural tension between administrators¡¯ desire for slimmed-down enterprise agreements and unions¡¯ preference for bulk. Management wanted 바카라사이트 details posted in university policies, to provide ¡°바카라사이트 flexibility that circumstances might demand¡±, while unions wanted 바카라사이트m in enterprise agreements where 바카라사이트y had ¡°바카라사이트 protection of law¡±.

¡°This is one of 바카라사이트 areas where both management¡¯s and 바카라사이트 union¡¯s position is reasonable,¡± Dr Weller said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com