Today, the Deakin NTEU bargaining team met with management to discuss our claims for a new enterprise agreement.
You will have received a bargaining update on 13/2/24. Several of their claims, including reference to the union’s position, are simply not true. Other points obscure the truth.
Deakin management has offered what amounts to a 2.85% per annum pay rise over the life of the agreement, which is significantly lower than the pay rises already achieved at other universities at which the NTEU has reached agreement in this round of collective bargaining (2022-23), such as at ACU (14.55% over three years).
To update you in detail, and to discuss possible actions the branch might take, including protected industrial action which involves applying to Fair Work for a Protected Action Ballot Order (PABO), we will hold an all members meeting on 28 February at 12pm.
How has management responded to our claims?
After four months of negotiation, management has refused our claims for:
- Revised Academic Workloads, including determinative workload committees and a return to a 40/40/20 baseline
- Reduction in the normal span of professional staff hours to 8am to 6pm
- Reduction in overall full-time hours of work to 36 hours for all University workers
- Protection of Academic Freedom within the agreement
- Our proposal to meaningfully decasualise the workforce and offer secure pathways to ongoing employment
- A joint working committee to monitor and ensure the implementation of the agreement
We await a complete response to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clause.
Your attendance in the upcoming members’ meeting is the best way to learn about what has been going on, have your say, and ask questions of the bargaining team. We look forward to seeing you there!
In Unity
Deakin NTEU Branch