I am pleased to confirm that the University and the National Tertiary Education Industry Union (NTEU) have formally agreed to terms for a new enterprise agreement covering academic staff at the University.

 

A copy of the proposed enterprise agreement for academic staff is available at http://www.hr.unsw.edu.au/services/indrel/Proposed_Academic_EBA_2011.pdf. 

 

A document explaining the terms and effect of the proposed agreement is available at http://www.hr.unsw.edu.au/Explanatory_Information_AcadstaffEA_2011.pdf.

 

A third webpage providing access to materials referred to in the Agreement is available at  http://www.hr.unsw.edu.au/materials.html. 

 

I encourage you to review this material.

 

Some of the main features of the proposed new agreement include:

 

*    The new Agreement provides for salary increases of 2.0% in July and January of each year between 2009 and 2013 and an increase of 2.0% in January 2014.

 

*    Increased casual loading from 23% to 25% over the life of the agreement

 

*    Increased superannuation benefits for some fixed-term and casual staff

 

*    The introduction of a new type of employment "continuing (contingent funded research) employment" to provide continuing employment for some academic staff currently employed on rolling fixed-term contracts funded from certain external sources (subject to meeting certain criteria)

 

*    A new regime of employment arrangements for fixed term employees which provides a balance between the University's need to have flexibility in how it employs staff and ensuring that an employee is not employed on long term fixed-term contracts in inappropriate circumstances

 

*   A new clause on annual leave that has a primary emphasis on the planning and taking of annual leave by academic staff

 

*    Increasing the entitlement to paid maternity leave up to 36 weeks on full pay for staff with 5 years or more continuous service

 

*    Enhanced conditions in relation to carer's leave, compassionate leave and defence forces leave

 

*    A new provision recognising the difficulties encountered by staff experiencing domestic violence and identifying the types of support mechanisms that are available

 

*    Commitments in relation to indigenous employment and employment equity

 

Voting

 

Before the proposed agreement can apply, it must be voted on and approved by academic staff (both union members and non-members) who will be covered by the agreement and then approved by Fair Work Australia.

 

Academic staff, including casual academic staff, who will be covered by the new agreement are eligible to vote on it.

 

If you are currently covered by an AWA or ITEA and the nominal expiry date of that agreement has not passed, in order to be eligible to vote on the agreement you will need to enter into a "conditional termination" agreement with the University.  This is an agreement that provides that, if the proposed agreement is approved by Fair Work Australia, it will apply to you and your AWA or ITEA will terminate.  It is a conditional agreement in the sense that your AWA and ITEA will only terminate if the enterprise agreement is approved by Fair Work Australia.

 

Voting for the agreement will be conducted by way of an electronic ballot conducted by an external provider, Elections Australia.  Your vote will be confidential and anonymous.

 

Voting will open at 12.01am on Tuesday, 9 August 2011 and will close at 12:00 midday on Thursday, 11 August 2011.  To vote, you will need to go to http://www.myvote.com.au/unsw and enter your surname, your staff number and your date of birth. Voting will only be available during the period indicated above.

 

If you are unable to vote for any reason, and you wish to vote please contact the Industrial Relations Unit on telephone 9385 2710 or 9385 1174.  Please also contact the Industrial Relations Unit if you have any questions about the proposed Agreement.

 

I will be in touch with you again when the voting process is open.

 

 

David Ward

Director of Human Resources