Management withdraws from negotiations
Management withdraws from EB - Members call on them to talk, not walkOn 9 May, the NTEU provided a detailed response on all matters raised by management, by the union, and in a management redraft of the current agreement. The covering note incudes the statement "I believe we are getting closer."
In a surprise development on 27 May, the Director of Human Resources replies saying "the parties' positions remain far apart." and "The University has decided that it no longer wishes to make an agreement under section 170 LJ of the Act." (Note-this is the section covering union-based enterprise agreements).
On 2 June the Senior Management Group refused to meet with NTEU Bond staff representatives. Likewise, Director of Human Resources sees no purpose in meeting with NTEU State Secretary.
Management, in its letter, states there are eight issues "unlikely to be resolved by further negotiation".
The union negotiating team thinks this is just plain wrong - on some of these we believe they were already agreed; on others it is a matter of drafting (for example parental leave and senior staff coverage).
Salary increases are not yet agreed. Management has made one offer equal to 2.645% for 2005. This has to be compared with the settlement for the academic staff of 2.5% from 1 February 2005, 1% from 1 June 2005 and 1.5% from 1 October 2005. This is a weighted increase of 3.25% for 2005, and will increase pay rates by 5% from 1 October.