Protocols and Procedures Meeting Report

UQ BARGAINING REPORT ON FIRST MEETING
28 May 2009

Summary

·         Our first bargaining meeting was generally positive.
University Management agreed to acceptable protocols and resourcing for bargaining.

·         University website regarding enterprise bargaining will be mainly devoted to the views of Management ONLY.  A separate section will contain material agreed with the Unions.

·         The NTEU will continue to host our own website providing bargaining information for members.

 

More Detail
 
The first official collective bargaining meeting to negotiate your new wages and conditions was held yesterday, 27 May.  
 
We're pleased to report that the tone of the meeting was positive and the outcome acceptable.  As is necessary at the beginning of these processes, the parties agreed on procedural protocols and resourcing.  On the whole Management agreed with the joint Union position on these important matters.
 
However, UQ Management refused our claim that the 'UQ Enterprise Bargaining Website' be expanded to include a section that the Unions could use to publish materials and viewpoints for the information of all staff.  Hence the UQ Bargaining Website will be almost entirely devoted to materials and viewpoints of Management only.  There will be a section devoted to positions and materials agreed by all parties, such as a Heads of Agreement or agreements reached on specific claims.  Please let staff who are not members know about these limitations if you can.
 
To ensure that members are kept fully informed, the Unions will ensure that our own websites contain all relevant information and bargaining reports for members. 
 
Management has indicated that it is prepared to consider requests for periodic email access to all staff through an agreed set of protocols as bargaining unfolds.  
 
At the next meeting on 10 June we will discuss the Management claim to have one agreement covering all staff, rather than the current arrangement of 3 separate agreements.  While this claim accords with the NTEU's position, it conflicts with the initial position of other Unions representing General Staff at UQ.    The Unions will also provide an overview of our logs of claims and further details where necessary.
 
For further information or to provide feedback please contact the NTEU UQ Branch Office.