University of Southern Queensland
Branch President, Brad Astbury (pictured), welcomes you to the homepage of the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) Branch of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).The NTEU represents academic and general staff at USQ. If you are new to the NTEU, take a moment to explore the many features of our integrated website.
This page contains links to USQ-specific news, advice, and contacts.
- How to join the NTEU-USQ Branch
- Contact
- Branch Newsletter
- Collective Bargaining 2009
- Realising Our Potential Project
- Casual
- Current News and Issues
- Why you should not sign an AWA
- Publications
- Financial Reports
- Submissions
- Our Universities Matter
- Your Conditions
- Indigenous involvement in the NTEU
- Women and the NTEU
- Queer Unionists in Tertiary Education: QUTE
- Being a Delegate in the NTEU
How to join the NTEU-USQ Branch
Joining is simple, you can either follow the link Join Us, or simply call into see our Branch Organiser, Ivan, at the NTEU Office in R141 and fill out a membership form.
Contact
The Branch office is in R141, near the public telephones, just inside the ground floor doors in R Block. The Branch Organiser, Ivan Phillips(pictured), is part time, his hours of attendance are Mon 9.00am-4.00pm, Tues 9.00am-4.00pm, Wed 9.00am-11.30am, Thur 9.00-11.00am.
Telephone: (07) 4631 2616
Fax: (07) 4631 2332
Email: nteuusq@usq.edu.au.
| Location of Office | this is a map showing the location of the NTEU office |
| USQ Office & Executive | Full contact details for the Branch Organiser, and the NTEU Branch Office Bearers (2006-8). |
| USQ Committee | The USQ Branch Committee of Management brings together NTEU members, academic and general staff, from across the University. |
Branch Newsletter
Click on the link to view the latest Branch Newsletter| USQ Bargaining Newsletter | Here is a copy of the USQ Bargaining Newsletter |
| USQ Newsletter | |
| Branch e-News | |
| Branch e-News Issue 2 | Read the latest Branch e-News here |
| Branch e-News issue 3 | Read the latest update of the Branch e-News |
| Branch e-Bulletin No.1 2009 | |
| branch e-Bulletin No. 2 2009 | |
| Branch e-Bulletin no. 3 2009 | Read the latest e-Bulletin here |
| e-Bulletin No.4 2009 | Click here to view e-Bulletin No.4 2009 |
| Branch e-Bulletin No.5 2009 | Click here to view the latest e-Bulletin |
| Branch e-Bulletin No. 6 | Click on the link to see the latest e-Bulletin |
| Branch e-Bulletin No. 7 | Click here to view the latest e-Bulletin on Bargaining |
| Branch e-Bulletin No. 8 | Read the latest e-Bulletin here |
| Branch e-Bulletin No. 9 2009 | Click here to read the latest e-Bulletin from the USQ Branch |
| Branch e-Bulletin No. 10 2009 | Click the link to read the latest e-Bulletin |
| Branch e-Bulletin No.11 2009 | Click the link to read the latest e-Bulletin |
Collective Bargaining 2009
Collective Bargaining 2009| Christmas Closedown Conditions | Cliock the link to see the Christmas Closedown Conditions at Queensland Universities. |
| Carer's Leave Conditions | Click the link to see the Carer's leave conditions at Universities in Queensland |
| FAQ's for Industrial Action on Wednesday the 30th | Click the link to view some FAQ's for Industrial Action at USQ this Wednesday the 30th September |
| Salary comparisons for General Staff at USQ | These are comparisons of USQ with the rest of Australia, please note that at this point USQ is sitting higher than it would usually. When the other universities complete bargaining they should push USQ down further on the scale. |
| Salary comparisons for Academic Staff at USQ | These are comparisons of USQ with the rest of Australia, please note that at this point USQ is sitting higher than it would usually. When the other universities complete bargaining they should push USQ down further on the scale. |
| Update on Protected Action Ballot at USQ | Update and results of recent Protected Action Ballot |
| Branch President's Protected Action Ballot Message | A message from Brad regarding the Ballot for Protected Industrial Action |
| Updated Log of Claims | Read the updated Log of Claims after the Fair Work Act takes effect 1/7/09 |
| Management's response to Union Claims | This is Management's response to the Unions' Claims |
| Log of Claims | The NTEU Log of Claims for 2008 round of Bargaining at USQ - as endorsed by NTEU members and presented to USQ management on Friday 30 May 2008 |
| Proxy May 28 meeting | A proxy form for the May 28 General Meetings for USQ Branch |
| Proxy Form for Ballot on Industrial Action | Proxy form for July 30 General Members Meeting on Industrial Action |
Realising Our Potential Project
Your union's representatives have been involved in discussions on the ROP since the start of the project, and participate in fortnightly meetings with senior management representatives. Representatives provide feedback to management on projects and the consultation processes, and have acted to ensure that USQ employees have the opportunity to influence the projects and their implementation. NTEU Submissions and feedback on ROP can be accessed here. Union feedback and comments have been informed by members' information and concerns.| NTEU Response to Student Administration Draft Implementation Plan | NTEU Response(6/10/08) to the Draft Student Administration Plan |
| NTEU response to Student Management Draft Implementation Plan | NTEU response (25/08/08) to the Student Management Draft Implementation Plan |
| NTEU response to the Corporate Services Draft Implementation Plan | The NTEU response (25/08/08) to the Corporate Services Draft Implementation Plan |
| NTEU Response to Student Administration Project Proposal | The NTEU response to the Student Administration proposal |
| Response to Corporate Services Project | The NTEU response (4th July, 08) to the Corporate Services Project proposal |
| NTEU response on revised Draft Implementation Plan for the Faculty of Sciences | The NTEU response on the supplementary paper released by the Dean of the Faculty of Sciences on 22 April 2008. |
| NTEU Response - Draft Implementation Plans for the Program Portfolio Review and Renewal Project | The NTEU response on the Draft Implementation Plans for the Program Portfolio Review and Renewal Project can be found here. |
| ResponseMar08 | The NTEU response on the Draft Implementation Plan for Facilities that was released to staff for consultation on 27 February 2008. |
| ResponseDec07 | The NTEU response on the draft ROP Blueprints that were released to staff for consultation in late November 2007 |
Casual
Casual employees
Casual employment is growing in tertiary education, reflecting nationwide trends. More and more staff are being employed on a casual basis rather than as continuing employees.
For example, between 1995 and 2005, overall university employment increased by 17%, whereas casual employment increased by 54% (Source: 2005 DEST Statistics).
This has clear ramifications for those staff - clearly casuals have little job security as their employment can be terminated by their employer at any time, and usually casual employees have less entitlement to many of the benefits that continuing employees have: such as sick leave and equivalent superannuation. However, on the other hand casuals receive a 23% - 25% 'casual loading' on top of their pay to compensate for this.
NTEU recognises this growth in casual employment and is developing an industrial and campaign strategy in reponse.
This strategy involves two approaches:
- supporting current casuals through providing detailed information on casual employments rights; and
- augmenting the employment rights of casual employees through industrial strategy.
As part of the campaign, NTEU has produced a booklet on casual employment
Click here to visit the new NTEU page on casual employment issues, including a short on-line survey: http://www.unicasual.com.au/
Current News and Issues
| NTEU Comments on the Sciences Academic Workload Allocation Guidlines | |
| NTEU Budget Briefing | This is the NTEU response to the 2009 Budget. |
| Ed Workload Comments | 10 June, 2008 - NTEU Comments on draft Faculty of Education Work Allocation Model |
Why you should not sign an AWA
Download an information sheet which compares in detail the differences between the current Collective Agreement, and the AWAs offered to staff. We show quite cleary that you would be worse off by signing an AWA.Print this document and show it to your work colleagues.
| Why you should not sign an AWA at USQ | This document for you to download shows a comparison of the Collective Agreements and the AWAs offered by management. It demonstrates in detail that the AWA conditions are considerably worse. |
Publications
The NTEU produces a broad range of magazines, occassional booklets, campaign leaflets, discussion papers and submissions.
Review the current range of publications
Financial Reports
Click below (member only access) to view the Financial and Operating Reports of the USQ Branch of the NTEU.
Submissions
Click on the titles to view USQ Branch's submission to various issue on campus.
| NTEU response to the ADL Policy | Read the NTEU response to the ADL Policy Changes |
| NTEU response to the Outside Employment Policy | Read the NTEU response to the Outside Employment Policy |
| NTEU Response to Intellectual Property Policy | NTEU's response to the Intellectual Property Policy 7 Nov. |
| NTEU Response to ROP | The NTEU response to the USQ "Realising Our Potential" Project of 2007-8 |
| Acadmic Promotion Policy | NTEU comments on Proposed Changes to Academic Promotion Policy (F6)... April 08 |
| NTEU Response to Proposed Changes in Promotion Policy - March 2006 | |
| NTEU Submission to USQ Research Strategy 2005 | |
| NTEU Subsmission to USQ Directions Position Paper |
Our Universities Matter
The NTEU will be conducting the "Our Universities Matter" campaign throughout Queensland. The National President Dr. Carolyn Allport will be speaking at a forum at USQ on the 30th of July. Click on the link to see the time and venue. Staff will also be attending the Fraser Coast and Springfield campuses as part of the campaign.| NTEU Lobbying Trip to Canberra | The NTEU has been invited by the Education Minister Julia Gillard to send representatives from universities across Australia to lobby backbenchers for the need for better standards in universities around Australia. These are the briefing papers distributed to the delegates. |
| NTEU Budget Submission 2009-10 | The NTEU's submission to the Australian Government regarding the Bradley Report. |
| NTEU Briefing Note for Members | Briefing note for NTEU members on the Bradley Report |
| Our Universities Matter | Flyer for the "Our Universities Matter" forum |
Your Conditions
The USQ Certified Agreement covers your employment conditions.Indigenous involvement in the NTEU
NTEU is continually developing policies and campaigns around Indigenous employment issues in tertiary education.
NTEU National Office employees a full-time Indigenous Officer.
Read more about NTEU Indigenous policy
Women and the NTEU
The NTEU is a union committed to enhancing the participation and voice of women members. Women hold positions of influence and power at all levels of the Union, are active on the Union's enterprise bargaining teams, and contribute to the development of the Union’s strategy.
Read more about Women and the NTEU
Queer Unionists in Tertiary Education: QUTE
WHAT IS QUTE?
The NTEU recognises and celebrates the diversity of its members and their right to have their issues addressed by the Union. Accordingly, the NTEU supports the development of a national network of members who identify as 'queer' and who are actively engaged in addressing the issues facing lesbian, gay, transgender, transsexual, intersex and bisexual workers in the higher education industry and within the NTEU.
Read more about QUTE
Being a Delegate in the NTEU
What is a Delegate?
A Delegate is a union member who has taken on a more active role within his or her own Branch.
The term 'Delegate' is used to refer to a wide range of NTEU activists who might also be called departmental representatives, campus representatives, union contacts or something similar.
They are not formally recognised in the NTEU rules, although some Branches have had Delegates recognised in the provisions of their Enterprise Bargaining Agreement for the purposes of ensuring their involvement in EB.
Regardless of what they are called, Delegates usually operate in their own work area and their work can be loosely categorised under these three headings:
- Communication
- Encouraging active membership
- Recruitment
Find out more about being a delegate