Casual Long Service Leave Dispute
Did you work as a casual academic or general staff employee at La Trobe University prior to November 2005? If so then the union may be able to get some of your casual service recognised for the purposes of long service leave.
Carefully read the background information below and fill in the one minute survey which has been emailed to all current NTEU La Trobe Branch members. We will then add you to our claim list.
If you are not sure if you qualify, please don't guess - complete the survey by Tuesday 6 September 2011 and we will make sure that your claim is checked out!
Background
- NTEU is in formal dispute with La Trobe University over the application of part of the casual long service leave clause in the collective agreement (see Clause 61.14 - in the second Tab above).
- During a dispute resolution committee meeting management asked us to clarify exactly how many people there are for whom we wish to make a claim.
- If NTEU's claim is upheld then assessment of eligibility will be based upon service being continuous. This means that there is no more than three months absence between two periods of employment unless that break was due to the terms of the employment (e.g. a sessional lecturer who only teaches in one Semester each year, or a library assistant who is not required for work between two Semesters.) NB: Continuity of service between periods of casual and non-casual employment would also be recognised.
Late claims
Please respond to our survey by Tuesday 6 September 2011. In exchange for settling the dispute the University will expect the union to bring forward all our claimants and we may not be in a position to take the matter to Fair Work Australia for late claimants. They would probably have to run a case on their own as individuals. That's why it is imperative that you tell us now if you believe you are eligible.
Help colleagues who are away
If you know that a union member who may qualify for recognition of their service is not accessing their email, please let us know by emailing nteu@latrobe.edu.au and we will tentatively add them to the list until we can get direct confirmation from them.
New members
NTEU is prepared to join new union members to the claim but we cannot guarantee that we will be able to reach all possible claimants - the only people we can be sure to directly contact are our existing members.
Settlement
It is possible to settle the dispute without reaching agreement about the meaning of the clause. However, if we do not reach a settlement then NTEU will take a case in Fair Work Australia and will ask for binding arbitration on the meaning of the clause. Our preference is to settle the dispute rather than take legal avenues which come with no guarantees.
For further information contact: nteu@latrobe.edu.au .
Branch Contacts
Branch Office
Room 225b David Myers Building East Bundoora Campus
La Trobe University
Phone: 03 9479 2124
Fax: 03 9479 1503
nteu@latrobe.edu.au
http://www.nteu.org.au/latrobe
Virginia Mansel Lees
Branch President
v.mansellees@latrobe.edu.au
Chris Latham
Branch Industrial Organiser
clatham@nteu.org.au
Serena O'Meley
Branch Industrial Organiser
someley@nteu.org.au
