Collective agreement implementation - overview
Working group:
Professor Rhonda Small - portfolio holder
Dr Graeme Byrne
Dr Jack Reynolds
Virginia Mansel Lees
Serena O'Meley (Branch Industrial Organiser)
For more detailed information see the relevant Portfolio below.
MAY 2011
Research Continuing - Many staff have been converted to this new form of continuing employment, however, the union is following up on a number of staff who have not received their new contracts. We are lobbying to ensure that staff who win awards that appoint them at higher academic levels are not reverted to their substantive position when the funding runs out. More work needs to be done to ensure that the University makes its best efforts to retain research academic and general staff when funding ceases.
Casual Academic Working Party - The final report of the working party has been released to staff and the next stage will focus upon implementing its recommendations.
Early Career Development Fellowships - The University is required to establish 20 of these fellowships during the life of the Collective Agreement. Progress on implementation has been disappointing with only one established so far in Zoology. The Union is pursuing this matter vigorously with the University.
Academic Workloads - The new Workload Management System is being trialled by the University in five schools. The Branch is working hard to ensure that all academic staff who are able to undertake research are given appropriate time allocations and will not be overloaded with teaching and administration.
Aborginal and Torres Straight Islander Employment - An advisory committee is meeting regularly and is examining best practice across the sector. There is some progress on making new appointments to the University. There will also be a significant amount of work over the next year on the composition and delivery of cultural competency training.
Environment - the university sustainability committee has only met once since the agreement commenced in 2009 which needs to be improved. Representatives of the Branch are participating in state and national union activities about the issue including the recently highly successful climate change conference.
Occupational Health and Safety - The Workplace Bullying Policy and OHS Issue Resolution policies and procedures have been negotiated with management and released.
Organisational Change - The Student Services functional review is still under discussion which means that there has been a slow down in the amount of organisational change that is taking place. There are pending restructures in Law and Management and in Research Services (which never seems to finish).
Women's Issues and Workplace Flexibility - The union is represented on a committee for EOWW (Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace) and last year worked hard to ensure that the accreditation was based upon the real circumstances of women at La Trobe University. The University has been recognised as an employer of choice for women. However, the Branch has had member concerns about difficulties accessing parental and carer leave flexibility arrangements.
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
