Why choose NTEU?
The NTEU is the specialist higher education union for researchers and research staff working in universities, private research organisations, and government-funded research centres and institutes. The NTEU can represent you, regardless of whether you are employed as general or academic staff.
Research issues are on the agenda.
NTEU is committed to working for improved conditions for all researchers and research staff. Since its 2004 Research Conference a range of issues have been high on the NTEU’s industrial and policy agenda:
- Improving the job security of research staff through conversion to more permanent forms of employment, as well as through longer research grants,
- Improving the conditions of employment for fixed-term staff funded by special grants and other forms of ‘soft money’,
- Lobbying for improved grant application processes,
- Lobbying for clearer research career pathways and promotional opportunities, as well as better recognition of research staff through professional development and mentoring programs,
- Advocating on behalf of researchers and research staff for appropriately-funded research infrastructure and institutional support,
- Supporting measures for greater researcher mobility, especially in relation to early career researchers,
- Monitoring the Commonwealth’s research policies and advocating that researchers and research staff benefit from any changes to higher education policy proposed by Federal Government.
Building NTEU's industrial strength will improve your conditions.
Over the past half a decade the NTEU has consulted widely with researchers and research staff to address issues and develop claims in the recent bargaining rounds. This includes:
- Job and financial security. That an institution establishes Research Staff Salary Supplementation Fund to fund any salary shortfalls in research grants.
- Employment continuity and conditions. That an institution provides for improved job security and recognition of entitlements (such as recognition of prior service, superannuation, access to professional development) which would otherwise be lost due to interrupted nature of service.
- Recognition of other academic duties. That an institution remunerates a research-only staff member for performing academic activities other than research-only functions as defined in Higher Education Contract of Employment (HECE) Award.
The Union has negotiated major outcomes. For instance, University of Sydney like most G08s provide for the conversion to ‘Funding Contingent Continuing Employment’ for Contract Research Staff who have worked at the University for over ten years. Research-only clauses have also been achieved at a number of non-G08 institutions such as La Trobe, which provides improved employment continuity for many fixed term contract staff whose positions are funded by contingent funding and are in research only roles (or positions which directly support those roles).
The NTEU is working with you...
NTEU recognises that if you are a research staff member you may face particular issues due to the specific nature of your work. We also offer research staff industrial advice and assistance – our industrial staff have a great deal of experience in dealing with issues relevant to research staff and are working hard to improve salaries, working conditions, career progression and access to staff development. NTEU offers researchers and research staff professional representation:
- NTEU’s Research Policy Committee, nominated by NTEU members and branches, are instrumental in informing and guiding NTEU policy.
- NTEU’s Research Policy Committee is actively involved in the development of responses to Commonwealth Government policy in relation to research, science and technology.
- NTEU provides opportunities for researchers and research staff to learn about public policy processes and to engage in policy development.
