Dear Members,
Welcome back to work to those who have been away in January. And a big hello to everyone who has already been very busy with enrolments and start of year action.
Social catch-up
All members are invited to a social catch-up on Wednesday 14 February at 4.30pm. We’ll meet either at the branch office (HS2 212) or outside nearby if it’s nice (see notice on office door). The branch will provide some chips, dips and drinks.
Welcoming new staff to La Trobe
We would like to build up some consistency in welcoming new staff to La Trobe and letting them know about the NTEU. As a member, if you hear about new staff in your work area – casual, fixed term or ongoing – could you please let the branch know through
this form. It would be wonderful if you as a member in the local work area could welcome new members in person or by email. When you do welcome new staff could you please also let us know that you have done so through the
same form so we don’t duplicate your wonderful work.
Trade union training
We are setting up a training series for members and work reps. As these trainings are new they will be updated as we see how things go. View our current schedule
To book into a scheduled training, or to register for the Organising Conversation Workshop and Workplace Mapping, please fill out this form. When you are booked in we will provide a Trade Union Business Leave letter for you to send to your supervisor.
Branch Committee meetings
As a democratic union, we invite members to join us for branch meetings. You are welcome to bring things to discuss or just to say hello. Our meetings are fortnightly on Fridays at 1pm, the next one is on the 16th of Feb. Here is the
zoom link to join
Take action to protect WorkCover
The state government has proposed changing WorkCover to remove coverage for mental injuries caused by stress or burnout. As these are the most prevalent injuries in our industry we need to take action to tell the Allan Government that we need WorkCover to protect our psychosocial wellbeing in the workplace.
Sign the petition here
If you can contact your MPs directly by phone or email that is even better!
Member profile
We’re going to try to include a profile of a member in each bulletin. Today we have our Branch Secretary, Gregory Marks.
Who are you?
I’m Gregory, and I’m a casual tutor in English and Education. My academic work is in literary studies, though I’ve been known to dabble in philosophy on the side. I’ve worked at La Trobe since 2017, though I’ve been here since 2011 first as a student and then as a postgraduate researcher. I live in Bendigo with my fiancée, our dog Scamp, and a Flemish giant rabbit named Smudge.
Why unionism?
In the decade plus that I’ve been at La Trobe, I have seen how essential equitable labour conditions are for the wellbeing of staff and the success of students. I know that I joined this organisation because of my passion for learning, but between overwork and job insecurity it is hard to make the best of that desire to learn and teach. I’m a member of the union because I understand that these problems affect all of us collectively and that they can only be changed if we work together for the conditions that we deserve.
