Bargaining for Better Work

Bargaining Timeline

1. Between June 2021 and May 2022, the Swinburne branch of the NTEU worked with members across the university to develop our log of claims (LOC) for a new Higher Education (HE) Agreement.
2. On 20 May 2022, a mass meeting of all HE members endorsed the finalised LOC.
3. On 26 May 2022, the NTEU served Swinburne management the LOC. 
4. Between June and October 2022, management stalled the start of negotiations citing its need to settle Vocational Education (VE or TAFE) negotiations for a new Agreement.
5. From 11 August 2022, TAFE teachers were effectively stood down (management refused to pay them, and refused to accept their work) for upholding legal partial work bans. 
6. On 16 September 2022, management lifted its partial workbans notice, negotiations continued and teachers went back to work.
7. On 3 October 2022, an in principle Agreement was reached with management for a new and much improved TAFE Agreement.
8. In September and October 2022, management ran a series of forums with staff about their priorities for a new HE Agreement.
9. In October to December 2022, the branch committee continued to work with our industrial officer (Clare Danaher) and industrial organiser (Linda Cargill) on developing specific clauses for a new HE Agreement.
10. On 19 December we met with management representatives to discuss bargaining arrangements. It was agreed that we would meet weekly from 8 February 2023. We'll keep you posted!

What's coming up?