We strive to ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are heard and respected, not just within the union, but beyond, in our wider communities.
We work on the full range of issues facing First Nations peoples led by our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee.
Using our bargaining power, we have established employment targets at all Australian universities which are increasing the representation of First Nation’s peoples on our campus and are helping to close the gap by ensuring that there are fair and equitable working conditions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers within their university collective agreements.
The Policy Committee raises the profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business within and across the union structure, advises Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members on a range of industrial matters as well as assisting Divisions (States and Territories) and Branches (Universities) with cultural competency and related matters.
Our commitment to this work is so strong that we are one of the few unions to mandate in our rules representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at all levels of the union.
In 2002, the NTEU gubba caucus (the non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait caucus) adopted a
10 POINT PLAN FOR A POST-TREATY UNION. It is the foundation document for NTEU, detailing the core commitment of the Union to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, people and their communities, that seeks to address racism, discrimination, and inequalities faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to ensure that NTEU is a culturally safe and welcoming space.