ENTERPRISE BARGAINING

NTEU notes:

  • Enterprise bargaining provides an opportunity for the Union to achieve wage outcomes for members that maintain and improve the real value of wages, and improved conditions of employment
  • Enterprise bargaining also presents opportunities to improve Union strength.
  • The maintenance of NTEU’s position as the industry union for tertiary education staff depends on it having a significant presence and capacity to bargain at all tertiary education institutions.
  • The expansion of the number of university-controlled entities and private higher education providers and the generally poor regulation of employment conditions in these institutions.

NTEU believes:

  • All staff in Australia’s tertiary institutions, whether public or private, should be entitled to collective representation through union-negotiated enterprise agreements.
  • The interests of staff in Australian tertiary education institutions are best served through the negotiation of single-interest or multi-employer enterprise agreements, as this provides upward pressure on poorer conditions and salaries.
  • Enterprise agreements should facilitate workplaces free from discrimination on any grounds including sex, race, LGBTI or queer-identifying status or (dis)ability.

NTEU will:

  • Seek enterprise agreements so that every NTEU member is covered.
  • Prioritise the negotiation of multi-employer and “single-business” bargaining where possible to ensure institution-associated companies, and like institutions (e.g. TAFE), are covered by a single enterprise agreement, even where conditions remain inconsistent.
  • Work to improve wages and conditions through enterprise bargaining, and use bargaining as an opportunity to improve Union strength. 

  • Work to ensure the good provisions that we have achieved in enterprise bargaining are actively implemented at every Branch, and afterwards evaluate their effectiveness.
  • Work to ensure NTEU enterprise agreements use inclusive and appropriate language reflecting the rights of minorities.
  • Maintain a data base containing and evaluating the wording of key clauses in collective agreements finalised by the NTEU for the purpose of continuous improvement. 

  • Work to ensure gender balance on all NTEU bargaining teams.