Historic moment as CDU win sees union-negotiated enterprise agreements at every public university in Australia

16 May 2025

We’ve made history!

 

With a massive 92% YES vote at Charles Darwin University (CDU), NTEU members have now secured union-negotiated enterprise agreements at every single public university in Australia.

 

This is a huge milestone and it only happened because union members stood together and took action.

 

Back in 2022, university managements across the country tried to sideline union voices. They pushed non-union ballots, exploited anti-union laws, and hoped staff would settle for less.

 

But union members pushed back. And we won.

 

Here’s what we’ve achieved together across the sector:

 

✅ 3.5% average annual salary increases

✅ Paid gender affirmation leave at every public university

 2500+ new permanent jobs for casual staff

 Employment targets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff

✅ Stronger protections for academic and intellectual freedom

✅ Better job security for fixed-term staff

 

CDU management’s old non-union agreement locked staff into just a 2.2% annual pay rise. It’s only thanks to union bargaining that staff will now receive 3.6% per year instead.

 

This is what collective power looks like.

 

This is what union wins look like.

 

What’s next? Connect with your local Branch and help shape what we win next.

GET INVOLVED

In union,

Dr Damien Cahill

NTEU General Secretary

 

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