New Swinburne University of Technology enterprise agreement
In Summary
Following several weeks of detailed discussions, Swinburne University of Technology and the NTEU have provisionally agreed on comprehensive terms for a new enterprise agreement.
The new agreement meets both parties’ objectives to secure fair and appropriate conditions of employment for staff and an agreement that supports the long-term sustainability of the university, following the decision of the Federal Court of Australia in July to disallow Swinburne’s 2014 Enterprise Agreement.
The new agreement honours the four annual salary increases of 3.1 per cent previously offered by the university, ensuring that all Swinburne staff will have certainty as to their salaries through to 2017.
Other key features include:
- a revised academic workload model which protects staff against excessive workloads and places Swinburne on a more equivalent footing with other Victorian universities;
- new rights for eligible sessional staff to apply for conversion to permanent academic employment;
- improved consultation provisions which guarantee staff and the NTEU rights to be consulted around major workplace change;
- the introduction of domestic/family violence leave, including for sessional employees;
- streamlined disciplinary provisions;
- improved classification procedures for general staff; and
- increased paid partner leave.
Swinburne’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Linda Kristjanson, said that the new agreement would provide the university with the opportunity to move forward with confidence.
“I am pleased that discussions with the NTEU have produced an Enterprise Agreement that secures fair conditions for our staff and will allow Swinburne to be competitive with other Victorian universities,” Professor Kristjanson said.
NTEU Victorian Secretary, Dr Colin Long, welcomed the improvements achieved through detailed discussions with the University following the recent Federal Court decision which struck down the University’s 2014 Agreement, and complimented Swinburne University union members and the management team for a constructive outcome.
The new agreement is under detailed review by the parties, before final approval after which it will be put to staff vote and then submission to the Fair Work Commission.
For further information please contact:
Dr Colin Long, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary, 0403 920 361
Ms Julia Scott, Associate Director, Media and Communications, Swinburne University of Technology, 03 9214 5968.