In summary

  • Vocational Education and Training (VET) staff at Swinburne University of Technology have voted in favour of a landmark enterprise agreement
  • Swinburne’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pascale Quester, says the new agreement would deliver better pay, more secure employment and more flexibility
  • The proposed agreement will be submitted to the Fair Work Commission for approval.

Vocational Education and Training (VET) staff at Swinburne University of Technology have voted in favour of a landmark enterprise agreement that will deliver higher wages, more super and greater flexibility for employees.

The proposed agreement achieved a preference distribution of 282 in favour (97%) and 9 against (3%). 

The proposed agreement, which was voted in with the support of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and Australian Education Union (AEU), will mean Swinburne is the first institution in Victoria to pay VET employees up to 17 per cent superannuation. 

The proposed agreement will ensure Swinburne staff are some of the highest paid in the TAFE and vocational education sector in Victoria.

Swinburne University’s Vice-Chancellor and President Pascale Quester said that the new agreement would deliver better pay, more secure employment and more flexibility.

“I am very pleased that discussions with the NTEU and AEU have produced an enterprise agreement that, if approved, will deliver fair and reasonable pay increases to VET staff, securing our long-term financial wellbeing and ensuring we remain competitive in the TAFE sector,” Professor Quester said.

“This is a generous offer in recognition of the significant productivity measures agreed to in exchange.

“Swinburne offers some of the highest quality vocational education and training in Victoria, and the increased benefits proposed in our new enterprise agreement will help ensure Swinburne can continue to hold its place as Victoria’s leading dual sector institution.”

The agreement, once approved, would provide better pay, more secure employment for casual and fixed term employees, greater flexibility and greater commitment to professional development.

Further detail regarding the proposed pay increase follows:

Salary increases:

  • 3.25% annual salary increase from 1 July 2021 to 1 July 2024 for fixed-term and ongoing employees, backdated and inclusive of the 2% increase announced in July 2022
  • 3.5% annual salary increase from 1 July 2021 to 1 July 2024 for casual employees, backdated and inclusive of the 2% increase announced in July 2022

Superannuation increases:

  • Superannuation contribution increase to 15% from 1 July 2023 and 17% from 1 July 2024 for fixed-term and ongoing employees

As a next step, the proposed agreement will be submitted to the Fair Work Commission for approval and will commence operation seven days after approval. The proposed agreement will nominally expire on 31 December 2024.

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