The guild representing both academic and professional staff at the University of Newcastle (UoN) is urging them to vote “no” in a non-union ballot on Enterprise Bargaining Agreements (EBAs).

UoN formally released its proposed new EBA – providing rises in pay, employer superannuation contributions for casuals and leave entitlements – to staff on Monday 5 December, prior to next week’s vote.

The offer includes a 9.5% salary increase, comprising three parts (3.5% backdated to October 2022; another 3% payable in October 2023; and a further 3% payable in October 2024), as well as up to 10 paid uni holidays each year (increased from four).

Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky said, under the Fair Work Act, employees now had seven days to consider the deal before the upcoming election, from 13 to 15 December.

“We’ve been in discussions with union and staff representatives since June last year and have negotiated in good faith throughout bargaining,” he explained.

“Unfortunately, negotiations are now at an impasse. 

“We believe all staff members should have an opportunity to decide what is right for our university.

“That is why we have decided to put our latest EBAs to a staff ballot, with the outcome to be declared on 16 December.

“The university genuinely believes the combination of the revised salary offer, together with other key benefits, provides a platform for stability and supports our sustainability over the next three years amid significant changes in our external operating environment.”

But, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) is encouraging employees to err on the side of caution, stating the EBAs were being rushed through.

“Since the federal government just passed legislation that prevents employers from unilaterally taking such action, it seems more than coincidental,” Newcastle branch president Associate Professor Terry Summers said.

“The university dropped new proposals on Monday 28 November and demanded a response by Thursday 1 December.

“After a further, and extremely brief, meeting on Monday 5 December, UoN management confirmed that they are not interested in increasing their pay offer to an acceptable level and maintain their insistence on abolishing and diminishing conditions from the enterprise agreements.

“In a time where the university has recently cut hundreds of jobs and returned a surplus of $185 million (the 12th surplus in a row), the NTEU maintains UoN has sufficient resources to ensure greater job security, safe workloads and a fair pay rise for all staff.

“The proposed EBAs show disregard for and disrespect of staff dedicated to providing students with quality learning experiences and research that guarantees our regional university’s stellar reputation.”

The NTEU has advised staff to reject the offer on three grounds:

• The pay suggestion of 9.5% is significantly less than inflation and well below other industry agreements (including deals struck this week at Western Sydney University of 13.5-15.3%, the Australian Catholic University 14.55% and University of Tasmania of 13.5%)
• The Professional Staff Agreement introduces an increased and unreasonable span of hours (who could be directed to work between 7am to 7pm – including significant extra hours in a week without overtime) and the Academic Staff Agreement fails to protect staff from work intensification
• The stripping of employee many conditions and protections, including abolishing internal committees which provide procedural fairness and natural justice making it easier for staff to be sacked

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