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After another two full
days at the bargaining table, we’re making progress — but some of the biggest
fights are still ahead of us. There was movement on
a number of clauses, including organisational change, where Management has
agreed in principle to allow consultation periods to be extended, and has now
included psychosocial risk analysis in its proposed clause. We also continued
negotiations on Teaching Associates, union rights, casual employment,
workloads, personal/carer’s leave and other leave provisions. In particular, we had
a win on gender affirmation leave, as management agreed to extend paid leave to
casual staff; however, they’re only offering casuals 5 days. There remain, however,
major areas of disagreement. Management is still
refusing our major claims, including: sabbaticals, superannuation equity for casual staff; increases to reproductive leave; end of year year (xmas leave); recognition of professional expertise; fixed-term conversions; teaching associates. (and we’re want to stop management’s attempts to move HDR supervision out of teaching, undermine entitlements, etc.);
And then there’s pay. Management still has
not made a new pay offer. Their current offer remains nowhere near good enough,
and while they have told us to expect a revised offer in the coming weeks, we
need to make sure they understand that workers expect much more. The progress we are
seeing at the bargaining table isn’t happening by accident. It is happening
because union members have voted to take industrial action — and because
Management knows we are prepared to use it. Now we need to turn up
the pressure. If we want Management
to move on pay and our other major claims, we need members participating in
industrial action in numbers they cannot ignore. That means all of us. Every member who takes
action makes us stronger at the bargaining table. And every member who joins
our half-day strike on 8 September sends Management the message: we are
organised, we are serious, and we are prepared to fight for a better Agreement.
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