Enterprise bargaining negotiations
The University believes that the current enterprise bargaining negotiations will lead to significant improvements in your working conditions. However, a few key issues remain unresolved that the University requires agreement on in order to maintain its position as one of the country’s leading universities.
On most issues the University and the NTEU are close to agreement. In-principle agreement has been reached on:
- Academic and general staff workloads
- Grievance resolution
- Parental leave
- Performance management for General staff
- Job Security
- General staff classification and linking
- General staff career development
- Study leave
- Workplace policy on Bullying
- Indigenous Employment.
These proposals include considerable improvements in benefits for staff, most significantly in regard to parental leave.
On 9 August 2004, as a sign of good faith the University announced the payment of a 2% administrative salary increase with effect from 4 September 2004, in advance of negotiations being completed.
However, negotiations reached an important turning point during the meeting on Wednesday 11th August. The University has been prepared to amend its original position during negotiations on a number of key issues including managing change, superannuation, intellectual freedom, allowances and performance based contracts. At the 11 August 2004 meeting, the NTEU continued to insist on provisions in relation to these and other matters which are unacceptable to the University. The negotiations concluded on the basis that the parties would consider their respective positions before arranging further negotiations. The University remains hopeful that the NTEU will modify its position on the outstanding matters.
It is essential in these negotiations for both sides to be flexible and considerate of the objectives of both parties. The University’s negotiating team believes that the NTEU is making unreasonable and unrealistic demands.
Monash’s current salary offer still remains the highest non-contingent salary offer in Victoria (see graph below), and Monash’s parental leave offer is one of the most generous provisions in Victoria (see comparison of parental leave benefits below).
Victorian Universities Current Salary & Maternity Leave Offers
Benefits have been calculated to reflect equivalent number of full-time weeks paid leave.