Enterprise Bargaining

As advised in my global e-mail on 30 November 2009, the Fair Work Act 2009 requires that the university must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the terms of the proposed Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009, and the effect of those terms, are explained to its academic and professional staff before they are requested to vote on the Agreement.  In accordance with that requirement, information sessions were arranged on each of the university’s Australian campuses to explain the proposed Agreement.

The last of those information sessions was held on the Caulfield and Parkville Campuses today.  The proposed Agreement remains available for inspection and download at:

• academic-professional-enterprise-agreement-2009.pdf

and a summary of the Agreement’s key features and changes is available at:

• academic-professional-enterprise-agreement-2009-summary.pdf

The proposed Agreement will be critical to promoting the university’s standing as an employer of choice and supporting our aim to be one of Australia’s and the world’s best universities.  All eligible academic and professional staff are therefore urged to vote for the approval of the proposed Agreement in the forthcoming staff ballot.
As previously advised, the vote will proceed by way of a staff ballot administered by an external company, Computershare.  The ballot will open at 9:00am on 15 December 2009 and close at 5:00pm on 18 December 2009.  All full-time, part-time, casual, and sessional academic and professional staff covered by the proposed Agreement and employed by the university in Australia (or as expatriates) during the period of the ballot will be eligible to vote.

The ballot will be conducted on-line for those staff who have a current university e-mail address.  Staff can access the online ballot at http://www.computershare.com.au/monash.  This website will provide staff with their login instructions and will open for voting at 9:00am on 15 December 2009.

Staff without a current university e-mail address or on leave for the duration of the ballot will be sent a ballot paper and a reply-paid envelope to their home addresses and will have the option of a paper ballot.  Alternatively, they may contact the staff of the Workplace Relations Branch on extension 29661 or via e-mail to ebfeedback@adm.monash.edu.au for assistance if they wish to vote on-line.

It is expected that the outcome of the ballot will be declared on 21 December 2009.  If the Agreement is approved by a valid majority of eligible staff voting, the university will then make application for approval of the Agreement by Fair Work Australia.

Any academic and professional staff members with a current university e-mail who consider that they will be unable to participate in the ballot on-line are requested to contact the staff of the Workplace Relations Branch on extension 29661 or via e-mail to ebfeedback@adm.monash.edu.au.  The staff of the Workplace Relations Branch are also available if you require any other information or assistance regarding the proposed Agreement and the conduct of the staff vote.  This includes any requests for the provision of printed copies of the proposed Agreement.

Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009 – Update and process for finalisation of Agreement

On 25 August 2009 the university and the NTEU advised that they had successfully concluded negotiations for a new enterprise agreement, the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009.

The Agreement was subsequently endorsed by the NTEU National Executive and Mr Jeffrey Bender, NTEU Monash Branch President advises that the Agreement was also endorsed by the meetings of members held last week by the NTEU.

A copy of the Agreement is available for inspection and download.  However, the Agreement remains subject to approval by a staff vote and then also approval by Fair Work Australia before it can commence operation.

• Enterprise Agreement (Academic and Professional Staff) 2009 (pdf 940kb)

Before staff are invited to vote on the proposed Agreement, the Fair Work Act 2009 requires that the university must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the terms of the Agreement, and the effect of those terms, are explained to its academic and professional staff.

Information sessions

In accordance with the requirements of the Act, the following information sessions have been arranged on each of the university’s Australian campuses to explain the proposed Agreement to staff:

• Peninsula – Tuesday 1 December – 1:00pm – Lecture Theatre A4.16, Level 4, Bldg A, Education
• Gippsland – Wednesday 2 December – 12:30pm – Lecture Theatre 4N
• Clayton – Thursday 3 December – 1:00pm – Lecture Theatre South 1, Bldg 64
• Berwick – Friday 4 December – 1:00pm – Lecture Theatre 117, Level 1, Bldg 901
• Caulfield – Monday 7 December – 1:00pm – Lecture Theatre 125, Bldg H
• Parkville – Monday 7 December – 1:00pm – Sissons Lecture Theatre No. 1

All academic and professional staff intended to be covered by the proposed Agreement are invited to attend.  Where necessary, paid time off will be provided for those attending.  A representative of the Monash University NTEU Branch will also be in attendance at each of the sessions.

For those unable to attend an information session, please note that a summary of the Agreement’s key features and changes is available:

• Summary (pdf 65kb)

Staff vote

The vote will proceed by way of a staff ballot administered by an external company, Computershare.  The ballot will open at 9:00am on Tuesday 15 December 2009 and close at 5:00pm on Friday 18 December 2009.  All full-time, part-time, casual, and sessional academic and professional staff covered by the proposed Agreement and employed by the university in Australia (or as expatriates) during the period of the ballot will be eligible to vote.

The ballot will be conducted on-line for those staff who have a current university e-mail address.  Prior to the opening of the ballot, those staff will be provided with a notice of the ballot website link and login instructions.

Staff without a current university e-mail address or on leave for the duration of the ballot will be sent a ballot paper and a reply-paid envelope to their home addresses and will have the option of a paper ballot.  Alternatively, they may contact the staff of the Workplace Relations Branch on extension 29661 or via e-mail to ebfeedback@adm.monash.edu.au for details of the ballot website link and login instructions if they wish to vote on-line.

It is expected that the outcome of the ballot will be declared on Monday 21 December 2009.  If the Agreement is approved by a valid majority of eligible staff voting, the university will then immediately make application for approval of the Agreement by Fair Work Australia.

Trades and Services staff

The negotiation of a replacement agreement for the Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Trades and Services Staff – Building and Metal Trades Staff and Grounds and Gardening Staff) 2005 is underway.  When those negotiations are concluded, information and approval processes applicable to affected trades and services staff will be notified separately.

Further information

If you require a printed copy of the proposed Agreement or any further information or assistance regarding the proposed Agreement, the staff vote, or the information sessions, please contact the staff of the Workplace Relations Branch on extension 29661 or via e-mail to ebfeedback@adm.monash.edu.au.

As announced, on 24 August 2009, the University and the NTEU concluded bargaining in relation to a proposed new enterprise agreement. At that time it was anticipated that the new agreement would be approved within 2 months of that date. However, in the meantime, the National Office of the NTEU sought further negotiations on particular matters of concern to them, and as a consequence the process leading to the implementation of the new agreement has been delayed.

The University has provided a final draft of the agreement to the NTEU for their consideration and is now waiting for advice that the National Executive of the NTEU have approved the agreement. Once this has occurred the University will work as quickly as possible to arrange for the provision of information to staff and for the conduct of a ballot of staff regarding approval of the proposed agreement and then for its submission to Fair Work Australia for approval. It appears likely that this process will now not be finally completed until early in the new year.

No pay increases can be implemented until this process is complete. However, the pay increase provided for in the proposed agreement for the first pay period on or after 31 October 2009 will be back paid once the agreement is approved by Fair Work Australia. Also, staff whose employment ceases between now and the implementation of the proposed agreement will have the anticipated pay increase included in the calculation of their benefits and entitlements.

The University regrets this unfortunate delay and is working as quickly as possible to complete the approval process. Further developments in regard to the implementation of the proposed agreement will be reported as they arise.