Enterprise Bargaining

Global Email

As you may be aware the contents of the proposed Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and General Staff) 2005 were agreed upon by the university and the NTEU earlier this year. Since then, the NTEU and the university together with elected staff representatives of the academic and general staff revised the Agreement to ensure compliance with the Commonwealth Government’s Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs).

Over the past two weeks a series of staff forums were held across all campuses and the Agreement has been available for staff inspection at:

http://www.monash.edu.au/entbarg/academic-general-2005/

The Agreement must now be put to a ballot of all eligible staff prior to its certification by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. All full-time, part-time, casual, and sessional academic and general staff covered by the proposed Agreement and employed by the university in Australia during the period of the ballot are eligible to vote.

On 4 th November 2005, eligible staff without email access or who are on leave were sent postal ballots, which must be returned by close of business on Wednesday 9 th November 2005.

At 12:00am on Tuesday the 8 th of November staff members will receive an email addressed to their Monash University email account containing a personalised web address that links to the EBA ballot site. The ballot site is being administered by an external company “Computershare”.

Staff will be able to access the site between 9:00am on Tuesday the 8 th of November and 5:00pm on Wednesday the 9 th of November. The ballot site will be closed after these times and any votes submitted will not be accepted.

Any staff members who believe they will not be able to participate in the electronic ballot are requested to contact the Employee Relations department on ext. 56996 or email: entbarg@adm.monash.edu.au to organise alternative voting arrangements.

Andrew Picouleau

Acting Director Human Resources

Will superannuation arrangements change?

The current employer contributions and arrangements for superannuation will be maintained by the new agreement. Research-only staff will be eligible to apply for membership of Unisuper Defined Benefit Plant/Investment Choice after 12 months continuous service, subject to the availability of funds.

Do the new maternity leave provisions apply to all instances of maternity leave?

Yes, for maternity leave commenced after the date of certification. If you are the birth mother with at least 24 months of service you will be entitled to 14 weeks full pay plus 38 weeks at 60% for each instance of maternity leave applied for after the date of certification.

If my fixed term contract expires after a period of parental leave at 60% pay, am I required to pay back any money if I haven’t been back at work for a period equivalent to the period of parental leave at 60%?

No, you will not be subject to the repayment provisions of the maternity leave clause if your fixed term contract is not renewed by the university. This only applies in the event of resignation.

What is the Monash University Staff Implementation Committee?

The EBA has established a committee which comprises 3 members directly elected by staff (including the Committee chair) as well as 2 nominees each of the NTEU and the University. The Committee will facilitate the HEWRR requirement for direct consultation between the University and staff on workplace relations and human resource matters.

When do the provisions of the EBA come into effect?

Once the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) certifies the agreement, the provisions will become effective immediately.

How do I vote for the EBA?

The University will be enabling staff to conduct their vote via the web. On or shortly after the 3rd of November 2005, a global email will be issued to all staff giving details about the voting website with login instructions. The vote will be open from 9:00am Tuesday the 8 th November to 5:00pm Wednesday the 9 th of November. Staff who do not currently have internet access or have been identified by SAP as being on leave, will be have the option of a postal vote.

A message from senior deputy vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Parker

Tuesday, 25th October 2005

Enterprise Agreement update – information sessions and ballot

INFORMATION SESSIONS

In my global email of 20 October 2005 I reported that information sessions were planned for each of the university’s Australian campuses to explain the terms of the proposed Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and General Staff) 2005. I am pleased to advise that the following sessions have now been arranged:

• Caulfield – Tuesday 25 October, 1 pm, room B2.15
• Peninsula – Tuesday 25 October, 3 pm, room D4.09
• Clayton – Wednesday 26 October, 1 pm, lecture theatre S2, building 25
• Parkville – Wednesday 26 October, 4 pm, lecture theatre 3
• Berwick – Thursday 27 October, 3 pm, lecture theatre 133
• Gippsland – Monday 31 October, 1 pm, room 2E101

All staff intended to be covered by the proposed agreement are invited to attend. Paid time off will be provided to those attending. This extends to all academic and general staff, as well as drivers and printing and graphic arts staff. An elected representative of the university’s academic and general staff 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 major changes in the proposed agreement will be made available at http://www.monash.edu.au/entbarg/, and FAQs will also be posted on the website. A copy of the proposed agreement remains available for inspection at http://www.monash.edu.au/entbarg/academic-general-2005/.

BALLOT

Since the proposed Monash University Enterprise Agreement (Academic and General Staff) 2005 was first posted on the Human Resources Division website last week, there have been some further minor changes agreed between the university, the NTEU and the elected staff representatives of the academic and general staff. The changes were necessary to more closely reflect the original Heads of Agreement and the outcomes of the parties’ enterprise bargaining negotiations. As a consequence, the dates for the staff ballot on the proposed Agreement have been changed to allow at least 14 days for staff to have ready access to the Agreement prior to the ballot.

The ballot is now to open on Tuesday 8 November 2005 and will close at 5 pm on Wednesday 9 November 2005. All full-time, part-time, casual, and sessional academic and general staff covered by the proposed Agreement (including drivers and printing and graphic arts staff) and employed by the university in Australia during the period of the ballot are eligible to vote.

The ballot is to be conducted online. On or shortly after 3 November
2005 a global e-mail will be sent to staff university e-mail addresses giving notice of the ballot website link and login instructions.

Staff who do not have a current university e-mail address 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 Employee Relations Branch on extn 56996 or via email mailto:EntBarg@adm.monash.edu.au for details of the website link and login instructions. Staff identified by SAP as absent or on leave will also be offered the option of a paper ballot by post.

It is expected that the result of the ballot will be declared by Thursday 10 November 2005.

Once again, I urge all staff eligible to vote in the forthcoming ballot to consider the proposed Agreement carefully and I recommend it for your approval.

If you require any further information or assistance regarding the proposed agreement or the information sessions or ballot, contact the staff of the Employee Relations Branch on extn 56996 or via email mailto:EntBarg@adm.monash.edu.au.