Workers to strike despite pay rise in uni’s proposed agreement

The University of Southern Queensland has issued a statement detailing negotiation attempts as hundreds of employees are set to walk off the job on Wednesday.

The University of Southern Queensland has issued a statement ahead of one of the biggest coordinated strike action the education centre has seen in decades.

More than 200 staff members are expected to participate in the half-day strike over wages and job security on Wednesday which will mark the first occasion in two decades where staff from the university have gone on strike.

A spokesman for UniSQ said the organisation was engaged in negotiations with the National Tertiary Education Union and other bargaining representatives.

“We have met 22 times over the past year and reached agreement on most matters,” the university spokesman said.

“The university has proposed a salary increase of 16.5 per cent over five years, including an immediate 5 per cent increase, alongside existing employer superannuation contributions of 17 per cent.”

University of Southern Queensland. Photo Kevin Farmer

The spokesman said in addition to a rise in wages, the proposed agreement also included other new or improved staff entitlements.

“In addition to the salary increase, the proposed agreement includes benefits such as flexible working arrangements including working remotely, no requirement to use leave during Christmas shutdown, and improved overtime entitlements through a reduced span of hours for professional staff,” he said.

“Negotiations have also led to a range of improved staff benefits, including increased cultural leave, gender affirmation leave, protections for academic freedom, and a new Indigenous language allowance.”

The spokesman said the outstanding bargaining issues related to matters such as performance management and consultation around organisational change.

He said as parties were unable to meet an agreement on these remaining matters, the university had sought a conciliation process under the Fair Work Act.

University of Southern Queensland. Supplied

It comes after NTEU UniSQ branch president Professor Andrea Lamont-Mills claimed late las week that UniSQ refused to meet further with union representatives and instead engaged the Fair Work Commission.

“(NTEU) members see it as yet another aggressive, unnecessary escalation,” Dr Lamont-Mills said.

“UniSQ Members are super keen to strike … they are keen to show UniSQ management that they won’t agree to losing important rights and entitlements.”

NTEU secretary Michael McNally previously told The Chronicle one of the alleged key issues for the union involved redundancies and job security, with a push to prioritise redeployment where possible.

He said the union advised members the agreement could not be recommended, claiming the UniSQ agreed to six of 10 outstanding issues raised.

NTEU Queensland Division Secretary Michael McNally.

Overwhelming support was shown by UniSQ union members, with 93 per cent voting in favour of the 10 proposed industrial actions in a protected action ballot in September.

These actions included strikes, refusal to answer emails, work stoppages, refusal to work outside the hours of 9am-5pm and a ban on using the university’s online systems.

The planned industrial action is expected to commence at midday on October 25, but the university spokesman said the campuses would remain “open and fully operational”.

It is understood union members involved in the strike includes academics, administration and support staff.