Deakin University strikes enterprise agreement with union

Following historic industrial action and stalled talks, Deakin staff are expected to see better wages and workloads as part of a new in-principle enterprise agreement.

Deakin union members protesting at the Waterfront campus in July, the first time in 10 years Deakin workers have elected to go on strike. Picture: Alan Barber

Deakin University has reached an in-principle agreement with the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) after a long and bitter enterprise agreement (EA) standoff.

The proposed EA would see staff salaries increased by 4 per cent per annum over the next three years, among other benefits.

Deakin’s union branch had been in discussions with the educator since October 2022.

The union applied to take industrial action against the school in August, before staff went on a 24-hour NTEU-backed strike in July.

It was the first time Deakin staff had gone on strike in 10 years, and the first time a 24 hour strike had occurred in the university’s history.

NTEU Deakin branch president Piper Rodd said most of the members were “relieved” following the announcement.

“This has been a long process,” Dr Rodd said.

“I think most of our members are happy with the improvements in working conditions that will come from an EA.”

The announcement was made to staff via an email on August 4, after final clauses were negotiated by the NTEU around employment conditions.

“(The final negotiations) were around casualisation, the creation of new jobs for academics, so that we rely less on casual workers to do teaching work around the university,” Dr Rodd said.

“So there’s going to be new early career positions for the life of the agreement that are aimed at existing casual staff to have less precarious employment.

“And workload committees for academic staff across the communities.”

Dr Rodd said while the agreement had been reached in principle, there were still details to iron out.

“We’re very close,” she said.

“We’re in the final stages, we’re working cooperatively with Deakin management to draft a final agreement that will then be put out to staff.”

Deakin University vice-chancellor Iain Martin said it was “great” to reach an in principle agreement with the union.

“I would like to thank the many colleagues who worked closely and constructively with the NTEU to secure this outcome,” Prof Martin said.

“This helps put Deakin in a great position to focus on delivering the high-quality education and research that sits at the heart of our university and we look forward to passing on the many benefits of the 2023 EA to our staff.”

Deakin University anticipates the formal process to approve and adopt the new EA, which involves time to review and vote ahead of approval by the Fair Work Commission, will take between two to three months.

Originally published as Deakin University strikes enterprise agreement with union