Home | Member Updates | Sense of urgency needed in enterprise bargaining
AHEIA says manufactured delays are slowing university enterprise bargaining and postponing pay rises and improved conditions for staff. It identifies two main problems: delayed commencement and progression of bargaining, and renewed negotiation after in-principle agreements have already been reached.
AHEIA attributes these delays to limited NTEU resources, slow responses, difficulty obtaining decisions and lengthy internal approval processes. Eighteen months into the bargaining cycle, only one of 16 active enterprise agreements has been approved by the Fair Work Commission. AHEIA says universities are trying to progress negotiations, but staff ultimately bear the cost of the delays.