Higher Education

Vice-chancellor objects to Uni IR moves

Professor Gavin Brown, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney issued the following statement:

SHARED FRUSTRATION

The University has NOT withdrawn from Enterprise Bargaining and, indeed, was negotiating to preserve today's signing of a Heads of Agreement, when surprised by the NTEU announcement that we had withdrawn.

After eight months of tough but productive negotiations, the University and the Unions had reached an agreed position in Enterprise Bargaining to be confirmed in the signing ceremony today. Sadly, earlier this week, the Federal Government issued a new set of prescriptive rules for industrial agreements, violation of which will cost millions of dollars. It is not clear which, if any, of these conditions require legislation, so that the University has been obliged to postpone the signing of the Heads of Agreement pending clarification and further negotiation.

It is necessary to review any proposed agreement in the light of Government action.

I stated publicly at a Federal Senate Enquiry on Monday that I object to the tactic of linking funding to prescriptive industrial relations reform and that, in particular, I had no desire to employ Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs).

There are new elements in the subsequent Government announcement which have not even been canvassed with the sector, yet are mandatory. I believe that a patient and pragmatic response is needed and seek the continued goodwill and cooperation of all staff in working towards a resolution.

© 2001 Community & Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation (CPSU-SPSF) - National Office

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/higher_ed/20030924_nteu.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005