WORKING TOGETHER:
Update on Negotiations
15th May 2009
On Friday 15th May, the University was notified that the National Tertiary Education Union’s (NTEU’s) protected action ballot was successful. This means that the NTEU can engage in lawful industrial action over the next 30 days, provided it gives the University three working days notice of any industrial action proposed.
For more information on industrial action, refer to the FAQs - Industrial Action.
The NTEU has also formally notified the University that it will be taking 24-hour strike action at a number of Victorian universities on Thursday, 21 May 2009. The NTEU has proposed a “work stoppage” (ie.that participating union members not attend work).
By law, the University cannot pay staff for any time spent engaged in industrial action. More specifically, if the amount of time the staff member is engaged in industrial action is less than four hours, the staff member cannot be paid for four hours of that day, and if the amount of time is more than four hours, the staff member cannot be paid for all of that day. Consequently, staff who participate in any industrial action must have their pay deducted by the appropriate amount.
For more information on the University’s position on industrial action, please refer to the FAQs - Industrial Action.