NTEU Annual Report 2017-18

Annual Report 2017–18

Introduction 3

NTEU Annual Report 2017–18 Report to the 2018 National Council Meeting ISSN 2652-3426 (Online)

Published by National Tertiary Education Union ABN 38 579 396 344

Publisher: Grahame McCulloch Editor: Jeannie Rea Production: Paul Clifton Editorial Assistance: Anastasia Kotaidis All text and images ©NTEU unless otherwise stated.

NTEU National Office PO Box 1323, Sth Melbourne VIC 3205 1st floor, 120 Clarendon St, Sth Melbourne VIC 3205 phone: (03) 9254 1910 fax: (03) 9254 1915 email: national@nteu.org.au Available online at nteu.org.au/annualreport

Purpose and structure of the NTEU

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National President

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General Secretary

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National Assistant Secretary

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Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Caucus

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Women’s Action Committee

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Industrial 16 Policy & Research

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Union Education

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Organising & Campaigns

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Recruitment & Retention

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Communications & Publications

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Infrastructure, Finance, Governance, Admin

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Budget Report

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International 32 ACT Division

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NSW Division

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NT Division

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Queensland Division

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SA Division

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Tasmanian Division

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Victorian Division

46

WA Division

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Introduction This year we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the formation of the National Tertiary Education Union.

Forged from three general staff and two academic staff unions the new Union soon had a positive impact on the salaries and conditions of both academic and general staff.

At this year’s National Council meeting, we will consider action focussed motions to increase our organising and our campaigning including how we organise those employed casually; how we more effectively stand as one union with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members and community; how we follow through on the widespread support we gave to the equal marriage campaign last year; and on how we wrest the universities out of the hands of the neoliberal corporate managers and into the hands of staff, of students and the community.

Forming an industry union was the right decision.

Our membership covers workers in the tertiary education sector, primarily in universities, but also amongst other post-secondary education providers, research institutes, student organisations, and PACCT staff in Victorian TAFE. We remain the only union with coverage of academics, and we are the main union across the higher education sector.

Today the union is 60% academic and 40% general/ professional staff members. This reflects the spread of our coverage and our attraction to general/ professional staff, as well as the increasing numbers of such staff, across many occupations, working in the sector. However, it also reflects a decline in our academic membership.

Over the past few National Councils, delegates have worked carefully through the re-drafting and updating of NTEU policy, so we now have a Policy Manual, which Council amends, as well as deliberating upon action motions to implement our policy positions. I urge all delegates, and particularly new delegates to familiarise yourselves with the Policy Manual (www.nteu.org.au/policymanual).

The Union has maintained membership numbers, but the sector has grown substantially: in less than ten years over a third more students are enrolled in higher education. Casualisation and short-term contracts make it harder to recruit and retain members, and this is the case for unions across the workforce. Union membership numbers and density continue to fall in Australia. Growth areas that maintain membership and density are amongst nurses and teachers, where there are still secure career jobs, although many teachers now start out on short term contracts too. Other unions covering a broad range of jobs have to recruit constantly with around one third turnover of members each year.

Women are now the majority of trade unionists, and it is women with degrees that are joining and staying in their unions. Basically, we need to join up more members.

The NTEU, though, is highly effective as we negotiate and enforce the collective agreements that cover all the staff of universities. Just think how much more we could do if more of your colleagues joined up! It is the capacity to organise and to, when necessary, take industrial action that makes unions strong and effective in protecting and improving working people’s lives.

At the 2017 NTEU National Council meeting, delegates overwhelming endorsed the ACTU Change the Rules campaign and, over this year, we have been actively involved from local to national levels.

Our industrial relations laws are unfair, and that the employers only want them to be more onerous on working people and their unions is proof in itself that we must campaign to charge the rules.

This being an election year, we welcome new delegates to Council. I emphasise to all delegates to use the opportunity well and fully participate in caucuses, in workshops and on the Council floor.

NTEU is most unusual amongst Australian unions in that we have an annual meeting where delegates are elected directly from the membership – and they decide upon the Union’s program and priorities for the next year. At this Council we will also elect 10 members onto the National Executive, including the National Vice Presidents. They will join the Division Secretaries and the new National Officer team to make up our national executive, to be chaired by new National President Dr Alison Barnes.

The National Executive meets throughout the year to monitor the implementation of National Council decisions – and also, of course, to respond to new developments, within our policy framework.

In August we had a symposium in Melbourne to reflect upon the last 25 years of higher education unionism not only in Australia, but also internationally, as it is also our global trade union federation Education International’s 25th anniversary. We invited representatives of EI and higher education unions from around the world. Our international guests were also here to join us to mark the retirement of NTEU founding General Secretary Grahame McCulloch. The story of the NTEU is very much reflective of the Grahame’s considered, strategic and hard-nosed leadership. There is much to look forward to as new leadership responds to contemporary circumstances, but let us not forget our history and learn from it.

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Jeannie Rea, National President

NTEU Annual Report 2017 • page 3

Purpose and structure of the NTEU NTEU was formed in 1993 from an amalgamation of five separate unions that represented academic and general staff in higher education, TAFE and adult education in Australia.

• P romote the concept of equal opportunity in employment and to eliminate all forms of discrimination in tertiary education and in all spheres of the Union’s activity.

NTEU now proudly represents some 28,000 workers across these sectors. As an ‘industry union’ NTEU represents all employees in academic and general/ professional classifications ranging from professors to accountants to gardeners.

No other organisation in Australia is able to speak with a unified voice in support of tertiary education and allied institutions and the unique and vital public interests they serve.

www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us

Purpose of the Union The broad purpose of the Union is to advocate for, and represent the rights, interests and welfare of members in the industrial, legal, political and social spheres.

The primary objects of NTEU are to: • I mprove and protect the living standards of its members as well as their working environment and professional interests.

• P romote the work of tertiary education institutions in Australia and to preserve their independence and integrity.

• F oster the process of intellectual debate within the Australian community.

Images (L–R): ‘Putting the Heart Back into the Uni’ rally, Flinders University (Nov 2017); Strike Day at WSU; Queensland Division staff on Wear It Purple Day (Aug 2018).

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• D efend and promote the rights of members to teach, research and disseminate knowledge and information without fear of reprisal.

• C reate and maintain an informed public opinion concerning tertiary education institutions and their staff.

Structure of the Union The Union is organised across three levels: the National Office (located in South Melbourne), State and Territory-based Divisions and workplace-based Branches in each of the nation’s 38 universities, as well as Branches covering members in ACE (Vic), TAFE (Vic), Research Institutes, Navitas, RACGP and College of Law. Our permanently staffed workplace-based local Branches in universities is a feature unique to NTEU in the Australian trade union movement. These structures permit NTEU to build and maintain a visible and organised presence at each university and to be able to rapidly respond to industrial and organisational issues.

NTEU is a highly democratic memberdriven union with elected Branch Committees, Division Councils, and a National Council comprising representatives elected by members on a two year cycle. Council meets annually in October.

At each Branch, the highest decisionmaking body is a general meeting of members. A Branch Committee comprising elected representatives of members governs the affairs of each Branch in

between general meetings of members.

Each Branch also elects National Councillors, who also constitute the Division Council. This mechanism ensures that each Branch is represented on the relevant State or Territory-based Division Council. www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us/ our_structure

National Council National Council consists of members directly elected from Branches (in proportion to the number of members at each Branch), three full time National Officers, the eight State and Territorybased Division Secretaries plus three Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander National Councillors and members of the Executive. National Council has a total membership of about 130 delegates.

National Council is the supreme decision making body of the NTEU and has the critical task of setting the Union’s budget for the forthcoming year. www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us/ national_council

National Executive The National Executive is composed of the three full time National Officers, eight Division Secretaries, the Chair of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee and ten ordinary members elected from the floor of the National Council (elected for a two-year term).

National Executive 2017–18 x National Officers National President: Jeannie Rea Vice-Presidents: Andrew Bonnell (Academic) UQ Jane Battersby (General) CSU

National Assistant Secretary: Matthew McGowan National Executive

Gabe Gooding WA

Terry Mason A&TSI member (A&TSIPC Chair) Rachael Bahl ACT Division Secretary Gabe Gooding WA Division Secretary

Michael Thomson NSW

Michael Thomson NSW Division Secretary Kelvin Michael TAS Division Secretary Michael McNally QLD Division Secretary

Kelvin Michael Tasmania

Colin Long VIC Division Secretary Ron Slee SA Division Secretary Lolita Wikander NT Division Secretary

Michael McNally Queensland

Stuart Bunt UWA Damien Cahill Sydney

A ballot is held at National Council to elect ten ordinary members of the National Executive. From these, National Council elects a Vice-President (Academic) and Vice-President (General Staff). As 2018 is an election year, a ballot will be conducted at the National Council to elect the ten ordinary members of the National Executive, and subsequently the two VicePresidents.

Andrea Lamont-Mills USQ

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Rachael Bahl ACT

General Secretary: Grahame McCulloch

National Executive meets six times per year and is responsible for running the Union between meetings of National Council.

www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us/ national_executive

Division Secretaries x

Sarah Kaine UTS

Virginia Mansel Lees La Trobe Cathy Rojas Swinburne

Colin Long Victoria

Ron Slee SA

Melissa Slee RMIT Nick Warner Adelaide

Lolita Wikander NT

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 5

National President

Jeannie Rea National President

The purpose of this year’s series of roadshow events leading into the Future of the Sector national conference was to stage interventions in the ongoing debates about the future of universities, and more broadly post-secondary education, by foregrounding the interests and views of the people working in the sector.

The brief was not to just further analyse the characteristics and consequences of contemporary corporate management and culture, but to identify what needs to change. The next stage of this project is to develop and argue and advocate about change and how to get there. It is an opportunity for the NTEU to increase our profile, authority and impact in, and beyond, the sector by demonstrating constructive leadership based on principles of equality, fairness, democracy and collectivism.

Education is too important to leave to the market

Images (L–R): Jeannie Rea with ACTU President Michele O’Neil (Aug 2018); Margaret Beavis, Jeannie Rea & Dave Sweeney from ICAN with the Nobel Peace Prize medal (June 2018); Adelaide VC Peter Rathjen, Jeannie Rea, Research Fellow Dr Mark Dean & Dr Dee Michell at the Future of the Sector roadshow event in Adelaide (Aug 2018); WAC members displaying previous years’ Bluestocking Week posters (July 2018).

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At the September conference, I argued that we first had to get the neoliberal worm out of our heads. The point was not to make participants feel squeamish, but to emphasise that we have not got very far in defeating neoliberal policies and practices, by engaging our opponents on their turf.

When I decided to nominate for election for NTEU National President eight years ago, I was entirely frustrated with the

draining of public investment in tertiary education. We then had a Labor federal government, which had reviewed higher education and then proceeded to ignore the recommendations that greater public investment per student was required to maintain quality while expanding and diversifying the student cohorts through a demand driven system.

Many students later, there are many successful graduates, but only because of the intensive and committed work of university staff, who shamefully are increasingly employed insecurely.

Universities rely upon staff working for free, well beyond the hours they are paid, whether academic or professional, whether ongoing or contract or casually employed.

We have a mass higher education system, but one where students pay high fees, while other countries are lowering or abandoning fees, and government investment is amongst the lowest. Our system is dependent upon exploiting international and coursework postgraduate students who are paying top dollar for sometimes mediocre courses of arguable quality and purpose.

The previous Labor government responded to all this by taking higher education budgeted funds to pay for their school education initiative (‘Gonski’). Remember those ‘dumb cuts’? Why would you cut education to pay for education? Well, apparently because “Treasury and Finance” said they had to. No, they had a choice – and they made the wrong choice. Labor cut their own program to financially assist poorer students, which they had insisted was needed to keep these students studying.

The HECS/HELP debt too was spiralling out as more students entered the system, and it continues to do so. Labor and the Coalition have fairly similar answers to contain the debt. The Coalition just cut the payback threshold. All the stakeholders, including us, made good arguments based on evidence, that this would adversely impact upon the more vulnerable. What we also added was that if they lowered or, better still, stopped charging fees, then the debt would stop growing.

Meanwhile back in the universities, academic staff are being judged for promotion, contract extension and even a casual job next session, on criteria including student feedback on their performance expressed through generic, online student evaluation surveys, increasingly accompanied with rude and abusive comments from alienated students.

Students and professional and academic staff are monitored on their engagement with university data bases, when all the students wanted was someone to talk to.

Young researchers are advised to steer clear of controversy, and subjects and entire disciplines are in jeopardy. Meanwhile, Australian vice-chancellors are paid more than their counterparts around the world, while they have little public standing here since they supported a Coalition government plan to introduce full fees for domestic undergraduates while taking a 20% cut to university budgets.

Why am I reminding you of all this, in this my last report as National President?

Partly because I am reflecting upon my last eight years, but more importantly because we remain stuck in our higher education policy and research advocacy while we keep making our cases on their terms. We win a bit. We stop some bad policies going ahead – “No $100,000 degrees”. We exercise some soft power, and we have a lot to say to the politicians, the parliamentary committees, the media, our friends and others in tertiary education, and with other unions.

We will keep responding and advocating and campaigning as we must, but we need to also argue against the grain.

This is particularly pertinent as we face a federal election early next year, where Labor may have some good policies, but in the end they must be judged on whether

they put more money into the system. No sleigh of hands, no re-announcing already promised or allocated funds, or just lifting the current funding freeze.

The NTEU participated in advising the ALP on their proposed inquiry into postsecondary education, and we will of course welcome further involvement. But we must get across the key message that it is intolerable to expand tertiary education by casualising the workforce. Universities can make better budgeting decisions, and they must stop being part of the cover-up.

The tertiary education system relies on free labour from overworked staff, two-thirds of whom are employed precariously.

NTEU can do it Another motivation for running for national president was that our membership density was falling and the NTEU was no longer ‘the place to be’ on many campuses. Not only was university management intent on delegitimising the union, as their neoliberal lawyers and corporate experts told them they must, but many members (and potential members) didn’t really identify much with their union, except maybe during an enterprise bargaining campaign. We have to keep working on more participation in governance, but also to democratise our workplaces.

We need to keep bringing together members across campuses and beyond to find areas of common ground to act through the union. This has informed the thinking behind national conferences convened over the past eight years starting with climate change; and including the biennial women’s conference augmented by the annual Bluestocking Week in workplaces; continuing the annual Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders national forum and division lead-in forums; the now biennial workshops to support our members elected to governance bodies; as well as staff conferences. We brought back the QUTE (LGBTI) conference and will now make it regular, and likewise there are moves to regularise the general/ professional staff conference held a few years ago. A conference focused on teaching proved popular, a few years ago, but followup was then derailed by having to turn all

our attention to campaigning against bad government decisions.

More activity focused upon research staff concerns are needed, and we have a good basis with our relationships with CHASS and STA, and the CSIRO division of the CPSU. A conference on insecure work a few years ago sought to roll-in support across the union for insecurely employed colleagues, but this still remains challenging. We must keep emphasising that we are a union, and while solidarity with those like ourselves is easy enough, solidarity across all of us has to be continuously and consciously pursued.

As a union, we have a good public profile these days. It is not surprising, seeing as we are the ones that stand up for tertiary education and the university system, when the VCs run for cover. From the media to politicians, from leading actors and tertiary education commentators, the NTEU is sought out for our take on all sorts of issues. One of the reasons I was keen to turn our immense policy archive into an accessible Policy Manual, was so that NTEU spokespeople could readily find an NTEU policy position to back in their narrative and messages. Our communication platforms are more robust and in editing our journals, Advocate, Connect and Agenda, I have treated these as a record of the union’s positions and actions, but also to provoke debate. We have introduced the NTEU annual lecture, now in its eighth year, where we always seek to co-host with a university to again stamp our legitimacy as a core part of the university. And we now report back through this publicly accessible Annual Report.

I am returning to an academic position, and will continue to be an active member . I thank everyone for contributing to making the NTEU the most impressive union that we are and will continue to be. I especially want to recognise Grahame McCulloch’s outstanding performance as our General Secretary, and to wish Matt McGowan well as he steps into the position.

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www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us/ national_office/president

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 7

General Secretary Political overview

Grahame McCulloch, General Secretary

The Union’s work has taken place in a rapidly changing political environment.

At the time of writing the Coalition Government lags the Labor Party by eight points on the two party preferred basis. The Coalition’s losses in the cluster of ‘Super Saturday’ by-elections, continuing fall-out from the Hayne Royal Commission, failure to secure the passage of tax cuts for large corporations, and the collapse of a coherent energy policy drove the Coalition Party room to dump Malcolm Turnbull – giving Australia its sixth Prime Minister since 2010.

The new Morrison Government may yet recover ground for the Coalition but the conservative parties are struggling to maintain support in the face of a big shift in public sentiment about the role of markets, deregulation and the state in the shaping in Australia’s social and economic priorities. The public, and particularly young people, are looking for new solutions in the face of widening generational inequity, chronic job insecurity, stagnant wages and sky-high housing prices.

Against this backdrop the Union can have some cautious optimism about our ability to transform the existing policy, funding and industrial landscape of the higher education sector. The new ACTU leadership’s Change the Rules campaign has helped shape new workplace relations and public spending commitments from the Shorten-led Labor Opposition.

Images (L–R): Grahame McCulloch talking to a member’s meeting at VU (June 2018); Robert Anders & Grahame at A&TSI Forum (July 2018); 25 Years of Higher Education Unionism symposium (Aug 2018); Deakin University VC Jane den Hollander, Lawson Lobb & Grahame McCulloch at Grahame’s farewell dinner (Aug 2018).

Top: National Council 2017.

page 8 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

These include major reforms to the Fair Work Act (including the removal of employer rights to terminate Collective Agreements, widening the scope of the Award and bargaining systems and

foreshadowing possible industry-based bargaining), and a commitment to increased spending on education, health and community services.

Higher Education Funding Following the final 2017 Senate defeat of the Abbott/Pyne plan for a 20 per cent funding cut and the deregulation of student fees, the Union and its allies managed to also defeat funding cuts from new Minister Birmingham in 2018 – the proposed 2.5 per cent efficiency dividend and the introduction of contestability for a further 7.5 per cent of Commonwealth Operating Grants.

This was a very good result but was immediately followed by a discretionary Ministerial decision to place a freeze on funding the demand driven system.

Institutions are now only being funded on the basis of their 2017 domestic undergraduate student numbers. While larger and more financially diverse universities are reasonably well positioned to manage this change, it has serious implications for more teaching-focussed universities particularly those in regional areas.

All of this underlines the case for an incoming Labor Government to boost underlying base operating grants.

Industrial Since last year’s Council (at which I reported that three Round 7 Bargaining Agreements had been achieved) the Union has made very substantial bargaining progress. At the time of writing twenty-five universities have reached Agreements with

NTEU, and a further half dozen or so are getting close to Agreement.

All Agreements include a universal 17 per cent employer superannuation contribution for all fixed-term staff, improved paid Domestic Violence Leave within a range of 5-20 days, the maintenance or improvement of fixed-term contract renewal and conversion processes, protection of jointly agreed independent review rights for staff facing termination on misconduct or performance grounds, and the maintenance and extension of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment targets.

Very importantly, all Agreement expiry dates are clustered within a narrow band of between June and December 2021, with the very big majority expiring in June 2021. This is a big strategic gain which will enhance the Union’s national bargaining power when Round 8 commences in the first half of 2021.

The Union also secured a great victory when Murdoch University (despite its success in terminating the Round 6 Agreement in 2017) returned to the bargaining table in 2018. A new Collective Agreement maintaining all core conditions was reached after a week’s intensive bargaining, and Murdoch withdrew all legal action against the Union and two of its WA officials - Gabe Gooding (Division Secretary) and Alex Cousner (Industrial Officer).

Victoria University mimicked the hard line management agenda pursued by Murdoch and James Cook University when it sought to have a non-union Agreement approved in an all staff ballot in late September 2018. Thanks to the great work of the VU

Branch and many of the Union’s organising staff across the country, the management proposal was defeated by an overwhelming margin – 77 per cent against with a turnout of nearly 55 per cent of all staff.

It has been a great privilege and honour to serve the NTEU membership and the Union’s National Council and National Executive. I will have a little more to say about this at Council.

The Union is exceptionally well placed to successfully complete Round 7 by early 2019.

I want to record my thanks to NTEU staff at all levels of the Union, and to my fellow full-time National and State elected leaders, particularly my long standing comrade and colleague and outgoing President, Jeannie Rea.

Membership & Finance The Union’s membership declined by around 200 over the last year but this did not have adverse consequences for the Union’s financial position. There were modest membership contractions in Queensland, SA, WA, Victoria and ACT, strong growth in NSW and NT, and incremental growth in Tasmania.

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www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us/ national_office/general_secretary

Total Union spending was around $21.54 million (or about $0.56 million under budget), total income was around $22.43 million (or about $0.23 million over budget) producing an operating surplus of $0.89 million (or around $0.79 million over budget). The whole of the surplus has been allocated to the Defence Fund.

The Union’s balance sheet disclosed net equity of $27.99 million with property assets comprising $21.34 million, the Defence Fund $5.90 million and cash reserves of $0.75 million.

Thanks & Farewell I will bid all delegates and staff farewell at this year’s Council – my twenty-fifth for NTEU and my forty-first consecutive Council including those of antecedent bodies.

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 9

National Assistant Secretary The elected officers would usually end their Annual Report with a note of thanks to their fellow officers for their work and comradery over the year.

But 2018 was not an average year. This year we farewell two leaders of the Union and note their incredible contributions to NTEU, the broader union movement and the tertiary education sector.

Matthew McGowan National Assistant Secretary

After eight years as NTEU National President, Jeannie Rea has decided to stand down from the position. After 25 years as General Secretary, as well as another 12 years in prior leadership roles, Grahame McCulloch has also decided to stand down.

Their separate and combined contributions to NTEU cannot be adequately reflected here and there will be other opportunities to celebrate and thank them for their work. But it cannot pass without some comment on their contributions and on the implications for the Union and its future.

Images (L–R): Change the Rules rally in Melbourne (May 2018); Matt McGowan presenting a gift to Grahame McCulloch at Grahame’s farewell dinner (Aug 2018); Matt at National Council 2017.

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With 35 years of National leadership, no summary of Grahame’s contribution can properly reflect the significance of his work for the Union and our members. He was instrumental in the formation of both NTEU and UACA (one of the antecedent unions). There has been no major initiative or campaign that he has not played a significant role in. His skills and capacities have helped guide the Union through formation, unification, centralisation and consolidation of the Union’s finances, the development of our bargaining strategy, and the establishment of a culture where rigour and consistency are more important

than short term political advantage. He has steered the Union through attacks from successive Liberal Governments, including the HEWRRs and deregulation of the sector. He has made NTEU a political force both domestically and internationally. A full list of his achievements would take a book or two!

Jeannie Rea has dedicated her life to political activism and, like so many of us, the Union has been an important part of that commitment. In fact, her working life in post-secondary education has been an expression of her drive and commitment to firmly held values and their expression in social causes. In academic life, she has pursued her interest in a better society finding opportunity to teach and study social change, feminism, environmental science, media and communications, history and political science (to name a few).

In the Union, these diverse yet related interests have meant that we have benefited from the application of this knowledge. Jeannie has been an outstanding spokesperson and leader in the public domain as well in the back rooms. She was a key driver in standing up to the then Labor Government through the ‘Dumb Cuts’ campaign, which led to the ‘Vote Smart’ campaign during the 2013 federal election.

It is a testament to Jeannie’s skill that the Union was able to then work with Labor and the cross benches to aggressively oppose Coalition Government attempts to deregulate the sector through our ‘No $100,000 Degrees’ campaign. Her experience and skill in the media, in parliamentary offices, and with our members has ensured that NTEU is recognised as an independent

and policy driven union dedicated to protecting the sector and our members.

We have been blessed with exceptional leadership from both Jeannie and Grahame during their tenure which will make their absence keenly felt.

Yet change is inevitable and good for the Union.

Our challenge and opportunity is to focus on developing engaged and capable activists who will become the new leadership of the Union.

This is important not only for future leadership, but to growing membership, improving our campaigns for better Collective Agreements, and opposing corrosive government policy.

Our work in the Union over the past year has been geared to lifting our campaign capacity, and to developing and supporting delegates and activists at each Branch.

Membership Since last Council, the Union reached its highest ever membership at 28,056. This was achieved through significant effort by our staff and Branch activists. A focus on aggressive campaigning on behalf of members in a bargaining context showed again how visibility and activism attracts membership. Membership growth last year at UTS, Flinders, UTAS and Sydney has been repeated at the University of Melbourne, UQ, CDU, USC, UNE and UNSW this year.

Membership growth during bargaining is a model for the Union that we must continue to learn from and extend.

Across the Union, we need to learn how to maintain focus on growth when the bargaining campaigning slows. Short term growth is to be applauded. So should gradual and sustained growth as in the case of UTAS and CDU.

Tools for Development and Growth Last year’s Annual Report noted work on the development and distribution of a consolidated and integrated New Members Kit, development of a Recruitment Toolkit, distribution of a Delegates Kit,

and provision of Branches with regular membership information (useful historical and trend information) to help them assess their membership work.

In 2018, we have been working to implement and extend the use of these tools. While there are still a small number of Branches that have not formalized their delegates networks, across the majority a total of 672 delegates have been identified, trained and provided with the tools in our Delegates Kit. There is more work to be done on this front. In the coming year, establishment of regular national communications to delegates will commence, and there will be increased attention to the Training & Development needs of our Branch activists and delegates.

More on this will follow.

Not so visible, but equally as important, has been the development of additional tools to assist Branches. By the end of 2018, we will have the tools necessary to provide all but two Branches regular updates on staffing changes in their institutions thus relieving Organisers of the time-consuming task of compiling all-staff lists. This has been completed in over half the Branches to date, and the remainder are in development.

These new lists will give Branches regular advice on new staff who have commenced on campus providing the opportunity for targeted recruitment on a regular basis.

The other benefit will be to ensure our non member lists are as accurate as possible.

National Office is also working to iron out final bugs from a tool for Branches to simplify and streamline the sending of emails to members and non members. This tool will update changes to all member and non members lists, automatically process unsubscribe requests and other bounces, and reduce data handling at a Branch level.

This will increase data security for our lists by largely eliminating the need for Organisers to download full lists onto their computers for the purposes of sending membership emails. It is expected to be rolled out before 2018 National Council.

On 16 October 2018, I will take office as the new General Secretary and Alison Barnes will commence as the National President, whilst former WA Division Secretary, Gabe Gooding, will take over as National Assistant Secretary.

Following in the footsteps of Grahame McCulloch as the General Secretary is an enormous privilege and responsibility. It is not possible, nor would it be wise, to attempt to replicate the style and focus of his leadership. The change is a challenge and an opportunity.

It will be a challenge because his strengths are not my strengths.

NTEU has had stable leadership for many years. We have not had a change in the General Secretary’s role since the Union’s formation.

My commitment to the Union is to build on that stable leadership, while focusing on those leaders who will come after me.

As incoming General Secretary, I have made no secret of the fact that I do not intend to try to match Grahame’s longevity.

I intend to be judged on the growth and strength of our delegate structure, because active Union delegates are our Union’s future leaders.

It is worth repeating and it will be my mantra: Active Union Delegates are our Union’s Future Leaders.

We need to take the strengths of the past leadership, build on them, and work to the future, for there is much work to done. www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us/ national_office/national_assistant_ secretary

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The initiatives are designed to increase our capacity to build our strength and influence in the workplace, to develop future activists.

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 11

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Caucus Key activities: • Treaty/Treaties • Federal Budget 2018/19 • I’m Still Not a Racist, But… • Employment across the sector • Round 7 Bargaining • Forum 2018 • Campaigns, Visibility & Social Media

National A&TSI Coordinator: Adam Frogley National A&TSI Organiser: Celeste Liddle QLD/NT Div A&TSI Officer: Phil Mairu Branch Organiser (Monash): Frank Gafa

A&TSIPC 2017–18 Chair Terry Mason* Deputy Chair Sharlene Leroy-Dyer* Division A&TSI Councillors John Graham Qld* Aileen Marwung Walsh ACT Jacob Prehn Tas Shane Motlap NT NSW, SA & WA vacant *Also National A&TSI Councillors

Images (L–R): Queensland A&TSI Forum (Apr 2018); Djirri Djirri dancers at National A&TSI Forum 2018 (July 2018); Glen Stasiuk, Brendon DeGois and Phil Mairu at Forum; Taal Hampson, Maree Powell, Mitch Hibbens & Carla Jeffrey at Forum 2018.

page 12 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee (A&TSIPC) and the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Unit work in conjunction with all National Office Units, Divisions and Branches to provide advice and support on Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander culture, education, employment and social justice issues.

NTEU National Forum, with an updated motion on treaties and truth telling to be tabled at the 2018 National Council meeting.

Treaty/Treaties

This small funding increase follows efficiency dividend and budget cuts totalling $23.2 million in the 2017/18 Federal Budget. In effect funding for the ISSP is now two years behind projected funding increases as detailed in the 2015/16 Federal Budget forward estimates.

NTEU continues to support the campaign to see treaties negotiated between Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples and the Crown.

The release of the Statement From The Heart (Uluru Statement) in May 2017; the Turnbull Government’s rejection of the key recommendations of the Statement (advisory body to parliament) in October 2017 and more recently, the resolution to the ACTU Congress 2018 (Voice, Treaty and Truth Telling) in July 2018 show attempts to weaken grass-roots community calls for treaties and truth telling processes.

In July 2018, the NTEU National President and the Chair of the Policy Committee drafted a statement to ACTU Congress delegates that detailed the NTEU position on a voice to Parliament.

The position of the NTEU Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander caucus on treaties and truth telling was reaffirmed at the 2018

NTEU will maintain the campaign for treaties and will work to ensure grass-roots voices of A&TSI peoples continue to be influential in the national debate.

Federal Budget 2018/19 The release of the Federal Budget 2018/19 has seen a small return of funding to the Indigenous Student Success Program (ISSP) with a total of $2.97 million with projected funding across the forward estimates increased to a total of $9.79 million.

I’m Still Not a Racist, But… The National Unit undertook a survey of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members and Branches in April. The survey sought to ascertain the extent to which racial discrimination, cultural respect and lateral violence impacts those members and staff. The online survey was completed by 149 members.

Initial data on the follow-up report to the I’m Not a Racist, But… produced in 2011, has shown little to no improvement, with many expressing that racial discrimination, a lack of cultural respect and lateral violence have increased in the seven years since the initial report.

Initial findings from the member survey include: • 77.2% of member responses strongly agree that racial discrimination is widespread in Australian society – an increase of 9.7% from 2011.

• 83.7% of member responses detailed they continue to be treated less respectfully as a result of other perceptions of their culture or cultural obligations. This is an increase of 4.2% from 2011.

• 75.0% of member responses indicate members continue to experience racial discrimination in the workplace. This is an aggregated increase of 3.5% from 2011.

• Member responses show that lateral violence impacts 4 in 10 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members.

The final report will be released at National Council 2018.

Employment across the sector (2017) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic and general/professional staff comprise 1.1% headcount and 1.1% Full-Time Equivalent (FTE). In numeric terms, a total of 1,337 headcount and 1,203 FTE Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff are now reported as employed. In the period 20162017 there was an overall reported increase of 109 (headcount) or 89 (FTE).

National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Forum 2018

the second day of National Forum the Djirri Djirri Dances (Willy Wagtail dancers) performed for Forum delegates and members of the NTEU Women’s Action Committee (WAC).

beginning of the year with all scheduled to occur prior to the 1st July 2018. In three Divisions, Forum dates had to be revisited, although all Division Forums will be completed this year.

The National Forum agenda included the traditional yarn session, the Federal Budget 2018/19, Round 7 Bargaining, initial findings from the member survey ‘I’m Still Not a Racist, But’, campaigns, membership and social media, Treaties and truth telling, delegate training and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander motions for National Council 2018.

In addition to the Division Forums, member outreach activities have been conducted, both in person and remotely, at nearly two thirds of Branches. This has ranged from member meetings to participation in seminars to first port work on industrial issues. More activities are planned in the closing months of this year.

National Forum was deemed by delegates to be a great success and we look forward to the next Forum in 2019.

Round 7 Bargaining Round 7 bargaining has been challenging for the NTEU with a range of detestable action taken by university management to stifle or override the bargaining process, particularly for the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment claim.

The Round 7 claim for increasing Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment remains a mandatory settlement point, although employer push back to the claim has been significant at some sites and therefore cannot be left to the last item of negotiation in bargaining.

Membership – Data & Engagement

Thirty one Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander delegates and policy committee members along with ten NTEU elected officials, guests and staff registered to attend National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Forum 2018. This year was the 20th anniversary of National Forum with this year’s Forum returning to Conferences on Clarendon in Southbank, on the lands of the Boon Wurrung.

In 2018 national membership has slowly been increasing. This follows the annual downturn at the beginning of 2018 as members drop off the system at the end of their contracts. This trend has been a constant for many years. However, we have noticed that it has been growing over the past few years and therefore raises more concerns about the increase of precarious contracts within our member staffing cohorts.

National Forum 2018 was held over three days (Thursday to Saturday) to allow additional time to discuss business and for delegate training to be scheduled.

Current data suggests that our most unionised Divisions are Tasmania and the NT, but overall the average is still hovering around 40%.

Business discussed at National Forum 2018 was preceded by a magnificent welcome to country by Aunty Janet Galpin and on

Division Forums have been held in six out of 8 Divisions. As per motion C2gv2 (NCM 2017), proposed dates were circulated at the

Campaigns, Visibility & Social Media The Policy Committee and National Unit have been engaged in organising and working collaboratively on the following campaigns and social justice causes: • Invasion Day (particularly the organisation of the Melbourne rally).

• C DP and the First Nations Workers’ Alliance, and the broader wage justice cause.

• ACTU’s community forums on recognition, sovereignty and treaty.

• NAIDOC Week.

• T he broader push for recognition of sovereignty – within the union movement and more broadly.

In addition to this, further engagement is being undertaken with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members with regards to the Change the Rules campaign. This campaign also formed part of the Division Forum agendas this year.

The membership is still engaged regularly via an email circular which is also published online, and the caucus Facebook page and Twitter feed are progressing well.

During July/August, the National Organiser has also been assisting with the wider National NTEU social media. www.nteu.org.au/atsi

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 13

Women’s Action Committee Key activities: • Monitoring gender equity legislation and progress in the sector.

• Ensuring that gender balance, equity and advancement of women are integral to all NTEU structures, policies and practices.

• Coordinating Bluestocking Week each August.

• Contributing feminist critique to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, industrial, education & training, higher education policy and research analysis, materials and campaigns.

The national Women’s Action Committee (WAC) met in March and July in 2018. Activities undertaken include our annual Bluestocking week, monitoring the implications and implementations of the Change the Course report on sexual violence against university students; undertaking a university gender pay equity pilot study and the introduction of the Clare McCarty Women in Leadership Pilot Mentorship Program.

• Participating in trade union women’s activities.

Bluestocking Women Change the Rules: 13–17 August

• Engaging with and, where relevant, supporting research projects, conferences and publications of interest to women in the Union.

The theme for Bluestocking week this year enthusiastically picked up the ACTU campaign to Change the Rules and proudly proclaimed that Bluestocking women change(d) the rules. The theme underscored how Bluestocking women have always pushed against unfair laws and social norms, and their persistence and determination resulted in important changes that has advanced gender equality and women’s agency. However, it also reminds us that the challenges of sexism and patriarchal cultures and practices still dominate private and public life, and that women of today must continue this push for change while mindful of the need for feminism to be inclusive and intersectional.

• Producing the women’s publication Agenda.

Images (L–R): Megan Lee, Jane Maze and Belinda Townsend at the ACT Division’s Bluestocking Bingo (Aug 2018); Noeline Rudland, Annette Veness and Barb Williams at the Queensland Women’s Conference (Aug 2018); NTEU women at the VTHC Women Changing the Rules conference (June 2018); Celebrating Bluestocking Week at VU (Aug 2018).

page 14 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

Gender Pay Gap Project The NTEU has partnered with the University of Southern Queensland on a pilot interrogating what is causing the persistence of the gender pay gap in universities. This project builds on previous work undertaken by the Union in identifying the causes of the gender pay gap for professional, academic and research staff.

The project examines total remuneration data, including discretionary payments and conduct focus groups of selected members to help identify barriers to achieving gender pay equality. A progress report on the project will be given at National Council.

NTEU Support for Change the Course Report and Recommendations In 2017 the Australian Human Rights Commission released its report into sexual harassment and assault in Australian universities. The report made a number of recommendations that were endorsed by Universities Australia and all universities either agreed to implement in principle or in full.

The Union has been monitoring the implementation of the recommendations through our Branches, and while supportive of the report we have a number of concerns with the resourcing of these recommendations and the impact on staff.

We also share student concerns on the use of contractors to implement support services and the effectiveness of some of the consent modules.

Furthermore, it remains a concern that the experiences of university staff have not been investigated, despite being in the same workplace environment as students. The Human Rights commission, though, is now undertaking an investigation into sexual harassment across Australian workplaces, which is supported by NTEU and the ACTU. An NTEU survey on sexual harassment in the workplace will be released at National Council 2018.

Like in the United States, women in the highly unionised media and entertainment industry in Australia have been persistent in calling out current and past sexual harassment and assault and this has emboldened other women across other sectors.

Clare McCarty Women in Leadership Pilot Mentorship Program In 2017 the NTEU launched the Clare McCarty Leadership Program, a pilot mentorship program aimed at increasing women’s participation through all levels of the NTEU and developing women leaders.

Named after the late Dr Clare McCarty, a long-time the South Australian political activist, union leader and feminist, the pilot was run by South Australian Division from August 2017 to March 2018. The Division has reported that the program achieved its goals of encouraging and developing more women activists and elected leaders. It will be repeated in SA and is being considered for introduction by other Divisions.

Principles for Respectful Supervisory Relationships One of the findings of the Change the Course Report related to postgraduate students who reported sexual harassment and assault in supervisory relationships.

As a result the NTEU worked closely with Universities Australia, CAPA and the Australian Council of Graduate Research on a number of principles to underpin the relationship between an academic supervisor and their research student.

These principles state that a romantic, sexual or personal relationship between a supervisor and postgraduate student always raises questions over consent,

academic integrity and conflicts of interest, and as a result, alternative supervisory arrangements must be made.

Furthermore, the Principles underline what considerations institutions need to make to assist students who wish to disclose incidents of sexual harassment and assault, whilst ensuring procedural fairness for all parties. It is the strong view of the NTEU that these Principles should be adopted by all institutions.

Participation of Women in the University Workforce The latest Department of Education data shows that there are 71 526 women university staff, making up 56% of all university staff. Of these, some 43,175 (34%) are general/professional staff, and 28,351 (22%) academic. However, data from the Workplace Gender Equity Agency (WGEA) shows that numbers of men tend to pool at the higher academic levels.

In terms of job security, the largest cohort of permanent employees are female general/professional staff (who account for 21% of all FTE or 60% of female FTE).

Interestingly, in relation to casual/ limited term employment the gender breakdown across all institutions is relatively even; with 20 universities out of 39 having more women than men (FTE) employed as casuals.

However, there is again, a clear link between level of appointment and gender, with men dominating at the higher levels (Level C and above for academic staff, and Levels 9 and above for general/professional staff).

For more information on gender in the university workforce, see the NTEU’s publication The Prevalence of Insecure Employment at Australian Universities.

WAC 2017–18 Chair Jeannie Rea A&TSIPC Rep Anna Strzelecki ACT Gen: Cathy Day ANU Aca: Sara Beavis ANU NSW Gen: Laura Wilson Sydney Aca: vacant NT Gen: Sylvia Klonaris CDU Aca: Donelle Cross BIITE QLD Gen: Diane Lancaster CQU Aca: Debra Beattie Griffith SA Gen: Kate Borrett UniSA Aca: Darlene McNaughton Flinders TAS Gen: Jenny Smith UTAS Aca: vacant VIC Gen: Sara Brocklesby Melbourne Aca: Virginia Mansel Lees La Trobe WA Gen: Corinna Worth Curtin Aca: Suzanne Jenkins ECU WAC comprises one academic and one general staff representative from each Division, as well as a nominee of the A&TSI Policy Committee. WAC is chaired by the National President. www.nteu.org.au/women

Participation of Women in NTEU Over the last 18 years there has been a slow increase in the number of women NTEU members (48% in 2000 to 58% in 2018), slightly higher than the sector. The largest group of members are women academics at 8,813 (55% of women members, almost 32% of all members).

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NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 15

Industrial Key activities: • Collective bargaining • Industrial disputes • Award Review National Industrial Coordinator: Sarah Roberts Acting National Industrial Coordinator: Wayne Cupido (July-Aug 2018) Industrial Officers: Wayne Cupido, Susan Kenna, Campbell Smith (from April 2018), Alex Cousner (Jan–April 2018) Admin Officer – Industrial: Renee Veal The Unit is under the direction of the General Secretary.

The Union movement continues to operate in a challenging legislative environment, with the current laws being used to frustrate our efforts to take industrial action and enforce the rights of our members. This round of bargaining has seen many employers apply to the Fair Work Commission to curtail our right to take industrial action. Regrettably, this delaying tactic has been accommodated by the current Fair Work Act and a number of decisions of the Commission.

The ACTU’s Change the Rules campaign provides a genuine opportunity to restore and repair a system that has critically limited the capacity for working people to organize and take industrial action without fear of legal action and penalties. The unfairness of the current laws needs to be addressed and all members should engage with, and support the campaign to lobby for a fair system.

Bargaining

Images (L–R): Change the Rules march in Perth (May 2018); NTEU UQ casual members Sam Lindop, Robert Hogg & Kate Warner (Feb 2018); Members with ACTU Secretary Sally McManus at the Hobart Change the Rules rally (April 2018).

Top: May Day rally in Canberra (May 2018).

page 16 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

As the bargaining round unfolds, certain trends have become identifiable across the sector. In particular, there is even greater management propensity to engage lawyers to undertake their bargaining and /or associated correspondence (Murdoch, Deakin, James Cook University), making

bargaining an unnecessarily legalistic and resource intensive experience on both sides. Further, the round has been marked by modest wage offers across the sector, reflecting depressed nationwide economic conditions.

To date settlements have been negotiated at 13 institutions (15 Agreements), including pay increases of between 5.9% (Murdoch) to 10.4% (CQU); and an increase to 17% superannuation for all fixed term staff.

In 2017-2018 the National Industrial Unit has been engaged in bargaining at the Australian National University, Charles Darwin University, the University of South Australia, University of Canberra and University of Melbourne.

Delays of up to four months in getting Agreements approved have been common in this round as a consequence of a more forensic, and sometimes pedantic, approach taken by the Fair Work Commission (FWC). The Industrial Unit has supported a number of Branches and Divisions in successfully challenging some of the assessments made by the FWC.

Protected Action Ballots (PABOs) Almost every application for a protected action ballot order has been challenged by the employers, often with the legal representation, to delay and frustrate our right to take protected industrial action. Of note the employers have raised objections that relate to our choice of ballot agents, the wording of our questions, whether we had been trying to genuinely reach agreement, the scope of the Enterprise Agreement, the notification time for industrial action and a range of other matters.

The Union successfully challenged one decision made by a single member to the Full Bench of the FWC that related to extra days’ notice of industrial action on the grounds that students would be adversely affected by some of our bans. In this case, the Full Bench, held in our favour and quashed the part of the decision that required us to give five days’ notice.

The Full Bench considered that there had been no evidence upon which the Commissioner at first instance could have relied to be satisfied that exceptional circumstances existed, and that he had misdirected himself in the test required.

There was no need to re-ballot or reapply for the order.

Bargaining in other sectors Bargaining outside the university sector has been busy too, with many other new Agreements reached in 2017-18, including for student unions, training institutes, ELICOS, Navitas, Research Institutes and TAFE.

Key disputes In 2018 the Union has been engaged in three key defensive disputes.

Murdoch – “Misrepresentations” In late May this year, Murdoch University approached NTEU proposing a settlement, to this protracted case involving allegations of misrepresentations and coercion against the Union. After some high level discussions the matter was settled.

Congratulations should go to everyone involved, especially WA Division Secretary Gabe Gooding for her stamina and forbearance in handling this protracted fight with Murdoch.

Murdoch – Termination of Agreement In the aftermath of the Fair Work Commission’s decision to terminate the Murdoch Agreement, the University engaged in bargaining with the Union and, significantly altered its position.

Murdoch proposed to reincorporate provisions relating to serious misconduct, unsatisfactory performance and workloads into the Agreement.

In February 2018 a Memorandum of Understanding was reached between Murdoch University and NTEU and in March 2018 the Murdoch Agreement was approved by the National Executive.

Award Review

NTEU Awards are also being varied to reflect the Commission’s decisions in several common claims across all industries. These include: • Award flexibility and time off in lieu of overtime.

• The management and cashing out of excess annual leave.

• Payment of wages.

• Domestic Violence leave • Family friendly arrangements.

Meanwhile both the Federal Government and the opposition are supporting legislation which would see an end to the time consuming and costly award review process.

Though our modern awards have been ‘stripped back’ considerably by the Fair Work Commission when compared with pre-2010 awards, they remain important to what ends up in the Collective Agreements which cover the majority of NTEU members.

The Industrial Unit is also involved in a number of other projects including the ACTU ‘Change the Rules’ campaign and the implementation of our new Agreements.

NTEU had some success with our smaller claims however, (for example, around criteria for redundancy in relation to academic staff) and we were successful in preventing the more dangerous employer claims, including:

www.nteu.org.au/rights

Special thanks goes to Renee Veal for her assistance in compiling this report.

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• Removal of the requirement to pay severance upon the expiry of a fixed term contract.

• Attempts to introduce a new category of fixed term employment for whenever work is introduced or discontinued, and • An argument that academic staff should only take annual leave during nonteaching periods.

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 17

Policy & Research Key activities: • Higher education policy, funding and regulation • Insecure employment • Sexual assault on campus • TPP • Academic freedom • Student evaluation of teaching • Research Code of Conduct National Policy & Research Coordinator: Paul Kniest Policy and Research Officers: Dr Terri MacDonald, Dr Jen Tsen Kwok (to May 2018).

The unit works under the direction of the National President.

Images (L–R): Matthew King (ANU Branch President), Rachael Bahl (ACT Division Secretary), Lachlan Clohesy (ACT Division Organiser) & Vanamali Hermans (NTEU Anna Stewart Program intern); Cover of ‘The Flood of Insecure Employment at Australian Universities’; Paul Kniest (Policy & Research Coordinator), Jeannie Rea (National President), Deborah Walsh (UQ Branch), Professor Peter Adams (President, UQ Academic Board) & Andrew Bonnell (National Vice President, Academic) at the Future of the Sector Roadshow in Queensland (Aug 2018).

Demand driven funding put on ice The NTEU’s Pay More Get Less campaign was successful in helping to defeat the Turnbull Coalition Government’s Higher Education Reform Package introduced on 1 May 2017. Having failed twice previously to convince the Parliament to support its radical plan to deregulate university fees and $100,000 degrees, the Coalition again failed to gain support for Plan C, which involved taking more (7.5% increase in fees) while at the same time giving universities less (2.5% efficiency dividend).

Instead, the Government reverted to using a provision in the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (Section 30-27) to specify each university’s maximum funding. The decision was part of the 2017-18 Mid-Year Fiscal and Economic Outlook (MYEFO) statement released in mid-December. It determined that the level of funding each university would receive through the Commonwealth Grants Scheme (CGS) in 2018 and 2019 would not be more than 2017 levels.

From 2020 any extra funding would be tied to growth in the 18-64 year old population and distributed on the basis of yet to be determined performance criteria. Funding is no longer tied to student load and cost increases, and therefore the rationale and operation of the demand driven funding model has been put into cryogenic storage.

The funding freeze however, gave the Government exactly what it wanted: $2.2 billion in savings.

NTEU analysis shows that depending on how universities respond, either staff (through higher workloads or lower pay

or both) or students (through reduced enrolments, unmet demand or lower levels of servicing or both) will be forced to bear the costs of the freeze. It will be all but impossible for universities to offer the same educational experience and maintain current participation rates.

HELP! The Coalition Government has also succeeded in lowering the income threshold for Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debts to $45,000. Under the new threshold and repayment schedules someone earning $55,000 would be required to pay $1,100 a year in HELP repayments. The irony is that this affects the people targeted by the early stages of the Government’s personal income tax cuts, which then-Treasurer Scott Morrison said will reduce the cost pressures on households. People who have HELP debts and earn between $45,000 and $55,000 will be worse off, even after taking the tax cuts into account.

The NTEU strongly lobbied the Government, Opposition, Greens and crossbenchers on this matter.

The Flood of Insecure Employment NTEU’s analysis of latest employment data shows that the rising tide of insecure employment at universities has not subsided and that universities are now overflowing with people without secure jobs. Headcount data shows that only just over one in three (35%) university employees have ongoing or permanent jobs, almost half (45%) were casuals and about one in five (20%) were on short term

The Flood

of Insecure Employment at Australian Universities

August 2018

page 18 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

contracts.

In addition to highlighting the overwhelming use of insecure employment, staffing data also shows continued feminisation of the higher education workforce with women now accounting for almost six out of ten (58%) of all employees.

Increasing specialisation in academic work is another strongly emerging trend. On a full time equivalent (FTE) basis, there are now more specialised academic positions (teaching-only and research-only) at Australian universities than there are teaching and research academic positions.

This directly affects insecure employment, with eight out of ten FTE teaching-only positions being casuals and eight out of ten FTE research-only positions being limited term contracts. Tenured teaching and research academic staff, once considered the bedrock of our universities, now account for less than one in five (16.5%) of all university FTE positions.

The Government continues to argue that universities have plenty of money and the Opposition’s sole commitment on higher education at this stage is to reverse the funding freeze.

Sexual Assault on Campus The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) released its Change the Course report a year ago, which showed that 51% of students were sexually harassed at least once in 2016, of which about half occurred in a university setting. 6.9% of student reported being sexually assaulted at least once in 2015 or 2016.

Universities are responding with changes to policies and practices with NTEU Branches monitoring the efficacy of changes and the impact upon staff. The NTEU’s lobbying for a similar survey covering staff has not been successful. However, the AHRC is now undertaking a larger inquiry on workplace sexual harassment, which is supported by NTEU and the ACTU.

TPP Revived In March 2018 Australia became one of eleven signatories to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for TransPacific Partnership (CPTPP). Despite

not including the USA, NTEU remains concerned that the CPTPP just like the TPP will, amongst other things, open up international access to Australia’s higher education markets including through outsourcing of academic and other higher education support related services.

Research Code of Conduct

NTEU, with other unions, is continuing to lobby the ALP to reject the TPP 11.

Future of the Sector Roadshow & Conference

Academic Freedom

The purpose of the Future of the Sector project was to organise opportunities for workers in the sector to intervene in ongoing debates around the future role of universities, and more broadly postsecondary education. While much of the focus of these debates is upon the future of work and workers, little attention has been paid to the future jobs and expectations of university workers.

The Government appointed Dr Vivienne Thom to conduct a review of the Defence Trade Controls (DTC) Act (2012). The Department of Defence is recommending that the powers of the Government to prohibit the supply, including in some instances the publication, of certain defence technologies be expanded, which is tantamount to giving the Minister the power of veto over international collaboration over a wide range of research.

This reinforces NTEU’s original concerns that the DTC would have a chilling effect on research and severely impinge on academic freedom.

Student Evaluation of Teaching Following reports of abusive comments by students and unfair use in staff performance management, in April 2018 NTEU conducted a survey of members about their experience of student evaluations of their teaching and of subjects/units. The results based on about 2,500 responses showed that evaluations of teaching were highly standardised on-line exercises with very low student response rates. Less than half the respondents felt the evaluations were being used in any way to improve teaching.

The NTEU participated in the development of a Better Practice Guide, which augments the rewrite of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research 2018 ,and was released on 18 June 2018.

A national conference was held in Melbourne with seven lead-up roadshow events around the country. One outcome is enthusiasm to keep the roadshow on the road.

Affiliations The NTEU continues to be affiliated and collaborate with Science and Technology Australia (STA) and the Council for Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS).

We also continue to support and participate on the Advisory Board of the Centre for Future Work. The Union also represents the ACTU on the Education Visa Consultative Committee (EVCC). We continue our strong working relationship with the National Union of Students (NUS) and Council of Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) and with Universities Australia.

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www.nteu.org.au/policy

Six-out-of-ten respondents said the responses contained disrespectful or abusive comments. While less than half the people who received these comments made formal complaints, this may have been due to the fact that in only about one-in-ten cases were complaints formally investigated.

The report was launched as part of the Future of the Sector Roadshow at the University of Queensland.

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 19

Union Education Key activities: • Education programs • Specialist national projects • NTEU All Staff Conference review • Scholarships • Education curriculum & materials development Education & Training Officers: Ken McAlpine & Helena Spyrou The program is overseen by the National President and General Secretary.

Union Education provides education and training to NTEU officers, members and staff that addresses their needs while supporting the Union’s strategic objectives.

Delivered through the National Office by National Union Education Officers Ken McAlpine and Helena Spyrou, the program receives assistance from National, Division and Branch staff and officers. It is overseen by the National President and General Secretary.

During this period, some activities have been delayed, due to reduced staffing.

Education Program Union Education reflects the capacity of NTEU members and staff as learners to actively engage with complex issues. As well as building on existing knowledge, the education program asks participants to reflect upon their practice and contribute to the development of new knowledge and practices.

Most work aims to be consistent with 2007 Education and Training Framework, which is based upon three subject areas – The Union, The Higher Education System, and Work and Employment, and three components – Knowledge, Activities and Practices.

Images (L–R): Victorian Casuals Professional Development day (Sept 2018); Rifai Abdul delivering training (Oct 2017).

page 20 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

The program is a mix of content identified and requested by members and staff, and content identified by senior officers and the National Executive as supporting urgent or important priorities. Most

delivery is face-to-face with some delivery via webinar.

Union Education staff develop education materials and training manuals to implement the program, including ‘train the trainer’ education.

Union Education staff provide expert content design, coordination, and delivery to NTEU conferences and workshops, such as the: Biennial Women’s Conference, Annual A&TSI Forum, Biennial Governance Workshop, Biennial Elected Officers Workshop, All Staff Conference.

Union Education staff ensure that knowledge and good practices that already exist within the Union are recorded, accessible and shared. The NTEU Wiki and the Friday Sessions are two examples of this.

Branch committee and delegate development education Union Education ran Branch Committee induction and Delegate development programs for a number of Branches and has supported Divisions with resources to run their own programs at Branches, including a Delegates Handbook and dedicated Delegates website.

Enterprise Bargaining & Campaigning for Bargaining Training Courses were delivered to fifteen Branches.

NTEU Bargaining resources, include a Bargaining Campaign Kit.

Recruitment Training This course combines both face-to-face training and field-work, and includes a train-the-trainer component. It provides

skills to staff, Branch committees and delegates to undertake this work and to train others to recruit. A Recruitment Toolkit, with a dedicated recruitment website has been developed.

General Courses Currently five courses are offered that build upon existing knowledge and incorporate a train-the-trainer component to develop the capacity of participants to themselves run sessions for members. They are: • General Staff Classification • Academic Promotion • Academic Freedom and Writing for the Union • Workplace Bullying and Case Management • Industrial and Legal Skills Intensive.

Induction Arrangements for New Staff New staff receive an online induction kit when they begin their NTEU employment.

They are then invited to a two-day induction to learn about their role and the sector. Divisions provide the initial administrative induction for new staff. Two courses were run during 2017–2018.

Financial Governance Training Union Education provided the mandated financial governance training to new officers.

TAFE Classification Training

Conferences & Workshops Union Education staff provide expert content design, coordination, and delivery to NTEU conferences and workshops.

During this period it provided support to the A&TSI Forum and the National Workshop on Accountability on University Councils and Boards.

National Workshop on Accountability on University Councils and Boards This workshop, aimed at addressing issues affecting NTEU representatives on University Boards, was run in May 2018. It was attended by the 34 NTEU representatives. The Workshop began with a public forum that discussed the state of university governance and how staff can best represent their University on these bodies. This was followed with two days that focused on assisting workshop participants to problematise issues they face as representatives on these governing bodies.

Specialist National Projects NTEU Women in Leadership Mentorship Pilot Program Union education collaborated with the Women’s Action Committee and the SA Division to pilot a mentorship program, named the Clare McCarty Leadership Program, aimed at developing women leaders within the NTEU. It ran from August 2017 to March 2018.

The Friday Sessions, webinars, recommenced in 2018 and are being offered fortnightly.

The Women in Leadership Mentorship Program Handbook for Branches and Divisions provides an overview of the Pilot, an evaluation and lessons learnt.

The Guide for Mentors and Mentees is for mentors and mentees who participate in forthcoming NTEU Women in Leadership Mentorship Programs.

Train the Trainer Education

Students, Your Rights At Work

The Union Education program needs to be supported with ‘train the trainer’, as the primary mode of delivery should be at a Division or Branch level, by local staff or officers. To date, train the trainer education has been developed for the General Courses, ‘lunch and learn’ sessions, recruitment and Branch and delegate skills training.

Union Education developed materials for students in Higher Education for delivery at the beginning of lectures by NTEU member academics. Union Education will train delegates and other interested members on the delivery of these materials. Handouts, presentation slides and a video have been prepared. Delivery is commencing.

Union Education ran courses for general staff in four Victorian TAFEs.

Interactive Online Education Sessions

Gender Pay Equity Project NTEU has partnered with USQ to determine the extent of the gender pay gap for academic, research and general staff at USQ. Union education will conduct the focus groups.

NTEU All Staff Conference Review

group, convened by the National Organiser and Union Education, reported its recommendations to National Executive in June 2018.

NTEU Scholarship Program Union Education administers two NTEU scholarships: Joan Hardy Scholarship for post-graduate nursing research ($5000) and Carolyn Allport Scholarship for postgraduate feminist research ($15,000 over three years).

In 2018, NTEU received 28 applications for Carolyn Allport Scholarship and ten applications for Joan Hardy Scholarship.

The Scholarships were awarded in August 2018.

Education Curriculum & Materials Development Review of the 2007 NTEU National Education Framework A proposed outline for how this framework can best be applied to the current Education and Training program is being developed. Union Education continues to expand and update Manuals, Guides and other education resources.

How To Guides – Planning & Running Events & Activities A set of guides to assist NTEU staff and Officers to run events and activities for NTEU members is being developed.

Examples are: How to plan and run – a successful quiz night, a fundraising BBQ, a morning tea and information session.

NTEU Wiki NTEU Wiki is a collection of ‘articles’ providing information and analysis of issues relevant to the sector and the union movement. This wiki continues to expand.

NTEU Learning Centre Union education has developed resources which include how to guides, presentation slides, strategies, scenarios and activities for addressing both content and skill areas.

Campaigning for FWA Legislative Change NTEU is participating in ACTU Change the Rules campaign including drafting of a new act as well as organising and mobilising support for change. Change the Rules content has been incorporated into Union Education programs.

Professional Development for Casual Staff Union Education develops materials and runs sessions for this initiative started by a casual member at Deakin.

•

www.nteu.org.au/myunion/education_ training

The Staff Conference Working Group progresses the recommendations in the 2016 NTEU All Staff Conference Final Statement. The working NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 21

Organising & Campaigns Key activities: • National organising • Campaign development & support • Delegates • Lobbying Kit • State of the Uni survey • Events and elections National Organiser: Michael Evans National Publications Coordinator: Paul Clifton National Media & Communications Officer: Andrew MacDonald (to July 2018) Admin Officer – Membership & Campaigns: Julie Ann Veal

Secure Jobs/Change the Rules Campaign Since the plan for the “Job Security in Australian Universities” campaign was adopted by the NTEU National Executive in April 2017, the ACTU has developed and is implementing the Change the Rules campaign, in which the NTEU is participating with the whole trade union movement.

• Constant restructures and redundancies leave many more in ongoing fear about the security of their jobs.

Objectives of the NTEU campaign are to: • To win more permanent jobs through Round 7 enterprise bargaining.

• To improve other conditions of fixed term and casual staff.

NTEU’s Secure Jobs campaign is consistent with, and now part of, the broader ACTU campaign.

NTEU will continue to make campaigning for legislative change and improved job security in higher education the highest policy and campaigning priorities in the lead-up to the next federal election, due by May 2019. This will include active participation in the ACTU Change the Rules campaign as well as industry specific campaigns.

• Four out of five teaching-only staff are on casual contracts.

• Four out of five research-only staff are on fixed term contracts.

• Less than 3% of new university jobs between 2005 and 2016 are ongoing or tenured teaching and research positions.

• At least half of university undergraduate teaching is done by casually employed academics.

page 22 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

• In 2016, 65% of the total number of staff in universities were employed insecurely.

The key element of the Change the Rules campaign is to change the industrial framework through changes and improvements to the Fair Work Act, and in particular, around the right to strike. Another significant element of the campaign is to address the issue of increasing insecure employment in Australia.

Growing job insecurity continues throughout the whole economy, but nowhere more so than in the higher education sector, where:

Images (L–R): May Day in Sydney (May 2018); Change the Rules rally in Hobart (Apr 2018).

of ten on a FTE basis.)

• Only 2 out of 10 newly appointed staff are employed on a permanent basis (or 3 out

• To enforce new and existing provisions.

• To increase union density.

• To achieve major improvements to the existing industrial framework, in particular the right to strike, as part of the Change the Rules campaign.

We will focus on the following activities over the next 12 months: 1. Enterprise bargaining and enforcement: • Widely publicise our gains so far in Round 7 bargaining.

• Produce a range of fact sheets highlighting the key issues around job insecurity.

• Actively pursue enforcement processes to ensure that gains from bargaining are

properly implemented at each Branch, e.g. creation of new Scholarly Teaching Fellow positions (STFs) or equivalent; reaching numeric targets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff positions.

• Focus on recruiting higher education staff to the Union to increase the effectiveness of our campaign work.

2. On-campus activities around insecure employment: • Develop activities that engage and activate casual staff members.

• Develop approaches for engaging and recruiting fixed-term contract staff.

3. Participate in the ACTU marginal seats campaign for the next federal election.

4. Develop systematic approaches to Branch and Division delegations of members visiting local Members of Parliament to lobby around these issues. This should occur before the federal election and continue following the election.

Workplace Delegates Most Branches have gone through the process of endorsing Workplace Delegates, including their registration on the membership database.

The National Office has been progressively sending Delegates Kits to Branches for distribution to endorsed Delegates. The Delegates Kit comprises:

Manual, links to campaigns, FAQs and information and resources for recruiting new members to the Union. delegates.nteu.org.au

NTEU Lecture The seventh Annual NTEU lecture was held on 16 November at the Australian National University. The Lecture was presented by the Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG, former High Court Justice and more recently Chair of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights Violations in North Korea.

The lecture, entitled “The joys and tears of Australian engagement in universal human rights in the United Nations”, initially explored both the national engagement of Australia with the United Nations initiatives on universal human rights that date back to the Charter (1945) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) adopted with an Australian, HV Evatt, in the chair as third president of the UN General Assembly.

However, the Lecture was held the day after the outcome of the marriage equality plebiscite was declared, and Mr Kirby consequently focused on the issues around marriage equality in the context of human rights and equality more generally. He especially noted the work that NTEU had done to support a Yes vote in the plebiscite.

• The Recruitment Toolkit.

A video of Mr Kirby’s Lecture is available online. The March 2018 edition of Advocate includes a detailed report on the lecture.

• Delegates stickers.

www.nteu.org.au/lecture

• The new national Delegates Handbook.

• NTEU lanyard.

• Delegate badge.

• Delegate union business cards.

We have developed a dedicated NTEU Workplace Delegates web site, launched in early March 2018.

The website is designed to be a ‘one stop shop’ for Delegates to access information and resources to assist with the tasks of building the Union and representing members.

It includes an online version of the new Delegates Handbook, the NTEU Policy

State of the Uni Survey University staff throughout Australia were invited to complete our 2017 State of the Uni Survey in May 2017. This is the second biennial survey, the first occurring in 2015.

It is part of an ambitious project to build longitudinal information about university staff attitudes to: • The higher education sector.

• Their university.

• Their conditions at work.

• Unions in the university workplace.

The National Office has produced an overview of the results, the first in a series of reports to be produced. Key highlights about the survey and its outcomes include: • Over 15,000 university staff responded to the 2017 Survey, more than double the number of responses to the 2015 Survey.

• Survey respondents were split almost evenly between union members (51%) and staff who are not union members (49%).

• Reinforcing the findings of the 2015 Survey, the 2017 responses again show a lack of faith in the Liberal National Party Coalition’s higher education policy direction. Less than 3% cent of respondents agreed federal policy settings were taking universities in the right direction.

• Conducted shortly after the Turnbull government unveiled plans in the May 2017 budget to cut $2.8 billion in funding while increasing student fees, the survey found virtually no support (2.6%) for the Government’s plans. The funding cut alone had even less support (2%).

• In expressing deep opposition to funding cuts, staff in their qualitative responses described higher education as a sector stretched to its limits to provide quality education with the immense growth of student enrolments and its dependency on international student fees.

• Respondents were also critical of university senior management and their salaries. Only 16.6% of respondents agreed that executive staff receive salaries appropriate for the work they do, only 27.6% claimed confidence in the ability of senior managements, and only 15.2% agreed that workplace change is handled well at their institution.

• Almost 80% agreed that universities have become too corporate in their outlook.

• One of the largest shifts in focus was to the participation of staff and students on university Councils and Senates, with 83.8% agreeing that they had an important role to play, compared to 72.3% in 2015.

• Respondents also clearly value their university jobs, with a slightly higher continued overpage...

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 23

number agreeing that their work gives them satisfaction (up to 73.2% from 71.6%). In 2017, positive work relationships with colleagues became the most commonly cited source of job satisfaction. www.nteu.org.au/stateoftheuni/2017_ results

NTEU Lobbying Kit The National Office has updated our materials relating to lobbying Members of Parliament, and encourages Divisions and Branches to engage with their local MPs in their electorate.

The initial political focus was on the higher education changes announced in the MYEFO statement in December 2017 that froze university funding for two years, effectively cutting funding by $2.2 billion.

The focus has now shifted to the issues in the Secure Jobs/Change the Rules campaign, in particular the unacceptable levels of insecure employment in higher education and the unfair industrial laws. www.nteu.org.au/lobbying

NTEU Elections Assistance was provided to manage the NTEU election processes in the following ways: • Setting up and managing the web-based resources for nomination forms and declaration of results.

• Inviting candidates in contested elections for full-time elected positions and Branch Presidents and Secretaries to provide statements and photos, then compiling and sending this information to the respective group of members when the ballots opened.

Elections for University Councils/ Senates and the UniSuper Consultative Committee Universities generally have between one and four elected staff representatives on the University Council or Senate, the highest decision making body in the university. Similarly, UniSuper has a member-based Consultative Committee,

page 24 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

comprising two elected staff members (one academic staff member and one general/ professional staff member) from each university. Universities regularly conduct elections of one form or another to fill these positions.

A register of the election cycles and staff representatives for each university for each of these bodies has been compiled.

This will assist the Union’s involvement in these elections, in terms of supporting staff who are Union members to nominate and hopefully get elected to these bodies.

•

Recruitment & Retention Key activities: • Recruitment and Growth Team • Member services National Organiser: Michael Evans National Membership Officer: Melinda Valsorda

The work of the National Growth Team has been wound down over the course of 2018. It is clear that over the last few years the program has yielded diminished returns and the financial costs presently outweigh the benefits of the program to the Union.

Our recruitment activities this year have instead focused on working with Branch Organisers, delegates and activists to implement a model of best practice around recruitment activities.

These efforts have focused on the active participation of Branch staff, activists and delegates in growth work to enable them to learn effective recruitment techniques

through observation and participation activities as part of training sessions.

Techniques and practices learned can then be applied as part of ongoing recruitment efforts in Branches.

The objectives of this approach are to develop and promote a recruitment culture within the existing membership; to develop recruitment skills among union staff, delegates and activists; to provide a best-practice recruitment model for ongoing use in Branches; to maintain a sustainable union growth and to contribute towards each Branch’s target of 5% growth.

•

www.nteu.org.au/join

28,000 27,458

27,608

27,529 27,153

27,187

July 2015

July 2016

27,355

27,000 26,111 26,000

25,000

24,000

24,354

24,279

July 2009

July 2010

24,318

23,930

23,000 July 2008

July 2011

July 2012

July 2013

July 2014

July 2017

July 2018

National membership trend, July 2008 – July 2018

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 25

Communications & Publications Key activities: • Media work • Social media • Magazines & journal production • Website development • Campaign & event support National Publications Coordinator: Paul Clifton National Media & Communications Officer: Andrew MacDonald (to July 2018) Overseen by the National President and National Assistant Secretary.

Media NTEU has continued to feature extensively in local, state and national media as part of efforts to broaden discussions about the vital importance of higher education and the crucial role that university staff play in the sector.

A key component of NTEU media efforts over the past year has been an ongoing focus on the Federal Government’s plans for higher education. For the first half of the period covered by this report the Government’s higher education policies included cutting $2.8 billion in university funding, raising fees for degrees and lowering the HELP repayment threshold.

NTEU media and social media efforts focussed strongly on opposing these plans through the continuation of the ‘Pay More Get Less’ campaign. The campaign highlighted that students would be paying more for their degrees but would be getting less in terms of resourcing and teaching funding.

The significant impact of the proposed funding cuts on university staff was also highlighted repeatedly. In December 2017, in an acknowledgement the Government didn’t have the numbers to get its measures through the Senate, a two-year funding freeze amounting to a cut of $2.1 billion was announced.

Images (L–R): State of the Uni survey banner; Advocate vol. 26 no. 1 (Mar 2018); Australian Universities’ Review vol. 60 no. 2 (Aug 2018); Connect vol. 11 no. 2 (Aug 2018); Bluestocking Week 2018 poster; Frank Gafa, Professor John Buchanan & Dr Frances Flanagan at the Future of the Sector conference (Sept 2018).

page 26 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

The freeze, which did not require legislation, came as the Government also postponed indefinitely its plans to increase degree fees. While the Government has persisted with efforts to lower the HELP repayment threshold, which the NTEU has continued to oppose publicly. However, the legislation was passed in July.

NTEU involvement in the current round of enterprise bargaining also continued to feature prominently in the media over the financial year. Most notably, the Union’s responses to Murdoch University management’s successful bid to terminate the previous Collective Agreement in the Fair Work Commission (FWC) in August 2017, and the successful reaching of a new Agreement in March 2018 were the subject of widespread local and national media coverage. Similarly, a live-streamed national address by the NTEU General Secretary in September 2017 outlining the implications of the FWC’s Murdoch Decision was viewed by thousands of university staff.

NTEU experiences in regard to the Murdoch Decision and the notion that Australia’s industrial relations laws are unfairly stacked against working people and their unions, have also formed a key foundation of the Union’s involvement in and support of the Australian Council of Trade Union’s Change the Rules campaign.

The issue of the job security for university staff has also been another key topic which has driven NTEU media and social media strategy in recent years, and further aligns with the broader ACTU campaign.

It is now widely understood that employment in Australian universities is very precarious.

Social Media NTEU social media activities have continued to reach a growing audience.

The national Facebook page has grown to over 14,800 likes, while our national Twitter account has grown to over 3,650 followers.

This has enabled the NTEU to reach more people with our message, complemented by strong Division social media presences.

This growing follower base has proved important in reaching new audiences, and potential members, through a range of social media activities and initiatives. Key campaigns and issues which have featured on NTEU social media accounts over the past year have included Pay More Get Less, Change the Rules, The Murdoch Decision and enterprise bargaining developments, among others.

NTEU has also continued producing a series of videos to communicate with members and potential members on social media.

Issues canvassed include the promotion of the Union’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander bargaining clauses, highlights from The Murdoch Decision national address and 2017 NTEU lecture, promotion of the Pay More Get Less National Day of Protest and Go Home on Time Day, and support for the Change the Rules campaign in the form of a video examining the concept of intergenerational theft.

Magazines & Journals edXpress With content sourced from all around Australia, edXpress keeps our members and subscribers informed about what is happening across the NTEU’s Branches and Divisions. Published monthly via MailChimp, edXpress is sent to almost 1700 subscribers, with an average open rate of 34.7% (down 0.4% since last year’s Annual Report) and click through rate of 10.8% (down 0.5%). www.nteu.org.au/edxpress

Advocate Advocate (editor Jeannie Rea) was published in November 2017 (vol. 24, no.

3), March 2018 (vol. 25, no. 1) and July 2018 (vol. 25, no. 2). A special “25 Years” banner was added to the cover for this year. Each print run is around 26,800 hard copy, plus 4,230 soft delivery subscriptions (up 24% from last year) with email notification via MailChimp (average 33.4% open rate, down 0.5%). Soft delivery links to PDF on our website (average number of downloads 438,

down 18%) and e-mag on our issuu site with average reads of 282 (down 37%). www.nteu.org.au/advocate

AUR Australian Universities’ Review (AUR), edited

by Ian Dobson and overseen by the AUR Editorial Board was published in February 2018 (vol. 60, no. 1) and September 2018 (vol.

60, no. 2). Each print run is approximately 4,300 (down 6%), plus over 8,200 soft delivery subscriptions (up 28%), with an average 667 PDF downloads (down 19%) and 30.5% e-mag open rate (down 7%). www.aur.org.au

Connect Connect (editor Jeannie Rea) was published in April (vol. 11, no. 1) and August (vol. 11, no.

2) 2018. Each print run is approximately 3,550 (up 12%), with a soft delivery of 964 (down 25%, a correction following the addition of postgrad students) and an open rate of 31.4% (down 10%). PDF downloads averaged 140 (up 44%). www.unicasual.org.au/connect

Agenda Agenda (editor Jeannie Rea), produced in conjunction with WAC), NTEU’s annual women’s journal was produced in August 2018 (vol. 26) with a print run of 15,300.

NTEU Tax Guide 2018 Produced in conjunction with Teacher Tax, was published in July (A4, 10pp, digital only).

Over the year, the Tax Guide averages 200 PDF downloads and 200 issuu reads. www.nteu.org.au/join/benefits/tax

QUTE and IDAHOBIT 2018 An A5 flyer and a DL brochure were produced for Queer Unionists in Tertiary Education (QUTE).

A DL flyer, webpage and poster were produced for the NTEU’s involvement in the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. www.nteu.org.au/qute

The Flood of Insecure Employment at Australian Universities An update of the 2016 publication The Rising Tide of Insecure Employment, this report details the considerable increase in use of insecure forms of employment in recent years. www.unicasual.org.au/resources/ publications

Campaigns Change the Rules

Other Publications

Various items for the Change the Rules campaign, including NTEU version of logo, website, posters, banners, social media graphics etc.

State of the Uni Survey 2017: Report #1 (Overview)

Events

www.nteu.org.au/agenda

www.nteu.org.au/changetherules

Produced by the National Policy & Research Unit, published in Jan 2018 (A4, 26pp, digital only). Since publication it has had 528 PDF downloads and 120 issuu reads.

Materials (logos, websites, programs, banners, forms etc.) were created for:

www.nteu.org.au/stateoftheuni/2017_ results

• Future of the Sector Conference

How Secure Do You Feel?

Produced by the National A&TSI Unit, published in Nov 2017 (A4, 20pp, digital only). Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander member survey on job security: results, analysis, conclusions. Since publication it has had 127 PDF downloads.

• Bluestocking Week 2018 • Reflections on 25 Years of Higher Education Unionism.

•

www.nteu.org.au/media

www.nteu.org.au/library

www.nteu.org.au/atsi/publications

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 27

Infrastructure, Finance, Governance, Admin Key activities: • Casual fee change • Buildings • ROC Compliance • Defence Fund • Platforms & Networks Finance Manager: Glenn Osmand Senior Finance Officer: Gracia Ho Finance Officers: Alex Ghvaladze, Tamara Labadze, Lee Powell and Daphne Zhang Executive Manager: Peter Summers ICT Network Engineer: Tam Vuong Database Programmer/Analyst: Uffan Saeed Payroll Officer: Jo Riley Executive Officer – General Secretary & President: Anastasia Kotaidis Executive Officer – Administration: Tracey Coster Administrative Officer – Membership & Campaigns: Julie Ann Veal Administrative Officer – Resources: Renee Veal Receptionist: Leanne Foote These Units report directly to the General Secretary.

New Policy During the 2017-18 year, the NTEU adopted a new policy on the receipt of Hospitality, Benefits and Gifts which applies to all employees and elected Officers within the Union.

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that staff and Officers must not accept gifts, benefits or hospitality from any organisation or individual where such benefits could generate a perception of bias, or constitute actual bias or preferential treatment. Gifts etc. can be accepted if there is no business/financial interest, but must be declared to the Finance Manager if they exceed a value of $50 per item.

Casual Fee Increase & Updated Payment Options At the National Council in 2017, a motion was passed to investigate and increase the casual members’ fees and payment options.

In March 2018, the new fees structure for our 3500 casual members was implemented.

There are now 4 salary bands instead of three and monthly and quarterly payment Location

Last revaluation

page 28 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

Building Revaluations During the year all of the NTEU’s properties were re-valued. Regular revaluations are required to ensure that they are represented correctly on our balance sheet. For all buildings the last revaluation was conducted in 2014, except Melbourne, which was revalued in 2016 (value increased from $15.1m in 2013 to $19.2m in 2016), but this building was revalued again to provide temporal consistency across the country. The changes in property asset values are listed in the table below.

Developments Regarding the National Office Building During the period since the last National Council, the National Office building in South Melbourne acquired two roof top

2017/18 value

Increase/ (decrease)

% change

Melbourne

$19,200,000

$20,600,000

NTEU Share 58.9%

$11,308,800

$12,133,400

$824,600

7.3%

Sydney

$3,350,000

$5,100,000

$1,750,000

52.2%

$1,400,000

7.3%

Adelaide

$940,000

$940,000

$0

0%

Brisbane

$1,520,000

$1,500,000

($20,000)

(1.3%)

* $1,888,000

$1,500,000

($388,000)

(20.6%)

Perth Images (L–R): Queensland May Day rally 2018; Members at Western Sydney University.

options have been introduced in addition to the previously existing half and full year options. We have also introduced for added convenience direct debit and direct credit payment options on the same basis as for our other members.

* Purchase price in 2014

advertising signs. The contract signed with the providers of the signs ensures that no unethical advertising will be displayed.

The signs generate income of $130,000 per annum which should be sufficient to cover the annual costs of maintaining our largest capital asset. One immediate example of how this revenue will be used is to offset the significant costs of the major overhaul of the ageing and increasingly unsafe lifts in the building. The lift project is estimated to cost about $250,000 and will effectively be covered by the income received over 2 years from the new roof top signs.

ROC Compliance The Registered Organisations Commission (ROC) has released guidance for its future reporting and compliance requirements for Unions, mainly relating to finance and governance. Many of these requirements are already being met. While the ROC guidelines are not yet law, we are being proactive on the assumption that in the not too distant future these will become legal requirements.

Web-based resignation from office process under our Rules Along with all other unions, the NTEU is under constant pressure from the ROC to provide timely advice of any change in the occupancy of an elected position. There are strict deadlines which must be adhered to in notifying ROC of such changes. To overcome difficulties in obtaining advice within time from office-bearers who resign from their elected position, a new Rule change has come into effect which requires anyone resigning from an office within the Union to do so via a web based form. Once completed, the Union is advised straight away of the Officer’s resignation and this mechanism permits us to comply with the statutory timeline imposed by ROC.

Defence Fund At the 2017 National Council, a motion was passed to transfer any surplus achieved in the 2017-18 financial year to the Defence Fund, in part to repay money that was expensed on the Murdoch Agreement termination and related disputes. At the time of writing, the estimated surplus for

the 2017-18 financial year is about $900,000.

This amount has been transferred to our investment portfolio that is the vehicle for holding our Defence Fund assets.

Register of Material Interests While the Union has maintained a register of interests for a number of years, the ROC has updated the requirements. NTEU has taken a conservative approach to this and requested that each NTEU elected Officer declare all interests, no matter how insignificant, to be recorded on the Register of Interests. The updated Register is supplied to each meeting of the Staffing and Finance Committee and National Executive meeting and is available for inspection from the Finance Manager upon request.

Removal of Invoice Option For new members, we have removed the invoice option from both the online and paper-based join forms. The reason for this is to encourage members to use payroll deduction or credit/debit cards for payment of membership fees. Members may pay by invoice on request. Hard copy and electronic invoices are still sent to members that have overdue fees.

Self-hosted Mailing Lists Service This is a new utility which was rolled out in mid-2018 and which provides instant access to up-to-date email lists for members and non-members. The service is designed to make sending bulk messages via contemporary and accurate email lists much easier and should result in significant time savings for Organisers and other staff.

This new service also provides a: • Quick way to send mass mailing to the lists anytime, from any location and from any platform which is consistent with the flexible requirements of NTEU work.

• Mechanism to bypass certain restrictions such as double opt-in as required by many commercial services.

• Global black-list and unsubscribe facility for all NTEU email lists at the same time.

The service should minimise or even eliminate the need to download the full membership or staff list to local PCs and

thereby avoid practices which may infringe AOIC regulations.

Collaboration Platform for NTEU Staff, Officers & Delegates For some time now we have been examining options for providing a common information sharing platform for NTEU staff/officers.

Although this work has not been completed, the preferred choice is the Office 365 product suite which includes a number of modules such as SharePoint, Team, Yammer and Groups. The platform will provide granular access control and maintain an audit trail to comply with AOIC privacy requirements.

Every university-based staff member already has an Office 365 account with credentials that can be used globally to login to NTEU’s Office 365 service (which eliminates the enormous task of providing login and password credentials for more than 1,000 Officers, staff and delegates to use with another product).

Access control can be centrally delegated to Division or Branch levels to help maintain the integrity of the groups. The product suite is certified to comply with privacy regulations and provides a number of important features including document classification and labelling, security protection (through backups), monitoring (via an audit trail) and access control (to enhance security).

Alternative platforms would require a significant capital investment (50k – 100k plus annual maintenance fees equivalent to 20 -25% of the purchase price) and would not provide a single sign-on which in turn would require every person to use 2 sets of user names and passwords.

Summary of Other Networking Developments in Progress • W ork is underway to develop tools to enable simplified record keeping and to provide a convenient electronic platform for submission and authorisation of expense reimbursement claims and credit card acquittals. continued overpage...

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 29

• Investigations are being conducted to integrate an SMS service with the new mailing lists service. The purpose of this is to simplify the sending of bulk SMS messages and to give users a choice to send either bulk email or SMS messages from the same single service point.

• O ver the course of the last year the integration of Branch and small Division offices with the national IT network has been progressively re-designed and rolled out. The principal objective of this project is to ensure ‘mobile’ staff and Officers are able to log in wherever they may be, using one consistent set of user names and passwords.

Slow Progress with Stratum Each year in the Annual Report we have reported on the progress in the development of the new Union database (called Stratum) which will provide real-time and personalised web-based information to members, Officers and staff.

It will also provide a suite of Organiser tools to assist campaigns and the development and maintenance of Branch-based delegate structures. Stratum will also provide a fully integrated national system of storage, retrieval and reporting against industrial case records, as well as new website pages for officers, staff and for each member.

The project is being built and deployed in 3 phases. A description of the Phase 1 elements and progress towards finalising each of them is outlined below: • Salary Inspector: Salary inspector has two main elements – data entry to input classifications/steps/salaries from each Agreement (to enable the precise calculation of our 1% membership fee) and reporting to provide current and historical salary comparisons between institutions. Work on this module is now almost complete and will be handed over to National Office staff for formal testing in the coming weeks.

• Subscriptions: One of the most critical elements of the new database system, this module includes fee collection via direct debit, credit card, invoice, and payroll deduction. It also covers the integration with the accounting package (ACCPAC).

Most of the development work for payroll deduction is complete, with more detailed testing to come. The process to collect fees via other manual mechanisms has also been setup up but is yet to go through the initial verification tests. The Subscriptions module also has number of reports to assist our finance staff in accurate fee collection. These have not been setup yet and integration with the account software remains to be implemented.

• Staff Site: Provides access to the database through a browser and will replace the existing staff area on our website but with a lot more functionality. The site is up and running, although initial testing and fine tuning is yet to be completed.

• Join online/Member My Page: This module relates to the online join feature.

These forms are up and running and the page 30 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

development work is almost complete, initial testing has been done and more detailed testing will occur in the coming months.

• Informer: Informer is a flexible web reporting tool. Most of the membership, subscriptions and Salary Inspector reports will be accessible via it. This module has been built and reports are being added as various completed.

• Committees and Office Structure: This module, which will hold information about staff, committees (such as the National Executive) and current office bearers, is still under development.

• Membership: This module covers the membership elements of the system e.g. add/delete/modify new members, institutions, campus, approving online applications, managing magazines subscriptions, membership cards etc.

Although this module is still under development it will draw on much of the work already underway or completed.

• Integration of the committee/office/staff data with our existing website: Presently under development.

• MembTrak: Even though the replacement for MembTrak is included in Phase 2 of the project, once Phase 1 is made live, the existing MembTrak will need to be modified to ensure that relevant membership data is extracted from the new system.

At the time of the 2017 National Council, it was anticipated that Phase 1 would be rolled-out around the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018. This timeline has not been met as progress in developing some of the Phase 1 modules has been painfully slow. The Salary Inspector module has been the principal cause of the considerable delay as it appears that the developers had massively underestimated the complexity and time required to replicate this module in a single integrated database. A secondary but significant reason for the slow progress in building the new database is that the developers work in 2 week ‘sprints’ with 2 weeks of down time before the next fortnightly ‘sprint’ occurs.

Much of the last 12 months has been devoted to the Salary Inspector work together with the building and testing of the payroll deduction subscription module.

Although well over time, the project is still within budget and has not encountered any insurmountable technical issues. Given that the new Salary Inspector is now all but complete and that substantial progress has been made on the Subscriptions module, there is every reason to expect that Stratum will be fully deployed in 2019.

Monthly Growth Reports These reports are provided to relevant NTEU staff and Branch/Division Officers on the first of every month via email and provide information on the progress made by each Branch or Division relative to their annual membership growth targets.

Enhancements to the reports have been

made so that they now include more statistical data such as annual targets, trend lines and lists of membership ‘ons’ and ‘offs’.

New Member & Follow-Up Survey Reports Information from these reports are now compiled every month (previously every quarter) and cover a rolling period of the past three months. A weekly report is also generated which lists comments provided by the new members and others derived from the follow-up member surveys filled out during the last week.

List of Branch delegates A new weekly report is now generated which lists all new delegates added in the last week at each Branch.

Improvements to the fee collection process via Payroll database Work has commenced to provide more accurate membership fee collection and integrity checking by comparing fees paid by members on payroll deduction against their classification and level as recorded in Collective Agreements stored in our Salary Inspector database.

Improvements to the Fee Collection Process via APS (Manual Payments) This work has been undertaken to prevent the need to process credit card payments through the EFT machine. These can now be done via APS batch processing through the payment gateway.

Elections & Candidate Statements For the round of internal elections conducted this year, the National Office provided an opportunity for candidates in leading contested positions to use NTEU resources to circulate one candidate statement by email to all members eligible to vote. This facility, which was taken up by all such candidates, is run on a strictly neutral basis with the order of candidate statements mirroring the order of names on the ballot paper as independently determined by the AEC.

Acknowledgement This report has summarised only the selected highlights of the work undertaken by the staff of the Finance Unit and the Management & Administration Unit. As the report is a brief overview of the activities of the past year it does not fully reflect the sustained efforts of a large number of staff who consistently strive to advance the interests of our members. Their often unheralded work is deeply appreciated and gratefully acknowledged by the authors of this report.

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www.nteu.org.au/myunion

Budget Report Defence Fund Allocation 3% Surplus Contribution to Defence Fund 4%

Salaries and On Costs 70%

Discretionary 10% Operating 10% Leave Provision 3%

2017-2018 Union Expenditure

The NTEU budget cycle is a complex process which must take account of total assets of $29 million, annual revenues of almost $23 million and the employment of over 120 staff.

The National Finance Unit oversees this process through the centralised collection and distribution of members’ fee income, budget setting and the preparation of income and expenditure statements for all levels of the Union.

Financial probity and the responsible management of members’ funds is central to the Unit’s work, with each level of the Union being required to account directly for all expenditure transactions with three separate levels of authorisation and review.

• Membership income higher than expected by $216,000 driven largely by an increase in members.

• Expenditure under budget by about $600,000, mainly due to saving in salaries due to vacancies.

The key highlights for the 2018/19 Budget are as follows: • Membership income increase by about $550k or 2.6%.

• Total salaries (including on costs) to increase by about $1m, there is an additional pay period this financial year accounting for about $600k of the increase.

• Operating and discretionary spending to remain in line with inflation.

• A budgeted deficit of about $60k.

Key highlights for the 2017/18 financial year are set out in the chart and table below, and include:

NTEU will publish Audited Financial Statements later in calendar year 2018 in line with Fair Work Australia regulations and International Accounting Standards.

• An operating surplus of $897,000 (against a budget surplus of $98,000).

www.nteu.org.au/myunion/about_us/ finance

•

• The operating surplus has been transferred directly to the Defence Fund, as per motion at NCM 2017.

Budget 2017/18

Actual to June 2018

$m

$m

22.04

22.25

0.16

0.18

22.20

22.43

16.02

15.72

0.67

0.67

Operating

2.44

2.25

Discretionary

2.08

1.96

INCOME Membership Fees Other Income

EXPENDITURE Salaries & On Costs Leave Provision

Defence Fund Allocation

Summary of 2017-2018 Income and Expenditure - Actual vs Budget

0.66

0.66

21.87

21.26

Operating Result-Surplus/Deficit

0.33

1.17

Growth Team Expenses*

0.23

0.28

Additional Defence Fund Surplus Contribution

0.00

0.89

FINAL RESULT Surplus/Deficit

0.10

0.00

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 31

International Key activities: • Education International • General/Professional Staff • Women • Academic Freedom The National Officers are responsible for managing the international work of the Union.

NTEU General Secretary Grahame McCulloch participated in the ceremony at UNESCO in Paris last November to mark the 20th anniversary of the 1997 UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of HigherEducation Teaching Personnel.

Grahame also addressed the UNESCO General Assembly on behalf of Education International (EI), highlighting the need for public investment in education to be increased, and to assert the central role of education trade unions in implementing UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.

A progress report on the implementation of the 1997 Protocol, commissioned by EI, found that the Protocol was not well known and was underutilised by UNESCO member states and unions. Indeed, the NTEU is one of very few unions that has sought to use the protocol, back when we challenged the Howard Coalition Government’s WorkChoices for universities – the HEWRRs. The case did not proceed as the Howard Government lost the election and the incoming Labor Government acted quickly to dismiss the HEWRRs. It is Clause 31 of this Protocol that is often quoted in advocating for self-governance and collegiality, noting that:

Images (L–R): Matt McGowan at EI’s Education Support Personnel conference, Belgium (May 2018); Jeannie Rea with EI delegation to the ILO Global Dialogue on the Terms and Conditions of Work in Higher Education, Switzerland (Sept 2018); Grahame McCulloch at the 8th EI Asia Pacific Regional Conference, Nepal (Oct 2017).

page 32 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

Higher education personnel should have the right and opportunity….to take part in the governing bodies and to criticise the functioning of higher education institutions, including their own,… and they should elect a majority of

representatives to academic bodes within the higher education institution.

NTEU’s international work focuses upon solidarity, capacity building and participation in tertiary education debates and developments. These activities do overlap and are guided by NTEU’s international policy position as determined

by National Council.

Graham McCulloch and EI Retiring General Secretary Grahame McCulloch has taken a key role in EI over the last 25 years. EI, the 32 million strong global federation of education unions, like NTEU celebrated a 25th university this year. Grahame served three terms on the EI Board, the maximum allowed, and advocated persistently and successfully on behalf of higher education and research workers and their unions for greater recognition and resourcing in EI. Grahame will attend the 11th Further and Higher Education and Research Conference in Taipei with new General Secretary Matt McGowan and new National President Alison Barnes next month. Each of these conferences has grown as more tertiary education unions form and affiliate to EI. Assistance with capacity building has been an important international solidarity action for NTEU, along with sister unions particularly CAUT (Canada) and (CONADU) Argentina.

Another important aspect of Grahame McCulloch’s influence on EI and affiliates has been in consistently advocating for greater recognition of Indigenous people’s rights within education, but also in affiliated unions. Today EI has formed an

Indigenous caucus, and affiliates also seek advice from NTEU’s National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy Committee and staff.

General/Professional Staff In May, National Assistant Secretary Matt McGowan led the NTEU delegation to the first conference of EI affiliates representing general and professional staff. Matt McGowan has worked over several years within the EI structures and processes promoting recognition of general and professional staff within education unions and EI. While a small proportion of members of teacher unions are general and professional staff (if they are included at all), the industry approach of incorporating general/professional and academic staff in one organisation is becoming more prevalent amongst tertiary education unions.

This first conference was a breakthrough in putting the issues for general and professional staff firmly on the EI agenda.

With National Vice President Jane Battersby and National Executive member Catherine Rojas, Matt also presented an organising workshop at the inaugural conference.

In June, Matt McGowan also represented the NTEU at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Tertiary Education Union (NZTEU), with whom we have close ties and participate in one another’s Indigenous, Women’s and LGBTIQ conferences and other events.

Academic freedom & The Right to Organise In an increasingly polarising world, calls

by EI for international solidarity on issues of academic freedom, freedom of speech and the right to organise are constant.

Interventions through representation to governments in some places, streams of letters and protests at foreign embassies do have an impact and NTEU participates in these upon request from EI, but also through the ACTU and other aligned trade union groups.

NTEU is also an affiliate of Scholars at Risk (SAR), originally an initiative of US

civil rights lawyers and academics. SAR focuses upon solidarity and education, but it’s original and still key mission is to encourage universities to host academics at risk in their countries. Several Australian universities are currently affiliated and NTEU has agreed with SAR to assist with coordinating greater Australian active involvement.

meeting of experts be convened to gain an agreement to consider additional labour standards. Most prominent amongst the key issues, as advocated by the workers group in view of massification, along with privatisation and marketisation of tertiary education, is the rise of the inappropriate use of contingent fixed term employment across all regions.

National President Jeannie Rea and National Vice President Andrew Bonnell attended a conference on “The University and the future of democracy” in Berlin in May, where German universities demonstrated how they had in just a few years affiliated to SAR and are actively seeking and hosting academics and their families from Turkey, Syria, Iran, Columbia and other places. Thousands of Syrian refugees are also studying at German universities with no tuition costs, and university communities are organising financial support for families of students.

Over the last decade, insecure employment in tertiary education has dramatically increased across the world. This has been the case in regions of well-established and formerly stable employment like Europe; to the long term two tier academic system in the United States, where now former tenure track jobs have become contingent adjunct jobs; to the emerging and growing markets in Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Women In January, National President Jeannie Rea represented the NTEU at EI’s third international Women’s Conference and led the higher education and research section.

The conference theme was leadership and attracted almost 600 delegates from across the world.

Not surprisingly with the advent of the #MeToo movement the focus was upon the different ways’ women are organising against male violence across the world. The persistence of male resistance to women in union leadership was also a topic. In the higher education session, a key topic was challenging continuing male domination in leadership and influential roles despite the rapid feminisation of higher education both for students and staff across much of the world.

Precarious employment has become the default model not only in private institutions and more marketised public systems, but also in the high-status research public universities. When the NTEU talked of the casualisation of academic labour in Australia just a few years ago at EI events we were considered outliers. Not anymore.

NTEU has much to gain from international work, as well as to give. We have the advantages of relative stability and wealth, and we have an obligation to assist where we can. We have sophisticated collective bargaining experience, high levels of awareness of organising for and with diversity – and we have robust internal systems and a democratic and accountable structure.

•

ILO Jeannie Rea was also part of the EI delegation to the ILO this September for the Global Dialogue on the Terms and Conditions of Higher Education Workers.

The purpose of this formal tripartite dialogue was to raise the key issues impacting the employment of higher education workers and recommend a

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 33

ACT Division ACT Division Secretary is Rachael Bahl Division President is Marie Fisher Division Vice-Presidents are Craig Applegate (Academic). General position is vacant.

Division Staff: Division Industrial Officer: David VincentPietsch Division Organisers: Jane Maze & Lachlan Clohesy

The ACT Division represents around 1,100 members at four ACT public universities: Australian National University (ANU) including ANU College (ANUC); University of Canberra (UC), including UC College (UCC); Australian Catholic University (Canberra Campus, ACU); and UNSW Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).

Round 7 Bargaining ANU The ANU Enterprise Agreement 20132016 nominally expired on 30 June 2016.

Bargaining commenced in late February 2017. After fortnightly meetings and highly visible campaigning, including a Span of Hours campaign and a campaign to “save Christmas”, agreement was reached in October 2017.

Images (L–R): Rachael Bahl, Ged Kearney MP and Maria Amaro (CPSU) supporting the ‘We Won’t Wait’ campaign for paid domestic violence leave in the National Employment Standards; NTEU members in ANU’s School of Sociology host a ‘Yes’ Morning Tea to support marriage equality; NTEU SuperCasuals meet at the University of Canberra Top: Members on strike from UNSW Canberra at the Australian Defence Force Academy

page 34 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

would be included in the tutorial rates (only one hour per tutorial and none for repeat tutorials – regardless of tutorial length).

After meeting with casual members, and then with HR, ANU confirmed that this was a significant issue, likely affecting more than 100 current and former casually employed academic staff. Substantial media interest in this story in the ACT, and NTEU publicity, encouraged other casually employed staff to come forward with their own stories. Total underpayments are estimated between $100,000 and $200,000.

UC Enterprise bargaining is underway University of Canberra. The UC Agreement nominally expired on 31 March 2018. In preparation for Bargaining, a series of consultation meetings were held with various staff cohorts in late 2017 and early 2018. A well-developed log of claims was endorsed at an all-member meeting in June 2018.

In addition to enterprise bargaining at ANU, the ANU College Agreement expired in 2017. Bargaining has commenced, but is still underway.

Management and the unions have agreed on an intensive series of meetings throughout August with a view to reaching an agreement this year. While meetings have been cordial, management has offered no significant movement as yet on the matters members have told us are important to them.

ANU Casuals underpayment win

University of Canberra College (UCC)

Casually employed academic staff at the ANU approached the Union about possible underpayment in mid-2017. The staff were giving tutorials but were paid the ‘other academic activities’ rate rather than the tutorial rate. Management then paid preparation separately, allocating less than

The UCC Enterprise Agreement expired in December 2017. Bargaining commenced in early 2018 and is continuing. Management has a limited agenda and is seeking two key elements in relation to class sizes and teaching loads.

UNSW Canberra ACT Division and University of New South Wales (UNSW) Branch have worked together to support our members at UNSW Canberra in this year of Enterprise Bargaining. UNSW Canberra members have participated in Branch all-member meetings via video-link. ACT members supported strike action on 30 May 2018 with a well-attended protest outside the Canberra Campus. A second strike on August 1 was called off due to progress at the Bargaining table.

ACU ACU commenced bargaining in late 2017.

Negotiations were coordinated from the NTEU National Office and via the Branch Organiser based in Sydney. ACT members participated in a number of Branch-wide meetings via video-conference and recently voted in favour of a new Agreement.

Recruitment & Membership, Training & Development NTEU membership has declined by approximately 4 per cent in the previous year, due to a combination of a voluntary retirement scheme at ANU and UC’s voluntary separation package. Despite this, the University of Canberra Branch has grown by approximately 8 per cent due to recruitment by organisers and the Growth Team, as well as Enterprise Bargaining commencing in 2018.

We have had several training events over the last year. In late 2017 delegates from across the Division participated in cultural competency training and delegate development, delivered by National

Office staff. More recently, the UC Branch members participated in Enterprise Bargaining training.

Public Advocacy & Campaigns ACT Division has been active in a range of areas. We hosted well-attended events at all sites for the Murdoch Decision Day of Protest on 26 September 2017.

ACT SuperCasuals A SuperCasuals campaign was launched at both ANU and UC in February 2018.

The SuperCasuals campaign grew out of the successful underpayment claim at ANU and is focussing on issues relating to insecure work more broadly. NTEU made a submission to the ACT Inquiry into Insecure work. Casual members protested the lack of recommendations relating to higher education when the report of the Inquiry was released. NTEU casual member Clare Southerton also spoke on insecure work and casualisation at the May Day Change the Rules Rally in Canberra.

Academic Freedom A letter from the ANU Branch to the ANU VC in May, articulating concerns about a prospective donation to the university from the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, sparked a national debate about academic freedom and university autonomy.

The letter raised concerns about the Ramsay Centre wielding considerable influence over staffing and curriculum decisions. The letter, which was released publicly, called on the Vice-Chancellor to address these concerns by making a clear statement of the University’s position on the core issues of academic freedom and

autonomy. The NTEU letter was widely reported in the press and was even raised during Question Time in the Federal House of Representatives on Thursday 24 May. ANU subsequently announced it was pulling out of the partnership, leading some commentators to suggest the Union was to blame. While the ANU Branch did not set out to have a national debate, NTEU will always advocate and defend academic freedom, integrity and university independence.

NTEU Seminar Series The ACT Division this year instituted a Seminar Series to provide a regular forum at ACT universities where researchers can speak on matters of concern for our campuses, the Australian academy, and universities worldwide.

This series importantly seeks to articulate what ‘the university’ is as a civic institution and a fundamental element of modern democracy. We thank members of the Matters of Concern Collective for their work in coordinating the Seminar Series.

Topics included decolonising the university; the Free University experiments of 1920s Japan; performance metrics; Aboriginality and the Academy; young Australian women and the future of work. A full list of presenters and topics is on the website. www.nteu.org.au/act/seminarseries

Women’s Action Network NTEU surveyed ANU women about their experiences at work prior to an Open Meeting. At the meeting women described issues relating to insecure work, children and caring responsibilities, career advancement, flexible working arrangements and more. The Draft Charter of the NTEU Women’s Action Network (WAN) was launched at the meeting. NTEU incorporated feedback from the meeting into the final WAN Charter which was presented to the ANU Vice-Chancellor. This Charter is a broader framework within which to locate future campaigning.

Other advocacy and campaign activities The NTEU continues to contribute to broader union campaigns and social justice advocacy consistent with NTEU policy.

This includes support for UnionsACT actions, Unionists for Refugees, Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA, IPAN and active, visible contributions to last year’s campaign for a ‘Yes’ vote on marriage equality. www.nteu.org.au/act

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NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 35

NSW Division NSW Division Secretary is Michael Thomson.

Division President is Sarah Kaine Division Vice-Presidents are Margaret Sims (Academic) & Kate Mitchell (General Staff) Division Staff are: Senior Industrial Officer: Joshua Gava Industrial Officers: Jeane Wells, Lance Dale, Kobie Howe, Simon Kempton, Tamara Talmacs, Bradley Beasley (from Jan 2018) Senior State Organiser: Paul Doughty Industrial Organiser: Gabe Kavanagh (to Nov 2017), Kiraz Janicke (from Nov 2017) Media, Communications & Campaigns Organiser: Nagida Clark Division Executive Officers: Kerrie Barathy, Sharon Muddle Branch Organisers: Josh Andrews, Kaylene Ayres, Richard Bailey, Cat Coghlan (to Oct 2018), Martin Cubby, Dylan Griffiths (to Aug 2018), Melanie Hood (to May 2018), Rhianna Keen (from Aug 2018), Amity Lynch, Sean O’Brien, Kevin Poynter, Lisa Roberts, Tamara Ryan (to Aug 2018), Trevor Smith, Roberta Stewart, Jenny Whittard

The NSW Division represents almost 8000 members at 11 NSW public universities: Charles Sturt University (CSU), Macquarie University, Southern Cross University (SCU), University of New England (UNE), University of NSW (UNSW), University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, University of Wollongong, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Western Sydney University (WSU), and two Australian Catholic University (ACU) campuses.

Round 7 Bargaining All Branches except UNE, Wollongong and Newcastle are either finished bargaining or very close.

A number of Branches engaged in industrial action. The break through at UNSW came on the Sunday and Monday before their second planned strike on a Wednesday.

Images (L–R): CSU Global Village; USyd Perennially Union campaign; UNSW strike day; Handing out flyers supporting the RTBU struggle.

Top: UNE strike day.

page 36 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

Members at University of Newcastle escalated their industrial action from a well attended 90 minute stop work meeting on 2 August, to a half day strike and rally on Callaghan campus on 15 August, to a 24 hour strike with pickets and a large rally of 250 members and supporters at the new $95 million flagship NeW Space campus in Newcastle CBD on 17 September. Numbers and participation grew with each action.

At Wollongong University the management have delayed the PAB. This is further evidence the rules are broken.

Importantly many Branches have June 2021 expiry dates and the latest is December 2021. This will allow the Division to better plan the next round.

Recruitment & Membership Training & Development Protected Action Ballots and industrial action at Branches that have been bargaining has resulted in membership growth and also assisted in building delegate networks.

UNSW Branch grew by 50 members in the weeks before and after their 24 hour strike.

Organisers are working to hold all the new members. We are going back to them running enforcement workshops to keep the wins alive.

Our delegate training has attracted members from all Branches. We run most of it in the Division Office and on site for regional Branches. Some delegates have returned for a ‘stage two’ training session.

Public Advocacy & Campaigns NTEU has been prominent in Unions NSW activities. We leafletted train stations and attended rallies supporting the RTBU. The RTBU were ordered not to take industrial action in support of their campaign for a good Enterprise Agreement. This has encouraged many NSW unions to support and campaign for the ‘right to strike’.

We are building a rally with the RTBU in February next year just before the NSW

State election focusing on the attacks on public transport. We will also be talking to the state Alp and Greens about how they can support universities and the NTEU, mainly around university governance issues.

We have participated in Change the Rules events. A Newcastle Branch member spoke at the Robertson marginal seats launch (two nights before a Newcastle Branch stop work). We are encouraging all Branches to effectively build relationships with local ALP and Green MPs and candidates. Our involvement in the Change the Rules campaign emphasises two demands: Secure Work and the Right to Strike.

Every Branch held campus-based action regarding secure work in August in preparation for a larger event in October.

NTEU for Refugees continues to attract lots of members. Our contingent at the Palm Sunday rally was sizeable. www.nteu.org.au/nsw

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NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 37

NT Division Division Secretary is Lolita Wikander Division President is Darius Pfitzner Division Vice-Presidents are Rajeev Sharma (Academic) & Sylvia Klonaris (General) Division staff: Industrial Officer: Heinz Schmitt Industrial Organiser: Delia Lawrie

The NT Division represents over 420 members at Charles Darwin University (CDU) and Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education (BIITE), as well as the Central Australian Remote Health Development Service and the Menzies School of Health Research.

Enterprise Bargaining CDU enterprise bargaining commenced in May 2017 and more than 130 bargaining meetings were held. A framework agreement was reached in principle in June and detailed drafting was undertaken and completed by NT Division President Darius Pfitzner, Division Secretary Lolita Wikander and National Office Industrial Officer, Wayne Cupido. National Executive approved the Agreement and a meeting of CDU members endorsed the Agreement on 19 September.

L-R: Jeannie Rea, Donelle Cross, Lolita Wikander and Sylvia Klonaris at the presentation in appreciation of Lolita’s term as Division Secretary; Dr Belinda Chaplin and Louisa Manning-Watson at IDAHOBIT 2018; CDU Bargaining Team: Wayne Cupido, Darius Pfitzner, Lolita Wikander, Grahame McCulloch, Heinz Schmitt and Shane Motlap; Vogue MegaQueen, TiwiSista Shaniqua and Dr Belinda Chaplin, IDAHOBIT 2018.

Top: May Day 2018 NTEU contingent.

page 38 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

Batchelor Institute bargaining commenced mid-2017 but was suspended due to financial concerns for the Institute. Work between the Union and new management at Batchelor Institute has seen the immediate concerns regarding financial sustainability resolved and enterprise bargaining is due to resume later in 2018.

Menzies School of Health & Research enterprise bargaining commenced in August.

Recruitment & Membership, Training & Development The NT Division achieved a new all-time high in membership numbers in late June this year. There was a sharp increase in membership at Batchelor Institute in the second half of last year based on an industrial campaign the NT Division ran successfully to save about 80 fixed term contract jobs – both academic and general staff. Membership increased again in the first half of 2018 with a campaign at Charles Darwin University to deliver an improved enterprise bargaining outcome.

The “It’s Time to Stand Up for your Pay and Rights” campaign achieved a 74 per cent participation rate in a Protected Action Ballot with a 96 per cent Yes vote for industrial action.

National Assistant Secretary Matt McGowan delivered training for NT Division Council members and then training for delegates from Batchelor Institute and Charles Darwin University during a two-day visit to the NT while Adam Frogley delivered cultural competency training to Division Council members and staff.

Delegates are holding weekly meetings at Batchelor Institute and monthly meetings at Charles Darwin University with positive feedback about the Union’s delegates’ kits.

The NT Division this past year has used the tool of regular email communications to members to raise its activities profile.

Much of the work we do goes unnoticed by our members and engaging them directly through simple emails has received very positive feedback. In addition to this we ensure that information or campaign

materials are placed throughout tea rooms and our delegates work with our Industrial Organiser to place posters on notice boards on campus.

We are fortunate to have an NTEU office located within the Charles Darwin University Casuarina campus so we use sandwich boards out the front to daily raise the Union flag.

The most effective form of recruitment remains delegates in each work site approaching colleagues with membership forms and talking to them about the benefits of joining.

To counteract membership fee concerns we point out the tax deductable status but also promote the membership benefits for shopping, which if fully utilised, more than save the cost of membership fees each year.

But it’s also important to acknowledge our gains … whether it’s through enterprise bargaining, advocating for an individual member or preventing workload increases through empowering members and using every right available within our Enterprise Agreements.

Each of these gains needs to be communicated to members to encourage staff to sign up to their rights. A simple email out … de-identifying the individual but using the efforts to raise education and awareness around rights can be helpful.

Finally, we’ve also increased the awareness of our NTEU NT Division across key stakeholders such as Unions NT and the Northern Territory Government. Our President Darius Pfitzner is now on the executive of Unions NT (our Trades and Labour Council) and we have instituted

quarterly meetings with the Minister for Education. This is particularly important for members at Batchelor Institute because it is governed by a Northern Territory act of Parliament. That relationship became crucial during the financial crisis encountered by the Institute last year.

With a busy year behind us where we have increased membership engagement with the NT Division. We look forward to growing from strength-to-strength and taking on the challenge of raising the critical importance of tertiary education funding in the upcoming Federal election campaign. Our members are being constantly reminded of how broken the industrial laws are and the need to Change the Rules.

Public Advocacy & Campaigns A highly successful International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT) Day was held at CDU on 17 May with a large crowd at the Casuarina campus and an inaugural videolink to the Waterfront campus. As part of Alliances for Solidarity we had stalls from NT Aids & Hepatitis Council, Drag Territory, Ruby Gaea Darwin Centre Against Sexual Violence, Women’s Action Committee, Northside Health NT, Darwin Pride Festival, Headspace Darwin, Family Planning Association and NT Police. Fundraising occurred to support Minus18, Australia’s youth driven network for LGBTI youth.

The NT Division hosted Christmas functions in our main campuses of CDU Casuarina and Waterfront, Alice Springs and Batchelor Institute at Batchelor.

Members were extremely thankful for this

gesture as employers had done a Scrooge and failed to fund workplace Christmas functions. We used the occasion to fundraised through a gold coin donation for the First Nations Workers Alliance and became Organisational Members to help support remote community CDP workers who are being ripped off.

An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander event was convened at Batchelor Institute by our local delegate in the lead up to an NT Division Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander NT Forum which was held at CDU. The 2018 May Day rally in Darwin had the largest-to-date NTEU contingent with about 70 flag-waving and chanting members calling for Change the Rules because the Rules are Broken. The Unions NT annual May Day dinner had a strong NTEU contingent watch NT President Darius Pfitzner presenting the Delegate of the Year award to Rena Stanton and Delegates Team of the Year award to Batchelor Institute delegates Sven Montgomery, Rena Stanton, Leeanne Mahaffey, Gary Haslet, Karen Manton and Melissa Fitzpatrick.

The Women’s Action Committee joined with a range of stakeholders to have a stall at the International Women’s Day event hosted by the Northern Institute at Charles Darwin University. They used the opportunity to sign up women to join the committee and went on to hold an inaugural committee meeting to discuss issues in the workplace.

•

www.nteu.org.au/nt

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 39

Queensland Division Qld Division Secretary is Michael McNally Division Assistant Secretary is Brad Astbury Division President is Andrea Lamont-Mills Division Vice President are Leonie Barnett (Academic) & Garry McSweeney (General) Division Staff: Division Industrial Officers: Rohan Hilton, Kyla Johnstone, Noeline Rudland, Robert Rule Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Officer: Phil Mairu State Organiser: Lachlan Hurse Recruitment & Training Officer: David Szumer Branch Organisers: Erin Campbell, Stewart de Lacy-Leacey, Narelle Maxton, Ivan Phillips, Angela Scheers, Kate Warner & Peter Whalley-Thompson

The Queensland Division represents nearly 4,000 members at eight Queensland public universities: Central Queensland University (CQU), Griffith University (GU), James Cook University (JCU), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), University of Queensland (UQ), University of Southern Queensland (USQ), the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) and a campus of Australian Catholic University (ACU).

The Division also has members at the Brisbane (Banyo) Campus of the Australian Catholic University, Bond University, and various private providers of Higher Education across the state.

Round 6 Bargaining & Implementation Current Enterprise Agreements are being implemented through:

Images (L–R): NTEU contingent at International Women’s Day (Mar 2018); Liz Mackinlay (UQ) taking protected action (May 2018); Members meeting at Griffith University, (Feb 2018); Debra Beattie at Palm Sunday Rally and March for Peace and Refugees (Mar 2018).

Top: UQ Protected Action (May 2018).

page 40 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

• The joint management-union consultative committees which are required by our Agreements (and other specialised committees such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment committees).

• A n education and training program for educating members about their rights and entitlements, provided through

workplace workshops and universityspecific factsheets.

• E nforcement of entitlements and conditions through the Fair Work Commission and the Federal Court.

Round 7 Bargaining Bargaining has now been completed at Central Queensland University, James Cook University, and Griffith University.

Negotiations are almost finalised at the University of Queensland and the University of Southern Queensland.

Bargaining is ongoing at Queensland University of Technology, and about to commence at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Recruitment & Membership, Training & Development Membership has been steady over the 201718 Financial Year, with a high of 3750 and a low of 3695. The figure at 30 June 2018 was 3715. The Division recruited 697 members during the financial year, 446 of whom were women.

The education and training program for members has continued in areas including: Redundancy; Job Security; Supporting Fellow Members and ‘Welcome to the Union’ New Member Forums and Lunches.

Public Advocacy & Campaigns The Division has been involved in a number of campaigns, both independently and through the Queensland Council of Unions.

Of note have been the ACTU #ChangeTheRules campaign, campaigns

around refugees, women’s issues, the environment and Higher Education funding. WA Division Secretary, Gabe Gooding, visited Qld Branches in May to talk about the Murdoch dispute and generate support for the #ChangeTheRules campaign. Members and staff participated in the QCU campaign in the Longman byelection.

Through the QCU we have successfully lobbied the State ALP Government over industrial relations law changes. The result has been leading industrial manslaughter laws and regulation of labour hire firms.

Strengthening of NTEU Structures and Systems Branches are continuing to formalise and strengthen delegates and activist networks.

In the most recent elections, virtually all the elected officer positions were filled, with elections for the Branch Committee at UQ under way.

The Division has recently appointed a Training and Recruitment Officer to replace one of the Division Organisers, Barb Williams, who retired at the end of 2017.

A Great Loss On a sad note, long-serving Industrial Officer, Bill Danby, passed away on 30 April, due to complications following complex surgery. Bill provided advice, support and representation to Queensland members and workmates for 28 years. His loss has been devastating for his colleagues and the Queensland members who knew him. He will be sorely missed.

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www.nteu.org.au/qld

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 41

SA Division SA Division Secretary is Ron Slee Division President is Virginie Masson Division Vice President are Andrew Miller (Academic) & Peter Cardwell (General) Division Staff: Industrial Officers: Cheryl Baldwin, Annie Buchecker, Kathy Harrington Branch Organisers: Juliet Fuller, Kieran McCarron, John Pezy Division Administration Officer: Donna Good

The South Australian (SA) Division represents almost 2000 members at three SA public universities: University of Adelaide, University of South Australia (UniSA) and Flinders University.

Round 7 Enterprise Bargaining The University of Adelaide Enterprise Agreement was approved on 6 March following intense formal negotiations lasting less than 12 months. This was an important contribution to the Union’s national strategy to isolate Murdoch University as a rogue institution following its decision to terminate its existing Enterprise Agreement.

Flinders Branch has been negotiating formally since September 2017 following the expiry of its Round 6 Enterprise Agreement on 30 June. Negotiations continue but expectations are growing that an ‘in principle’ agreement is imminent.

The Round 6 UniSA Enterprise Agreement expired on 31 March 2018 and formal bargaining for a new Agreement commenced on 22 March. These negotiations are proceeding with the expressed aim of reaching agreement by the end of September.

Recruitment & Membership, Training & Development Images (L–R): Quiz night participants stand up for Safe Schools (May 2018); Juliet Fuller, Darlene McNaughton & Janet Giles at the SA Bluestocking Week dinner (Aug 2018).

Top: May Day rally in Adelaide.

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Over the last 12 months, membership increased during the second half of 2017 by 2% but then decreased during

2018 by 3%. A highlight was the Flinders Branch achieving an historic high of 654 members in November 2017 on the back of a sterling campaign to ‘put the heart back into Flinders’. Disappointingly, UniSA membership was below 600 on the 2018 census date resulting in a reduction from three to two National Council delegates from their Branch.

Recruitment and retention plans are in place at each Branch to improve growth and the merger talks between the University of Adelaide and UniSA have presented those Branches with a new opportunity to recruit. However, attrition continues to be high at Flinders because many members accepted redundancy packages following a major restructure in which 170 professional staff positions were dis-established. Most members who leave the Union are retiring or leaving the sector but each resignation has been checked

by Branch Committees and Organisers to ensure we minimise attrition.

Every effort continues to be made to meet with new members, to hand over their welcome pack and discuss with them the role they can play in the Union, including to encourage their colleagues to join.

Following the announcement in June that UniSA and the University of Adelaide were exploring a merger, both Branches held a series of member meetings on their campuses to develop industrial and campaigning approaches that would defend the interests of members in the event that the merger goes ahead. From these meetings, each Branch has been able to recruit new members from amongst staff who are feeling apprehensive about their future employment in a merged university.

In March, the UniSA bargaining team participated in a valuable bargaining training session with Ken McAlpine coinciding with their commencement of Round 7 formal negotiations.

In November 2017, the Division was proud to receive an award at the SA Unions end-ofyear celebration and Award Night for the ‘Best Example of Women’s Action’ – the Clare McCarty Women in Leadership Program.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Forum

Over the last 12 months, we have actively lobbied politicians in support of a range of federal and state issues. We met with SA cross-bench Senators Hanson-Young, Xenophon and Storer as well as Premier Weatherill, Minister Close and key Legislative Councillors, Franks, Vincent and Wortley. Our work has been successful at the federal level in defeating attempts by the Coalition to deregulate domestic student fees but, regrettably, our campaign to oppose a State Government Bill to cut elected staff representation on University Council at Adelaide and Flinders was unsuccessful. Elected staff positions have now been halved from four to two.

On 19 July, SA Division held its Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Forum. With Celeste Liddle’s help, it was our first Division Forum for many years and we hope it will build in future years and attract more members to come together to discuss policies and issues of concern to our Indigenous membership. Aboriginal representatives from the Branches also participated in the ACTU Indigenous Leadership Conference held locally in May.

Clare McCarty Mentorship Program Following the Leadership Seminar, which launched the Women’s Mentoring pilot program in SA, and the subsequent Mentorship Orientation, 10 women seized the chance to pair as mentors/mentees and develop their skills and experience on a professional but informal basis over the forthcoming 12 months. The pilot (named the Clare McCarty Mentorship Program in honour of stalwart activist, Dr Clare McCarty) has been assessed as a valuable program which not only provided opportunities that had previously been absent but also identified hazards to be avoided in the future. Over 30 women participated in various elements of this pilot program which was created and led by the Women’s Action Committee, with particular support from Jeannie Rea, Kate Borrett, Jenn Fane, Darlene McNaughton and Julia Fuller.

Public Advocacy & Campaigns Our annual Bluestocking Dinner again attracted a full house. It celebrated the historic struggles and achievements of women in higher education and raised funds for the SA Working Women’s Centre, a community based non-profit organisation which supports women employees whatever their age, ethnicity or work status, by providing a free and confidential service on work related issues.

With Jeannie Rea as guest speaker, the Dinner was a timely opportunity for us to celebrate her work as National President.

Apart from applauding what the Union had accomplished over the last eight years, it was also an occasion for Jeannie to highlight the challenges we still face.

In July 2018, we campaigned in the Federal by-election in Mayo. Both Reg Coutts, Labor candidate, and Major ‘Moogy’ Sumner, Greens candidate, signed the NTEU Defender of Higher Education pledge and we rang our members on the electoral roll in Mayo informing them of this pledge.

The preference flows from both of these candidates to sitting member, Rebekha Sharkie, ensured that the Liberal attempt to re-gain the seat was thwarted.

Other public campaigns we have supported include International Women’s Day, the annual May Day Parade, (SA Division is affiliated to the May Day Collective), Palm Sunday Walk for Justice for Refugees, NUS rallies in opposition to the increasing costs of education imposed on students and to the FWC decision to cut penalty rates, and also to the ACTU Change the Rules campaign.

We have retained membership of the Labour History Society of SA which aims to not only encourage teaching and research in labour history but also the preservation of the records of working people and the labour movement. It also awards an annual scholarship to a research student and this year this went to one of our activists at UniSA, Victoria Fielding, who is enrolled as a PhD candidate while working at UniSA. In 2017, the SA Division established a QUTE caucus to enable LGBTI members to meet regularly, organise events to recruit new members, and to promote within the Union and the wider community their issues and concerns. Its two major campaigns during the last 12 months focussed around two important dates. The first, 14 November 2017, was the day when the ‘marriage

equality’ postal survey result in Australia was announced. After a vigorous campaign, 61.6% voted yes – a terrific and long overdue outcome.

The second date was 11 May which marks International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. IDAHOBIT exists to highlight the fact that millions of LGBTI people around the world still live in fear because of violence and discrimination.

Closer to home, despite significant gains in Australia, LGBTI workers still face significant barriers to gaining and retaining work because of discrimination and harassment. To commemorate this day in SA, a quiz night with the witty title of Qute Queeries was organised by the Queer Unionists in Tertiary Education (QUTE), who fight to make our workplaces safer and more inclusive for LGBTI workers. Qute Queeries was sold out and an entertaining evening, and a successful fundraiser for The Channel, which funds LGBTI community projects, with over $1100 raised.

On 2 August, the Division held a ‘roadshow’ on Universities and the Future of Workers and Work. Eighty university staff, students and members of the public registered for this lively panel discussion featuring Jeannie Rea, Vice-Chancellor Peter Rathjen, University of Adelaide academic, Dee Michell and Flinders researcher Mark Dean. This event was a valuable prelude to the Future of the Sector Conference in September in Melbourne.

New Appointments In September 2017, the SA Division Council welcomed a number of new faces following resignations from Councillors who have retired or left the sector. Virginie Masson replaced Felix Patrikeeff as Division President, Andrew Miller replaced Rod Crewther as Vice President (Academic), and we welcomed four new Councillors - Mick Piotto, Claire Oswald, Kent Getsinger and Nick Warner. Following Felix Patrikeeff’s resignation from the National Executive, Nick Warner was elected to fill that vacancy in a ballot of all National Councillors.

At the 2017 National Council, the SA councillors were proud to support the nomination of Rod Crewther as a Life Member of the NTEU. Life membership was fitting recognition for Rod’s 30 years of tireless work on behalf of union members in the university sector. www.nteu.org.au/sa

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NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 43

Tasmanian Division Division Secretary is Kelvin Michael Division President is John Kenny Division Vice-Presidents are Janine Tarr (Academic) and Jenny Smith (General) Division staff: Division Industrial Officer: Emma Gill Division Organiser: Shannon Harwood Branch Organiser: Steve Cocker (from Jan 2018)

The Tasmanian Division represents members at the University of Tasmania (UTAS).

While,the activities of the Tasmanian Division continued to be dominated by campaigning around Round 7 bargaining, the year was full of other activities, including efforts to engage and provide training to our workplace delegates.

The Division appointed Steve Cocker as a Branch Organiser based in the north of the state. Steve was a long-term delegate with the CPSU (Federal) in Launceston.

He commenced in January 2018, and has adapted well to a different role in a new sector.

Round 7 Bargaining The momentum generated in the first half of 2017 in the bargaining sphere quickly dissipated, as negotiations with management representatives failed to progress towards an acceptable new Agreement. The Tasmanian Division responded quickly to this (not unexpected) development, and we applied for a protection action ballot of the UTAS membership. The outcome of the PABO was strong member engagement, overwhelming support for the proposed actions (every action supported by at least 87% of the votes cast), and a clear message for UTAS management.

Images (L–R): A plethora of postcards farewelling VC Rathjen; Wobble-boarding to support bargaining outside one of the Hobart city campus buildings; Members running a soup kitchen outside the VC’s gala dinner; List of things for a V-C to do, and not to do, before heading to a new job!

Top: NTEU being part of the Unions Tasmania Jobs You Can Count On campaign.

page 44 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

As with any industrial campaign, we started with small-scale actions. When we notified UTAS management of actions, we experienced push-back in the form of letters from UTAS HR raising technical objections to the various actions. This

became a stronger theme in the next few months.

As the end of semester 2 approached, we sought to enact broader bans. These actions were disputed by UTAS management (now working through lawyers) and heard in the Fair Work Commission on a number of occasions. The rulings of the Commissioner tended not to support our understanding of how the industrial action could be wielded – further demonstration that we need to change the rules for workers.

Negotiations resumed in late November 2017, and led to the signing of a Heads of Agreement in December 2017, which confirmed that a single Agreement would continue to apply to staff at UTAS. While this represented real progress, the hard work was still not quite complete. The final task was to draft the full Agreement – this process extended well into 2018 and required our representatives to contend with a new Agreement written (to some degree) in plain English, but which ended up being longer than the predecessor Agreement!

Ultimately, in June 2018 the new Agreement was approved by National Executive and supported by local meetings of NTEU members. Staff across UTAS voted up the Agreement just before the end of June 2018! The Tasmanian Division extends its appreciation to all contributors to the bargaining effort – the members, elected officials and staff (at both local and national levels), and gives particular thanks to two Tasmanian Division members who were key parts of the bargaining team, Rikki Mawad and Pat McConville.

Recruitment & Membership, Training & Development

senior managers! We paid for messages outlining the issues to appear as on-screen cinema advertising and on roadside signs in Hobart. Members pitched in for many earlymorning wobble-boarding sessions at key intersections in Launceston and Hobart.

Tasmanian motorists certainly respond well to wobble-boarding!

National Protest against Termination of the Murdoch University Agreement

“Yes” for Marriage Equality

The recruitment outcome is attributable to strong campaign activity in the second half of 2017 in support of negotiations for a new Agreement (see below), backed up by consistent organising activity. In addition, we continued to run recruitment initiatives, offering rewards for signing up as a member.

In response to (right-wing) student agitation about the prospect of bans on transmission of marks, we organised a counter-petition via social media inviting students, alumni and the community to sign on in support of a high-quality staff Agreement. Support from the broader Tasmanian union movement was instrumental in having the student petition withdrawn.

In July 2017 the Division held an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Forum, which was convened by Rob Anders (A&TSI Policy Committee member) and Celeste Liddle (National A&TSI Organiser). Also, in December 2017 Adam Frogley delivered an excellent session of Cultural Competency training to officers and staff of the Division.

The centrepiece of the public campaign was reserved for the evening of a black-tie dinner in Hobart to farewell the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Peter Rathjen. With the support of 50 members we set up a soup kitchen on the pavement outside the venue to make the case for better job security and better pay for staff.

The Division has established two working parties open to members: one for academic staff and one for professional staff in order to provide means to raise and address issues specifically related to each group.

Birmingham Bingo

The membership of the Tasmanian Division continued its recent growth, increasing by 5% over the second half of 2017, but tapering thereafter due to the retirements / contract expiry combined with the impact of redundancies offered by UTAS management in December 2017.

Public Advocacy & Campaigns The primary focus of campaigning was to apply (public) pressure in order to achieve a favourable outcome to the bargaining effort. To mark 12 months of negotiations, cakes topped with (edible) letters putting the case for a single Agreement for UTAS staff were delivered to a number of UTAS

On the National Day of protest in August 2017, NTEU members in Launceston organised a BBQ where people could roll a giant die in a game of “Birmingham Bingo” to explore how the Turnbull Government’s higher education reforms would negatively affect university students and staff.

Bluestocking Week The Division showed the movie Norma Rae at a function in Hobart, and held a series of member morning teas complete with “gender inequality cakes”.

Members were part of the nationwide protest, viewing the live stream from various locations. We combined the event with member meetings to discuss the state of local bargaining.

The Division supported the campaign around the marriage equality postal survey.

State Election The Tasmanian Division participated in the Unions Tasmania-led Jobs You Can Count On push in the lead-up to the state election in March 2018, and contributed to door-knocking efforts, phone calls to union members and public campaigning.

International Workers’ Memorial Day The Division was represented at memorial services in both Launceston and Hobart.

May Day With the added drawcard of Sally McManus and the building Change the Rules campaign, May Day 2018 was a huge affair in the streets of Hobart. Our members were well represented at the march – and some made the cover of the July 2018 Advocate.

Flooding at UTAS Heavy rains in May 2018 resulted in damage to many UTAS buildings on the main Sandy Bay campus. The Tasmanian Division was actively in touch with members whose offices were affected by the floods, and many NTEU members were key in the flood recovery process. www.nteu.org.au/tas

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NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 45

Victorian Division Vic Division Secretary is Colin Long Division President is Paul Adams Division Vice-Presidents are Kerrie Saville (Academic) & Tony Lad (General) Division staff: Senior Industrial Officer: Linda Gale.

Division Industrial Officers: Emma Barnes, Rob Binnie, Clare Danaher, Margaret Maloney, Serena O’Meley, Stan Rosenthal, Rhidian Thomas, Gia Underwood Division Industrial Organiser: Janet Bourke Senior State Organiser: Chloe Gaul Division Organisers: Corey Rabaut, Noel Gardiner (from Apr 2018), Miranda Jamieson (to Jan 2018) Branch Industrial Organisers: Linda Cargill, Anna Gunn, Lisbeth Latham, Colin Muir, Jesse Page, Garry Ryan, Liz Schroeder, Amelia Sully (from Nov 2017) Branch Organisers: Dave Willis, Steve Horton (to Mar 2018), Hayden Jones (to Dec 2017), Frank Gafa (from July 2018) Campaigns & Communications Officer: Toby Cotton Recruitment & Campaign Organiser: Gaurav Nanda Admin Officer/Exec Support: Adrienne Bradley Admin Officer/Industrial: Noel Gardiner (to Dec 2017)

Victorian Division represents almost 9400 members at nine public universities: Deakin University, Federation University Australia (FUA), La Trobe University, University of Melbourne, Monash University, RMIT University, Swinburne University, Victoria University (VU) and two campuses of Australian Catholic University (ACU).

The past year has been characterised by continuing battles for new Collective Agreements; substantial campaigns against casualisation and other industrial issues; persistent government attacks on unions; cuts to university funding in the context of widespread regressive Federal Government policy on everything from tax to asylum seekers and energy; major developments in TAFE, including improved new Agreements and some stabilisation of the sector after the destructive years of the former Coalition State Government; and very substantial NTEU engagement in social policy actions, especially around asylum seekers and climate change.

Round 7 Bargaining Images (L–R): Members at the Change the Rules rally, (May 2018); VU Branch with The Women’s Collective, VU & Moondani Balluk at the ‘Take A Walk With Us’ Bluestocking Week event (Aug 2018); Jeannie Rea and Senator Janet Rice supporting VU workers; Colin Long addressing the crowd at the Melbourne Change the Rules rally (May 2018).

Despite aggressive management bargaining agendas at most universities, good Agreements were reached at the following Branches: La Trobe, Swinburne, RMIT, Melbourne.

Top: NTEU members supporting AWU/ETU/AMWU workers.

Bargaining delivered impressive new

page 46 • NTEU Annual Report 2018

Agreements for PACCT staff in most standalone TAFE institutes, with pay rises well above economy averages, and few, if any, diminution of conditions.

An excellent Agreement was delivered for TAFE teaching staff at Swinburne, with a pay rise of 19.5% over four years, and increased superannuation. NTEU participated in negotiations, led by the AEU, for a new Multi-employer Agreement covering teaching staff in stand-alone TAFE institutes.

Bargaining commenced for Agreements for staff teaching higher education programs in stand-alone TAFE institutes, the first such Agreement for these staff in the sector.

The implementation of Agreements has been a little patchy, with a number of Branches failing to report progress on the implementation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment targets.

Workloads continue to be a major source of member concern across the sector, and action to deal with them will continue to be a focus of Union activity. An emerging area of concern is the implementation of research expectations. Considerable improvement in the Swinburne research expectation system was achieved, but more needs to be done. Again, this will need to be a continuing area of work across multiple Branches.

A major campaign took place at Monash University against increases to class sizes and cuts to sessional budgets.

Campaigning around casuals continued, with particular focus on improvements to secure work in Collective Agreements

and a large, ongoing campaign to deal with underpayment for sessional work.

Recruitment & Membership, Training & Development Membership levels have fluctuated fairly substantially, but ended up quite flat.

Notable trends in recruitment include: • A well-run bargaining campaign can lead to good membership growth, as was the case with the University of Melbourne Branch, which experienced good growth especially during its industrial action.

• Casual membership growth continues to be very good. There does not appear to have been any negative effect of the increase in casual membership dues.

• Growth in TAFE teacher and academic membership in dual sector universities and some stand-alone TAFE institutes.

• The decline of the Growth Team’s recruitment, leading to the program’s closure, was disappointing, It is to be hoped that it can be reconstituted in the future.

Delegate development remains a major Division priority, but needs more work.

Highlights include: • The Division Delegate conference was attended by 50 people.

• A delegate development program has been instituted, and targets for delegate identification and development have been introduced for organisers.

• Work has commenced on improving our OHS representatives network, and improving organising opportunities through OHS campaigns.

• The Victorian Casuals Committee developed and instituted a training day for casual members, and the new Branch casual committee member positions came into effect. Pleasingly, these positions were filled in most Branches.

Public Advocacy & Campaigns The Victorian Division has been active in the ACTU’s Change the Rules campaign, with a large contingent at the very successful May 9 rally in central Melbourne.

Change the Rules continues to be a major area of work that we are very committed to.

The Division has continued to play an important role in the broader union movement’s response to the issue of climate change, with the Secretary participating in the ACTU’s Climate Action Group, Trade Unions for Energy Democracy’s Global Advisory Group, and being a member of the ITUC’s delegation to COP23 in Bonn. The chief result of this work has been a muchincreased profile for Just Transition as a policy framework for the labour movement and the ALP, which has adopted a policy of creating a Just Transition Authority (or similar) if it wins national government.

The Division continued to provide very substantial assistance to the Asylum Seekers Pathways Project, with over 20 young people gaining university or TAFE places, and work opportunities with VicSuper and the Victorian Government.

The Division also provided financial and organising support to the Refugee Action Collective, and encouraged members to participate in actions in support of refugees and asylum seekers.

The Division, led by organiser Dave Willis, played its part in the Marriage Equality Campaign, and the QUTE caucus is functioning well.

NTEU partnered with NUW and MEAA in the Fair Australia Overland writing prize. www.nteu.org.au/vic

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The Division continued to provide support to Earthworker, which opened its factory in Morwell during the year just gone. As well as providing job opportunities in the Latrobe Valley, Earthworker continues to develop and support the broader cooperative economy in Victoria. Energy retailer, Cooperative Power Australia, of which NTEU Victoria is a founding member, is now well established and undergoing a trial amongst NUW members in Queensland.

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 47

WA Division WA Division Secretary is Gabe Gooding Division President is Stuart Bunt Division Vice-President position is vacant Division Staff: Senior State Organiser: Marty Braithwaite (to April 2018) Industrial Officer: Alex Cousner (to Dec 2017) Division Industrial Organisers: Mark Charles & Donna Shepherdson Branch Organisers: Beth Cole, Ryan Costello, Eileen Glynn & Jayne van Dalen

The WA Division represents 2,400 members at the four public universities in Western Australia: Curtin University, Edith Cowan University (ECU), Murdoch University and the University of Western Australia (UWA).

The Division also represents members at the University of Notre Dame (Australia), Student Unions at all the four public universities, Research Institutes (largely affiliated with UWA) and private providers such as Navitas.

Round 7 Bargaining The conclusion of Round 7 bargaining in Western Australia consumed considerable resources over the past two years.

Agreements were concluded at UWA (two Agreements), ECU, and Curtin and finally, in February of this year, at Murdoch University.

Images (L–R): WA Division at Perth May Day 2018; Life Member Christina Ballantyne at May Day; Chilla Bulbeck (Greens WA), Meredith Hammatt (Unions WA) & Gabe Gooding at the Bluestocking Week breakfast; Sanna Peden at May Day rally.

Top: Members at Perth May Day 2018.

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The Agreement at Murdoch was achieved despite the university successfully applying to have the existing Agreement terminated, which as the Fair Work Commission observed, considerably shifts the balance of power in bargaining to the employer.

After three sets of industrial action and a strong public campaign from our members, the University settled an Agreement that protected all keys and rights and conditions for our Murdoch members and that was comparable to those achieved at the other public universities. This saga was finally put to rest on 10 August 2018 when the new Collective Agreement was certified and came into force (with Murdoch members

having been without the protection of an Agreement for 11 months).

Other Bargaining The Division has also successfully concluded negotiations for Collective Agreements at UWA for ELICOS staff and Murdoch Guild of Students and is in the final drafting stage at the Edith Cowan Guild of Students. We are currently negotiating for a new Agreement for members at Notre Dame and for student Guild members at UWA.

Recruitment and Membership, Training & Development The membership of the WA Division has remained relatively stable being at around 2, 400 having been up to 2447 and down to 2381 during the previous 12 months. The Division was impacted considerably by the loss of 300 jobs at UWA and successive rounds of restructures at other universities.

Over the twelve month period the ongoing trend of around 15% turn-over of membership continued.

Over the past twelve months the Division has conducted training for Delegates (Introductory) and for Delegates (Advanced) as well as specific sessions around Occupational Health and Safety and Advocacy.

A new initiative this year was a postNational Council conference for Branch Committee members and delegates to discuss the motions passed at Council and to develop plans on how to implement the priorities determined by Council. This was a very successful event which also

included speakers from UnionsWA and the ACTU Change The Rules campaign. As 2018 is an election year we intend to run this again combined with induction for new committee and office bearers.

Public Advocacy & Campaigns The Division has taken a high profile in the #ChangeTheRules campaign in Western Australia using our experience at Murdoch University to explain the impact of unfair industrial laws on workers.

This has involved presentations at UnionsWA Council, meetings on campuses across the country and work with other Unions to share our story.

Marriage Equality We also played an active part in the Yes campaign for marriage equality, and a series of issue specific campaigns through our membership of UnionsWA. NTEU has also provided support to the campaign for industrial manslaughter laws in WA which is in the early stages.

May Day This year saw one of the largest ever turn-outs to May Day by the WA unions and public sending the message strongly that we need to Change The Rules. The outstanding participation by 150 members of NTEU was a demonstration of how, after Murdoch, NTEU members understand the urgency of legislative change to build a fairer system.

to discussions about Women Changing the Rules.

Griffin Coal The Division established a close working relationship with the striking AMWU members at Griffin Coal whose Collective Agreement was terminated a few months before the one at Murdoch. This involved us actively promoting support for their indefinite industrial action, numerous trips to the picket line in Collie south of Perth and at Christmas the collection from NTEU members of gifts for the children of the striking families (including special gifts for those families who were expecting children). The generosity of NTEU members resulted in us being able to deliver a bundle of gifts individually chosen for each child based on information provided by the Griffin Community Protest organisers.

Griffin Coal workers, like our members at Murdoch also settled a new Collective Agreement and went back to work six months after walking off the job. NTEU was privileged to be invited to be there to honour the returning workers. www.nteu.org.au/wa

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Bluestocking Week was once again a highlight with events on each campus and our very successful Bluestocking Week breakfast drawing a sizeable crowd to listen

NTEU Annual Report 2018 • page 49

nteu.org.au/annualreport