From recent national news, the following:
The following people have been elected unopposed as AUS national officers:
President: Nigel Haworth (Auckland)
Academic Vice President: Tom Ryan (Waikato)
Women’s Vice President: Maureen Montgomery (Canterbury)
General Staff Vice President: Cate Wartho (Otago)
The following positions remain unfilled
- Maori Tumuaki/Vice President
- Technical Staff Vice President
- Academic Support Vice President
- Library Vice President
- Administrative Support Staff Vice President
Nominations for the remaining positions are now reopened and will close on 14 October 2005.
Member Geoff McLay has produced A Guide to Intellectual Property Rights for AUS members.
An AUS email explains that
"This new on-line book is intended to give AUS members basic information about common intellectual property issues that arise in the employment context", given that a "key concern of university staff is the degree to which the university owns their intellectual property creations".
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Following the intiation of legal proceedings, mediation took place on September 14 between representatives of the university and the union concerning the proposed restructuring of the College of Arts.
From this, wrote branch president David Small, "a process was established whereby consultation will occur prior to a final decision being taken by the employer. It means that the voluntary severance process is suspended in the meantime".
Further mediation and meetings with College of Arts management led to the obtaining of information "on which the AUS can base any consultation", including
- EFTS history and predictions
- Academic staff comparisons by programme
- Predicted PBRF funding 2004 to 2009
- College budgets for 2005 and 2006, including the cost of College
management
- Actions taken to date and timelines
This information has been circulated to members as a PDF.
A meeting was held on September 28 to brief members on the information and begin the pooling of ideas. Following this meeting, David Small wrote
The plan from here is for people send in suggestions to us, so that we can formulate a draft response that we will then circulate to members and meet to discuss.
Further information about the parameters of suggestions was provided by email. Suggestions should be sent as soon as possible to David, Marty or Matthew.
Meanwhile, a group of students is actively opposing the cuts, under the campaign title of Save our Staff, promoting a petition which is attracting many signatures. They can be contacted by email here.
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From an email to members from Marty Braithwaite of AUS National Office:
Yesterday the AUS filed legal proceedings relating to the failure of the University to consult with affected employees and their representatives over the decision to cut staff numbers in the College of Arts.
The AUS is seeking:
- An injunction restraining the Vice-Chancellor from proceeding with the proposal without complying with his obligation to consult under the terms of the collective employment agreement and the Employment Relations and State Sector Acts;
- an order requiring the Vice-Chancellor to comply with those obligations;
- damages;
- penalties for breach of contract;
- costs.
This action is consistent with a view outlined and endorsed at a meeting of AUS members yesterday.
At this stage we are scheduled for mediation for Wednesday morning, and expect there will be an urgent hearing of the substantive matters in the Employment Authority shortly thereafter.
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The AUS is being represented in legal proceedings by Peter Cranney of Oakley Moran, while the University is being represented by Susan Hornsby of the Wellington law firm, Kensington Swan.
The legal proceedings filed by AUS can be viewed here on the AUS website.
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A meeting was held yesterday to present the branch's plans for dealing with the proposed redundancies in the Faculty of Arts and elsewhere.
Branch president David Small wrote:
We have worked through a series of ideas presented at the recent members' meeting to consider options, and we have also sought legal advice.
We have a proposal for a way forward that involves legal and industrial opposition.
Further updates to follow.
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(with apologies for the lack of updates; your contributor has been on leave).
As stated in the Tertiary Update of September 8,
Union members at the University of Canterbury yesterday ratified the settlement of their four main collective agreements, bringing to an end several months of industrial disruption. Union members will receive a salary increase of 5 percent from 1 August, with 2.75 percent backdated to 1 May.
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The Association of University Staff (AUS) Canterbury Branch President, Dr David Small, said that, through their collective efforts including successful strike action, staff had shifted the University from its original offer of 3.25 percent, and into agreeing to a national process for future salary discussions. Union members had also been successful in putting the issue of salaries on the political agenda. “It has always been our view that the resolution of the salary problems facing the sector would be through a political as well as industrial process. The agreement we have reached places an enforceable obligation on the vice-chancellors collectively to give the salary issue a high priority in the tripartite process; use their best endeavours to develop, agree and implement sustainable solutions to providing fair and competitive salaries; and to implement, as appropriate, agreed outcomes into collective agreements.”
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More details of the settlement were spelled out in the latest branch newsletter.
The main points are:
- The term of the agreement will be from 1 May 2005 to 30 April 2006.
- A 2.75% increase in salaries, effective from 1 May 2005, and a further 2.25% effective 1 August 2005. The salary rates will remain effective until 31 October 2006. Any agreed salary increases arising from the Tripartite Forum will, however, be incorporated into the agreements, as appropriate, by way of variation.
- The insertion of a number of enforceable points from the Universities Umbrella Agreement ensuring that the parties will work actively and constructively through the University Tripartite Forum to:
Ensure the issue of competitive and fair salaries for all university staff is given a high priority in the Tripartite Forum work plan
Use best endeavours to develop and agree and implement sustainable solutions to providing fair and competitive salaries
Implement, as appropriate, agreed outcomes from the Tripartite Forum into collective agreements
- The insertion of an “employee protection clause” required by the Employment Relations Act to set out the rights and obligations of staff and the employer in cases of sale, transfer or contracting out.
- An amendment to the sick leave provisions allowing the employer to require (at its expense) medical certificates where the employer considers, on reasonable grounds, that the sick leave is not genuine (consistent with the legislative provision)
- Minor amendments to the academic study leave provision to change the line of reporting from the human Resources Director to the relevant Pro Vice-Chancellor, and to provide that study leave eligibility is not subject to contingent liability accounting.
- The employer’s substantive claims (claw backs) are to be referred to a working party. The working party will also examine the trades group salaries and conditions of employment.
- Current or pending litigation on bargaining issues to be withdrawn or discontinued
The actual details (the wording agreed) of the proposed settlement can be viewed here.
Staff were represented at the local negotiations by David Small (Education), Robyn Daly (Psychology) and Marty Braithwaite from AUS, Mike Chaney from the PSA, Wayne Ruscoe from EPMU and Dave O’Connell and Mike Stevenson from the Building Trades Union.
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A few morsels that are of relevance to members:
- The operating surplus as a percentage of total revenue is 14% (for the year to date) and tracking 4.2% (full year forecast). The forecast surplus is $8 242 000.
- Christchurch City Council will underwrite UC's efforts to raise $9.7 Million in the Partnerships for Excellence programme. This is for an ICT Innovation centre. Education Minister Trevor Mallard will be at UC today for lunch.
- In student numbers, EFTS are up by 60 over last year's numbers. International student numbers are down 100.
- The merger with CCE is experiencing delays during this pre-election time, with the Minister's focus elsewhere, and some delays in responses from TAMU and the TEC.
- Janet Shiner, the new head of TEC, is to visit UC.
- The UC Profile doc will go to the Academic Board in September and then to Council during the September and October meetings.
- Fixed Term and Casual staff make up 20% of all Full Time Equivalent staff.
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Negotiations at Canterbury resumed on 31 August
Bargaining resumed yesterday at Canterbury; as yet there is no settlement. Discussions are continuing. The team will let members know when it has a proposal for them to consider.
Branch newsletter to highlight redundancy threats
AUS Members in the College of Arts and UC Opportunity, along with members from the wider staff, are currently organising around the proposed cuts to staff in the College of Arts, and the restructuring of Bridging Programmes and the English Language Centre in UC Opportunity. A report of developments will be in the Branch newsletter which will be distributed to members next week.
The Press ordered to pay $200 000 to former employees made redundant
A report in yesterday's Christchurch Star details the case and compensation paid to former workers who lost their jobs during a restructure. The Press wrote an editorial attacking MECA bargaining and gave fairly lacklustre reporting of industrial action at Canterbury. The case reported here is important in the light of the university's stance on consultation with AUS. Business New Zealand chief executive Phil O'Reilly is quoted saying:
The case is a reminder to employers of the importance of adhering to process, in complying with the terms of collective agreements and consulting with and giving due regard to proposals by unions.
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The Canterbury branch newsletter for Spring 2005 is currently in preparation.
A copy will be distributed to all members later in the coming week.
The newsletter's main feature will be an article on the proposed restructuring in the College of Arts and UC Opportunity.
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Former branch president and general staff member Jane Guise was farewelled by members of the branch committee over afternoon tea at Misceo, on 19 August.
As well as her past work as branch president, Jane has been a key member of the technicians’ committee for a number of years, as well as acting as national bargaining representative in this year’s negotiations.
The committee presented Jane with a gift and card in appreciation of her work on behalf of members.
We wish Jane and her husband Ian all the best in their new adventures on the West Coast.
Pictured: Jane and fellow branch committee members Bob Gordon (obscured), Eric Cox, Neville Bennett and Ian Sheppard enjoy coffee and conversation at her farewell afternoon tea.
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Today's Tertiary Update notes that National President Nigel Haworth, General Secretary Helen Kelly and Lead Advocate Jeff Rowe, are today meeting with vice-chancellors to finalise the details of the umbrella agreement.
Negotiations at Canterbury begin again on Monday 29 August, with Marty Braithwaite as the AUS advocate. Representatives from other university unions will also be present.
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