For years the only news on enterprise bargaining at the University of Notre Dame Australia was that there was no news

But while movement is at techtonic-plate pace it seems things are happening.

The campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union tells members that management has agreed to 2 per cent pay rises this year and next, (administrative rises of 1.5 per cent are already paid, covering the time since the old agreement expired).

However, superannuation for “non-casual” staff will increase marginally, to 13.25 per cent next year, 3.75 per cent less than paid at public universities, (UNDA is a private provider).

Management also appears to be lining-up behind the federal government’s proposed new legislative protection for staff commenting on, “the higher education provider in which they work,” (CMM January 22). The union states, “management have also agreed that allegations of misconduct will not be pursued where an Academic staff member is found to have been validly exercising their right to academic freedom.”

UNDA did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.