Murdoch University has signalled it wants to settle the long-running dispute over terms of a new enterprise agreement when talks with the National Tertiary Education Union begin on Tuesday. “To progress towards resolution of negotiations and in response to your feedback, we are re-examining our position on a number of key issues and considering terms and conditions which aim to be broadly comparable to those within the sector,” Chief Operating Officer Darren McKee told staff yesterday.

This is a move from the university’s position last year, when it wanted a stripped- down agreement, without the detailed codification of employment conditions common in other universities. Murdoch management also convinced the Far Work Commission to allow it to revert to award wages and conditions, which are lower, than those that applied in the university’s previous enterprise agreement. It did not do it but its power to do has cast a long shadow over bargaining.  However, Mr McKee has now extended a previous guarantee to maintain the old agreement to next month, until June. “Our preference is to achieve an agreement well in advance of this date.”

Murdoch U is now the only public university in WA where the union and management have not agreed on terms.