After a year of bargaining, University of Queensland management and the campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union are close to a deal, but not close enough. Observers say both sides worked hard at a meeting late last month and settled a bunch of outstanding matters. But as Provost Aidan Byrne told staff in a Friday email; “while the parties have reached an understanding on the majority of issues, regrettably there are a number of critical matters that remain unresolved.” CMM hears there are three – one is money and that will not be sorted until there is a deal on two others.

Management wants the span of campus working hours to be seven to seven, to provide student support, which the union is reluctant to accept.

The university is also keen on simplifying misconduct and performance matters by reducing grounds for appeal of decisions to matters of process and new information, instead of a committee reviewing afresh all aspects of a decision. However, the union is said to be adamantly opposed to this.

As to money, management is sticking with its proposal for combined cash and per centage pay rises, as a way of ensuring lower paid staff do best and has improved its January offer (CMM January 19) to the equivalent of 1.7 per cent per annum for four years. The question is whether management will up its offer if the union agrees to simplifying the discipline process.

The NTEU bargaining team is expected to brief members on Wednesday.