Possible industrial action is disrupting a peak event at the National Tertiary Education Union, with national leaders postponing the elected officials conference, scheduled for this month. A letter to branch presidents, state secretaries and national executive members advises that union employees negotiating a new enterprise agreement have applied to the Fair Work Commission for a protected-action ballot on taking industrial action. Management says this means “there is the potential” for the conference, “to be disrupted, either in the lead-up, or during the meeting.”
However the committee bargaining for staff says this is no reason to cancel, saying the ballot does not close till after the scheduled conference dates. “NTEU staff regret that we have had to exercise our rights to take protected industrial action given our claims are not excessive and are affordable,” it tells branch and state leaderships.
The union leadership position is that; “while we are disappointed by this development we support the rights of our staff to engage in industrial action. We want the union’s staff to continue to enjoy good conditions of employment, but we also have a responsibility to carefully manage the resources entrusted to us by members.”