A couple of weeks back a new enterprise agreement at the University of the Sunshine Coast looked imminent, but no deal is done

The problem is management wants changes on moving academics to teaching-only positions and the campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union isn’t having it.

The union is keen to keep the term in the old-agreement, which states research active criteria, “will only be modified through agreement with the Joint Consultative Committee” (three management and three union reps).

The union says management want changes to academic roles to be based on “consultation”, rather than “agreement.”

The difference, the NTEU warns, would “force untold numbers of academics” into teaching-focused positions, “regardless of staff input to consultation.”

CMM asked the university what it thought about that but a representative declined to comment, “because it does not want to jeopardise negotiations.”