Systems bans suspended: significant progress made on core demands
We are delighted to report that a new tone was set at the bargaining table today. VU management reached in-principle agreement with NTEU on strong hybrid work rights. Significant progress was also made on recognition of cultural load for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
Management also committed to 5 days of intensive negotiations in the coming fortnight to reach a resolution on academic workloads, underpinned by an acknowledgment -- finally -- from Shoemaker’s negotiators that there is a workload problem at VU.
Additionally, there will be a meeting between NTEU bargaining representatives and Senior DVC John Germov – the first time a decision-maker will be in the room with your Union representatives. The Strategic Review of the Block Model will also be shared with the NTEU to help inform workload discussions.
One thing is clear. This is a win for those NTEU members who showed the courage to undertake industrial action, many of whom suffered an unforeseen and significant loss of income. Shoemaker played a gamble and stood down staff without pay. It backfired. NTEU members held strong and upped the ante with targeted direct action against Shoemaker. The NTEU VU branch has stood up!
In light of these developments, NTEU VU branch this afternoon voted overwhelmingly to suspend the partial work bans – i.e. the bans on Outlook, Zoom, SharePoint, Teams, Cisco Jabber, Engageware, StudentOne and Right Now – from 11.59pm tonight, Wednesday 11 September.
The motion also stipulated that if the above commitments from VU management were not upheld, and if progress on workloads, cultural load for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and pay was insufficient, further industrial action will be taken by the branch.
Although this outcome is not everything we want, it is significant progress that will tangibly improve the lives of VU staff.
What does the suspension of the bans look like?
From 11.59pm tonight, bans on Outlook, Zoom, SharePoint, Teams, Cisco Jabber, Engageware, StudentOne and Right Now will be lifted. From tomorrow, you may return to work as normal. Wearing NTEU merchandise and making statements while working will still continue to be protected industrial actions as before.
I have been stood down. Do I need to notify my manager that I am returning to work?
The NTEU has notified VU management that the bans on online systems will be lifted from 11.59pm tonight. However, you may wish to contact your manager to inform them that you will be returning to work, to ensure that your pay resumes as usual.
I have not been stood down, but am implementing the online systems bans. Do I need to notify my manager that I am returning to work as normal?
The NTEU has notified university management that the bans on online systems will be lifted from 11.59pm tonight. You do not need to inform your manager or the university of your return to usual duties. You simply resume work as normal from tomorrow.
What should I do if I am asked to make up for work missed or disrupted due to industrial action?
Academic Staff:
If you are required to reschedule classes, assessments or any other academic activities missed due to taking protected industrial action, then that rescheduled work must be capable of being accommodated within your existing allocated workload plan. This would mean that it would need to be recognised twice in your workload – once for the occasion that occurred during the protected industrial action, and again when that work is rescheduled. If you are asked to do make-up work, then you should ask management to explain how this workload allocation is consistent with the 1710 annual cap on allocated hours.
Clause 35.4 of the 2019 Agreement requires work plans to take account of an academic’s health, safety and welfare, and for workloads to be allocated in a transparent, equitable, flexible and accountable manner. You should not be allocated ‘make-up’ work in a manner that is contrary to these factors.
Clause 35.4 of the 2019 Agreement requires all academic staff to have an annual work plan. If you do not have an annual work plan, please contact the branch at [email protected], as this is a breach of the 2019 Agreement.
Professional Staff:
Professional staff hours of work are 36.75 hours per week, to be worked between 7am and 7pm Monday to Friday. If you are allocated additional work, or make-up work, as a result of taking protected industrial action, and the work is not able to be performed within these hours, then it remains the case that you are not required to work in excess of these parameters. If you are required to work hours in excess of 36.75 hours per week to make up for work not performed as a result of taking protected industrial action, then you are entitled to overtime.
Further information on OHS:
Under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act, Victoria University is required to, so far as reasonably practicable, provide and maintain for employees a working environment that is safe and without risks to health. You should not be allocated additional work that is unsafe or creates a risk to your health.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email the branch [email protected].
In strength and solidarity,
NTEU VU branch