Teachers & Educators UCA Update # 16

6 December 2007

Negotiations Stall

To date there has been no change to the offer from the Government following last week's Teachers & Educators Union Collective Agreement (UCA) negotiating meeting. 

The AEU-NT does not expect Government will respond to the Union’s priority claims, as outlined in **Update # 14, before the end of term 4.  Last week’s UCA meeting indicated the direction in which the Government is heading could lead to major industrial battles with the AEU-NT next year, with the AEU-NT implementing our strategy of an Industrial Ballot in Term 1, 2008

The Government’s Current Position on AEU-NT Priority Claims :

1. 15% Salary Increase Over Two Years – Rejected:  The Government's response is that the AEU NT claim is not realistic.  They have rejected it.

2. School Development Days – The Government are willing to discuss the number of School Development Days that might be made mandatory during stand down. The only number the AEU-NT is interested in talking about regarding School Development Days during stand down is zero.  None of the Government's arguments justify the move.  The AEU NT opposed this proposal in 1999 and won - we will maintain our priority claim to not erode leave conditions.

3.  Professional Isolation Allowance – At the last two meetings, the Government has started talking about raising the cash offer from $4000 - $5000 (incremental over three years), but is beginning to back away from continuing the freight reimbursement scheme.  A cash allowance could be quickly eaten away by service charge increases over a three year agreement. If the Government wants to replace the kilo allowance with cash, it’s going to have to be a lot more than an incremental $5000 increase over three years.

4.  ERT Salary – The Government have offered ‘to have another look’ at ERT salary.

5. Staffing Formula Reference Group – The Government is considering an offer to put Staffing Formula back on the agenda during the next agreement under a Reference Group.  This will not be a binding agreement about staffing levels.

** Update #14 was sent to sub-branches on 28 November, visit www.aeunt.org.au to download a copy.

NOTE:  MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT YOUR VIEWS ON THE CURRENT NEGOTIATIONS VIA EMAIL or FAX TO THE AEU-NT

Fax:  8948 2577   email:  admin@aeunt.org.au