Update # 2

21 July 2009

We have now spent three sessions in bargaining with employer representatives from each of the MECA institutions.”  The last session was held on 22 June 2009 and at the end of this session our view was that we had made little progress. The employers had not made any salary offer and they said that any offers would need to be linked to productivity gains. They were continuing to seek changes to some of the core national conditions such as changes in discretionary leave, duty hours and changes in the way annual leave can be taken in blocks of time. (see below the employer claims that were included in the previous newsletter)

The TEU team informed the employer representatives that we would be arranging a round of stopwork meetings to report back to members on the status of the bargaining and to vote on undertaking an industrial action ballot. However TEU Advocate Irena Brorens also told “ ” the employer parties that if they wished to reconsider their position prior to the proposed stopwork meetings, then the TEU team would be available to meet again.

The stopwork meetings were planned to start on 23 July and run to 30 July.”  On 15 July TEU received a letter from the employer representatives which stated “We wish to arrange a further negotiation session for later in July, at which we will table a comprehensive offer for you to consider to settle the MECA”.

“On this basis and in the interest of bargaining in good faith, we request that you defer the stopwork meetings you have currently scheduled. We also request that you do not proceed with seeking a mandate for industrial action, to allow the parties to concentrate on settling a new MECA”.

After consideration of this request from the employer representatives, your bargaining team has agreed to return to negotiations to hear the new offer.

State Services Commission

The employer representatives have made it clear that the chief executives are required to consult with the State Services Commission on any bargaining strategies or proposed settlements.”  This the first time in many years that the SSC has become a feature in tertiary sector bargaining.”  This is a direct result of the current Government’s view about salaries and terms and conditions for publicly funded organisations.

Employers’ Claims

The employers’ key claims are couched in their wish to achieve more flexibility and greater productivity, in particular around workload, annual leave and discretionary leave.

A summary of the employers’ key claims tabled is as follows:

• To introduce a new clause stipulating that academic staff shall work such hours as may be reasonably required of them to professionally fulfil the requirements of the job, which may be outside of the normal week;
• To introduce more flexibility in the areas of TTH and duty hours, with a focus on the quarterly 300 TTH, number of teaching days per annum( which are currently no more than 185 days), and daily duty hours(which are currently no more than eight hours);
• To delete the current entitlement to one block of annual leave of at least four weeks ;
• To change discretionary leave so that it is at the employer’s discretion rather than the employee’s; to use the leave for approved initiatives that enhance the employee’s performance, and to have one week used for industry refresher leave where appropriate.

What you can do:

• Print out the poster attached and put it on your office door
• Keep up to date with progress in bargaining through these newsletters
• Attend meetings when they are called
• Support your negotiating team and branch committee by actively participating in this important process

Irena Brorens, Lead Advocate

On behalf of your bargaining team – Glennis Birks (Wintec), Rod Fearn (WITT), Sarah Hardman (Unitec), Sharon Phillips (Whitireia), Eric Stone (NorthTec), Robyn Tucker (BoPP), Chan Dixon”  Co – Advocate (TEU Organiser)