22 October 2009

Dear TEU members covered by the ITP MECA

Your TEU team have been in bargaining on Monday and Tuesday this week. On Tuesday we had the assistance of a mediator from the Department of Labour.

The employer representatives restated their view that any salary increases negotiated must be tied to demonstrated productivity gains, as directed by the Government’s “State Sector Pay and Employment Expectation” which requires all Chief Executives to consult with the State Services Commission during the bargaining process.

They have also restated their view that because they face significant funding reductions in 2011 along with the maintenance of current EFTS caps, this has reinforced the need to make productivity gains which they say are key to achieving a settlement.

The employers presented a revised offer as a package.

The key parts as follows;

• 2% on salaries effective from the date of signing the MECA

• 18 month term from the date of signing the MECA

• Change in Teaching Days from 185 to 204

• A revised claim on their changes to discretionary leave. (see the actual words attached.)

What has changed since the first offer:

The main changes are a shorter term (previously it was 24 months from the date of signing) and an increased salary offer from 1% to 2% from the date of settlement (note this would mean no back dating).

This revised offer still remains significantly below our members expectations regarding a salary increase and continues to seek to erode two key areas of your terms and conditions i.e. employer control over discretionary leave and increasing the teaching days per year. The TEU team has not agreed to any of this package.

TEU response

Your team, in an effort to keep the bargaining moving, tabled a revised proposal, as follows:

• Two year term from 02 March 2009 to 01 March 2011

• 4.0% on paid salaries and printed rates effective from 02 March 2009

• 2.5% on paid salaries and printed rates effective from 01 March 2010

• Increases to apply to allowances

• No change to Teaching Days

• No change to employee controlled Discretionary Leave

At the conclusion of this session of bargaining, the employer representatives have stated that they will need to consider the current situation and will have further discussion with the Chief Executives, and have undertaken to confirm their position in writing to TEU by Friday this week. They have offered to return to bargaining on Tuesday 27^th October, with the assistance of the mediator. Therefore, in good faith your bargaining team has agreed to return to the bargaining on Tuesday. At the time of writing this newsletter this date has not been confirmed.

Alongside this, we have also arranged a round of branch meetings starting on Wednesday 28^th October, to give a full report back to members on the current state of the bargaining and to discuss the possible need to commit to further action if required to ensure we can achieve an acceptable settlement for all our members.

Meeting Dates and Times (please note venues will be advised separately)

• Wednesday 28^th October Northtec 12 noon
• Wednesday 28^th October BoPP 12 noon Windermere – 3pm Bongard
• Thursday 29^th October WITT 12 noon
• Thursday 29th October Wintec 12 noon
• Friday 30^th October Unitec 12 noon main campus – 3pm Waitakere
• Friday 30^th October Whitireia 12 noon

If you have any questions before the meetings please contact your branch representative or

Chan Dixon http://scr.im/chandixon or Irena Brorens http://scr.im/irenabrorens

Thanks for your ongoing support and participation in maintaining your and all TEU members’ core conditions of employment in the ITP sector.I

TūKotahi – Stand as One

Irena Brorens, Lead Advocate – http://scr.im/irenabrorens

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)

Employers Proposal to amend the current Discretionary Leave Clause – Tabled 19^th October

Note: This has not been agreed to by TEU it is provided to members for information only

The sections in red highlight are the significant changes to the current clause.

Amended clause full wording.

6.3.5 Discretionary Leave

(a) Except as otherwise provided in clause 6.3.5, employees will be entitled to four weeks per leave year to be used at the employee’s discretion, with the following exceptions:

(i) Up to four weeks in each of the first two years of employment may be required for initial academic staff member training.

(ii) Where the employee is required by the employer to use some or all of their discretionary leave for directed development to maintain their currency or to address their development to ensure that they are able to meet the requirements of the position /role and /or the institution.

(b) The employer may require or the employee may request to reduce the employee’s entitlement to discretionary leave under this clause subject to the following conditions:

(i) the reduction shall be in periods of not less than one week, and

(ii) the employee shall be liable to perform all duties relating to his/her position, and

(iii) the employee shall be paid 2% of the employee’s annual salary for each week of discretionary leave that is reduced pursuant to this provision

(iv) Any such arrangement shall be recorded and signed by both parties as a formal variation to the application of the agreement

The employee will be advised of his or her right to seek advice from TEU prior to any negotiations and agreement being finalised.

Sub Clauses c to g remain unchanged