Our Strategy.

National Industrial Strategy Q&A

Why is there a national industrial strategy?

While bargaining by necessity is conducted at a branch level, the national industrial strategy provides an overarching framework under which all bargaining teams operate. 

We have a national industrial strategy because there is strength in numbers, and we all work within one sector. The national industrial strategy provides a way in which we can work towards standardising the collective agreements the union negotiates, with the aim over time is to reduce the number of agreements in the sector.

What does the industrial strategy do?

The Industrial Strategy sets out:

  1. national priority claims that branches will include in their log of claims at all sites (if they are relevant to the collective agreement), unless there is agreement otherwise;
  2. the national core conditions of employment that branches will defend at all sites (if they are relevant to the collective agreement); and,
  3. previous national claims/clauses that can be considered by branches if they have not been achieved.
Who is responsible for collective negotiations and the national industrial strategy?

The TEU has developed internal protocols and bargaining processes to guide all advocates and negotiating teams.

The national industrial officer (in consultation with the national committees, council, president and national secretary), is the staff members responsible for overseeing TEU’s bargaining processes and outcomes. TEU staff are also responsible for ensuring that all TEU negotiations are consistent with the current Industrial Strategy and with employment  legislation, and that national priority claims are developed in consultation with the Industrial and Professional Committee.

Every year TEU negotiates dozens of collective agreements. Take two to watch the TEU’s 2018-19 successes and you’ll see progress we’ve made on our priority claims, individual cases, and much more.

Collective Negotiations Q&A

What is a collective agreement?

Collective employment agreements are agreements between your employers and TEU that covers your work in your workplace.

What does TEU do in collective agreements?

TEU negotiates collective employment agreements and advocates on behalf of union members.

Who can join the TEU?

Everyone working in public tertiary education institutions and some other workplaces involved in tertiary education or research, can join the TEU (except for Vice Chancellors and Chief Executives as they are the employers in our sector).

Who does the TEU cover in their collective agreements?

The TEU currently negotiates 58 collective agreements across the sector, covering universities, institutes of technology/polytechnics, and wānanga.

The union also negotiates a limited number of collective agreements in the private sector and for other providers or organisations (e.g. REAPs, community education providers, New Zealand Council for Educational Research).

Where do I find out about the collective agreement that covers me?

To find your collective agreement head to our branches.

If you've got more questions let us know.