Branch Presidents talk Te Pūkenga.

Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union Branch Presidents from Te Pūkenga met in Wellington on Friday to discuss and plan for the year ahead. An important part of the agenda was an update on progress towards single collective agreements across the network for academic and allied/general staff.

One of the Branch Presidents present was Lucas Reid from Te Whare Wānanga o te Awakairangi | WelTec, who found the hui “an important step forward.”

“I really valued the opportunity to meet face to face with colleagues from around the country and get to know union staff that I have previously only met on the other end of a computer screen.”

“Everyone has been working really hard to get the best we can for our members out of the Reform of Vocational Education and even though it feels like it’s been going on forever, it’s really only just starting.”

“Going back to my branch this week, I’m excited to let my local membership know that the union has things in hand. I was especially reassured to see the professional way the proposed collective agreement consolidation is being conducted in a way that ensures none of us will lose any terms and conditions of employment.”

“What’s important from here on is for us all to be stronger, more active and more visible in the Te Pūkenga space so we can grow and have more power and influence in the changes to come.”

Further consultation with members on the proposed new consolidated Te Pūkenga collective agreements will take place in the next month.