NEWS ◆
Merry Christmas and a No, No, No! Just weeks before Christmas last year, Monash College management launched a non-union ballot to drive through a substandard Enterprise Agreement on its workforce of around 1000 teaching and professional staff. In exchange for a piffling 2% payrise management wanted a spread of ordinary hours of 7.30am – 9.30pm Monday to Friday with no penalty rates. Meanwhile, staff had not had a payrise in 18 months.
Snap 15-minute Stop Work meetings To capture as many members as possible, Monash College NTEU delegates had the novel approach of organising four lots of snap 15-minute Stop Work meetings. A fast game’s a good game! All four meetings unanimously voted to launch a VOTE NO campaign to reject the sub-standard offer.
Vote NO! On the day the non-union ballot opened, the NTEU held two very well attended 'Vote NO Democracy Sausage' events. Ac-
Since 1958, the Australian Universities’ Review has been encouraging debate and discussion about issues in higher education and its contribution to Australian public life.
tivists overcame management propaganda, divide and rule tactics and the threat of legal action against the NTEU to defeat the ballot. On the back of a convincing NO Vote, the NTEU secured an excellent Enterprise Agreement. Most importantly, the existing 8 am to 6 pm Spread of Hours was saved with penalty rates kicking in after 6pm. ◆ Mel Slee, Victorian Division Secretary Above: Frank Gafa, Sandra Green and Daniel Sammut with festively decorated Vote No banners.
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www.aur.org.au ADVOCATE VOL. 27 NO. 1 ◆ MARCH 2020
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