Murdoch NTEU Branch Summer Newsletter

From the PresidentHappy New Year to all Murdoch Branch NTEU members. I hope that this year will be a good year for all of you, despite the global financial problems.

Contact details for Murdoch BranchBranch Organiser .............. Chris Latham

Industrial Officer ..........Judy McCulloch

Office ................Transportable 1, Room 8

Phone ...........................................9360 2922

Fax .................................................9360 6587

Email................... [email protected]

Web .......... www.nteu.org.au/murdoch/

Published by National Tertiary Education Union. Authorised by Dr Marian Kemp, President, Murdoch Branch

Over the last part of last year we tended to send out bulletins and emails to members to get information out as quickly as possible. Whilst we will continue to do this, we are also committed to producing newsletters that include a wider range of items. I encouraged you to send in news items to the Branch Organiser on [email protected]. It’s your newsletter so don’t be tempted to leave it to everyone else!

Currently the Branch Organiser is Chris Latham who has been with us for about 8 months. He has done an excellent job; however he will be leaving in late March for personal reasons. The position is currently being advertised in The West Australian, The Australian and the NTEU website. If you would be interested in applying for the position or know people who would be, please contact Chris for more information about the role of Branch Organiser.

Collective Bargaining re-commenced at the beginning of February. We have weekly

meetings scheduled for both the academic and general staff bargaining. We will send out Bargaining Bulletins and emails as appropriate.

There has been considerable discussion between the unions and management about Organisational Change in connection with the Murdoch 2010 Project. We have reached a good understanding of the procedures and we anticipate these procedures being followed. However, if you believe that appropriate procedures are not being followed in your area, please get in touch with us immediately.

There is a Bargaining Meeting for elected officers and NTEU staff being held at the National Office on 13th and 14th February. I will be there on behalf of Murdoch NTEU. This will enable discussion and a review of the issues surrounding the bargaining process in the new context.

Marian Kemp

Murdoch Branch President

Contents

From the President 1

Casual Academics: 1 A Vital Part of Universities

Why I’m a member 2

Support Campus Sustainability 2

Meet Your Branch Committee 3

Casual Academics: A Vital Part of of UniversitiesHello to all the Casual staff at Murdoch, especially those who are new to teaching on the campus. Welcome to 2009. It can be a bit crazy at this time of year, wondering if you have work for the semester, how many classes and on which days! Life as a casual worker in the University sector can be quite isolating and unfulfilling as we tend to be left out of departmental social functions and often denied space on campus, as well as being over-worked, underpaid and often under-appreciated!

Fortunately in the past year a group called the Humanities Sessional Staff Club, set up by academics Amanda Third and Liz Schwaiger, has started to address some of these issues by linking casual staff together to discuss issues facing them. It has been heartening that these University staff have seen the problems faced by casuals and have put in their time to help us. The role of

this group is to build a collegial community for casual academic staff, and to support staff in their teaching and professional development through regular meetings and seminars to foster academic research and teaching skills.

This group’s aims are complementary to, but different from, the aims of the NTEU Casuals Committee, which is for NTEU

members (and potential members) who are casual staff at Murdoch and are interested in improving their working conditions as part of the NTEU’s negotiations for new Union Collective Agreements. We try to meet regularly (hectic schedules permitting) and come up with plans to improve our conditions. I am a member of the Casuals

Continued on page 2

NEWSLETTER

MURDOCH BRANCH

Summer 2009

Why I’m a Member

Silvia RosenstreichMy decision to swap from another union to join the NTEU was long overdue. I had delayed joining as I had an outstanding matter that I wanted to be resolved before joining, but after more than a year there was still no resolution. So I took the plunge and joined the NTEU and the matter was resolved in a couple of days.

Of course I received more from joining the NTEU than just the resolution of my personal case.

As a General Staff member in the climate of the Murdoch 2010 it’s difficult to know whether you will still have a job or not. Also, over the past few years this university has provided fewer and fewer professional development opportunities for General Staff. A major indicator of the University’s view of General Staff was the proposal, when 2010 first began, to call us “non-academic staff”. I was vehemently opposed to this and raised this in various forums. Is the university now going to refer to us as “support staff”?

By joining the NTEU I joined a union that advocates on behalf of general staff in the tertiary education sector

By joining the NTEU I joined a union that would be vigilant on behalf of all its members.

By joining the NTEU I joined a union that keeps its members apprised of what is happening, and that has local representation.

As a member of NTEU I feel ‘supported’.

Support Campus SustainabilityAt its November meeting, the NTEU National Council recommended that branches of the Union establish Environmental Committees.

The role of these committees is to: ● Investigate, develop, implement and monitor environmental sustainability measures being implemented at the institution;

● Develop strategies to help Branches involve members in audits of local employer environmental practices;

● Provide the policy and research unit with progress reports to enable the provision of a report on these matters to National Council in 2009. National Council further resolved that the

NTEU will continue to engage actively with broader labour and social justice movement efforts to tackle climate change and other environmental concerns, including through the offices of the ACTU and state/regional labour councils.

If you are interested in participating in the Murdoch Branch Environmental Committee please contact me at [email protected].

Craig McGarty

Branch Committee Member

Casual Academics: A Vital Part of Universities

Committee and also sit on the NTEU Branch Committee for Murdoch, which enables me to link the two Committees together.

Did you know that two-thirds of undergraduate teaching is conducted by academic staff employed on a casual or sessional basis? That is a very large proportion, and yet we are under-represented in all areas, especially in terms of Union membership. If we are not Union members then the NTEU is in a weak

position when it comes to acting upon our behalf in order to gain better pay and conditions. So even if you don’t have time in your busy schedule to come and be involved in the Casuals Committee, you probably can afford the $27.50 per semester to be a Union member (this amount increases if you are teaching full-time), and you will be doing your bit to help the cause. Consider it an investment in your future pay and working conditions!

If you are interested in getting involved,

please come along to the next Casuals Committee Meeting 12.30 pm Thursday 26 February, in Education and Humanities room 4.078. With Chris now employed as the NTEU Organiser and myself busy with a new baby, we need some fresh and active blood! Hope to see you there – feel free to bring food and drink.

Katie Attwell

Branch Committee Member

continued from page 1

Our universities matterINVESTING IN PEOPLE & SOCIETY

Page 2 NTEU Newsletter, Month 2008

Meet your Branch Committee

President Dr Marian KempTeaching and Learning [email protected] 2289

Vice President Academic Ms Janice DudleySocial Science and [email protected] 6115

Vice President General Staff Ms Christina BallantyneTeaching and Learning [email protected] 2289

SecretaryDr Sharon DelmegeMedia, Communication and [email protected] 6249

Treasurer Dr David Holloway Business [email protected] 9360 2704

Ms Katie AttwellSocial Science and [email protected] 6423

Associate Prfessor Lance FungInformation [email protected] 7586

Professor Craig McGartyInstitute for Sustainable Societies,Education and [email protected] 7616

Dr Steven WardBusiness [email protected] 6025

Associate Professor Lisa YoungLaw School [email protected] 6061

Mrs Jen BradleyChemical and Mathematical [email protected] 2829

Ms Helen [email protected] 2594

Mr Murray RosenbergInformation Technology [email protected] 2427

Page 3NTEU Newsletter, Month 2008

Page 4 NTEU Newsletter, Month 2008

Office use only: Membership no.

I want to join NTEU

I hereby apply for m

embership of NTEU, any Branch

and any associated body

‡ established at my workplace.

I am

currently a mem

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and wish to update my details

Return this form to the National Office or your local Branch...

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Surname

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daTe of birTh

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are you an auSTralian aboriGinal or TorreS STraiT iSlander? yeS

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home addreSS

PoSTcode

home Phone (include area code)

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inSTiTuTion

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faculTy

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claSSificaTion level eg LectB, HeW4

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mobile Phone

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➔ uSe Paym

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direct debit request (ddr) Service agreement:

1. this is an agreement between you and the nteu.2. under this agreement, you arrange to have deducted from your account, on the 15th day in each calendar month (working day), the appropriate amount of dues and levies, payable under nteu’s Rules, to nteu (the debit user). if you are uncertain as to when the debit will be processed please contact nteu on (03) 9254 1910. these arrangements will not change, although the amount may vary in accordance with decisions of your elected nteu councils and committees. You will be notified, in writing, of any changes at least fourteen (14) days prior to their implementation. 3. for all matters relating to the Direct Debit arrange-ments, including deferments and alterations, you will need to send written correspondence to PO Box 1323, South Melbourne vic 3205 and allow 10 days for the amendments to take effect. 4. You may stop any Debit item or cancel a DDR with nteu at any time in writing. all correspondence is to be addressed to nteu general Secretary, PO Box 1323, South Melbourne vic 3205.

5. Should any dispute ever arise between you and the nteu about your payments you should advise nteu general Secretary in writing or by email in the first instance and, if necessary, nteu will take advice from your financial institution. 6. it is your responsibility to have sufficient clear funds to meet the costs of payment under this agreement. nteu however, does not have a policy of recovering any penalty fees from members if debit items are returned unpaid by the ledger financial institution. 7. Direct debiting through BecS is not available on all types of accounts; and account details should be checked against a recent statement from your financial institution. if uncertain, check with your ledger finan-cial institution before completing the DDR. 8. nteu does not use your financial records and account details for any purpose except the collection of union dues and the information is only available to a small number of nteu employees. the details may be provided to your financial institution if a claim was made against that institution of an alleged incorrect or wrongful debit.

You may resign by written notice to the Division or Branch Secretary. Where you cease to be eligible to

become a member, resignation shall take effect on the date the notice is received or on the day specified in your notice, whichever is later. in any other case, you must give at least two weeks notice. Members are required to pay dues and levies as set by the union from time to time in accordance with nteu rules. further information on financial obligations, including a copy of the rules, is available from your Branch. ‡Associated bodies: nteu (nSW

); James cook univ. Staff assn (union of employees) at Jcu; univ. of queensland academic Staff assn (union of employees) at uq; Murdoch univ. academic Staff assn at Murdoch univ.; union of australian college academics (Wa Branch) industrial union of Workers at edith cowan univ. & curtin univ.; curtin univ. Staff assn (inc.) at curtin univ.; Staff assn of ecu (inc.) at ecu.

this information is needed for a number of areas of nteu’s work and will be treated as confidential.

Please com

plete your personal details......and choose ONE of the follow

ing payment options

daTe

SiGnaTure

name on card

card number

exPiry

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card TyPe: m

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PaymenT:

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half-yearly

annually

Casual Mem

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ated salary range and fee amount, and tick the appropriate box:

EstimatEd salary rangE 6 m

onth fEE annual fEE

$10,000 and under

$27.50

$55

$10,001 – $20,000

$38.50

$77

over $20,000

$55.00

$110

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authorise the national tertiary education union (nteu) aPca user iD no.062604 to arrange for funds to be debited from my/our account at the financial institution identified below and in accordance with the terms described in the Direct Debit Request (DDR) Service agreement.

financial inSTiTuTion

branch name & addreSS

accounT name

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*5% diScounT for annual direcT debiT Paym

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Office use only: % of salary deducted

SiGnaTure

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or its duly authorised servants and agents to deduct from my salary by regular instalments, dues and levies (as determined from time to time by the union), to nteu or its authorised agents. all payments on my behalf and in accordance with this authority shall be deemed to be payments by me personally. this authority shall remain in force until revoked by me in writing. i also consent to my employer supplying nteu with updated information relating to my employment status.

name on card

card number

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card TyPe: m

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i hereby authorise the Merchant to debit my card account with the amount and at intervals specified above and in the event of any change in the charges for these goods/services to alter the amount from the appropriate date in accordance with such change. this authority shall stand, in respect of the above specified card and in respect of any card issued to me in renewal or replacement thereof, until i notify the Merchant in writing of its cancellation. Standing authority for Recurrent Periodic Payment by credit card.

OPTION 1: CREDIT CARD ProceSSed on The 16Th of The m

onTh or folloWinG W

orKinG day

OPTION 2: DIRECT DEBIT ProceSSed on The 15Th of The m

onTh or folloWinG W

orKinG day

OPTION 3: PAYROLL DEDUCTION AUTHORITY

OPTION 4: CASUAL/SESSIONAL STAFF RATES Pay by cheQue, m

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of gross annual salaryOffice use only:

aT Which inSTiTuTion:

Description of goods/services: nteu Membership Dues. to: national tertiary education union, PO Box 1323, South Melbourne vic 3205.

National Office PO Box 1323, Sth Melbourne VIC 3205 T (03) 9254 1910 F (03) 9254 1915 E [email protected] W

www.nteu.org.au

NTEU Murdoch University Branch

Transportable 1, Room 8,

South Street Campus W

A 6150

T (08) 9360 2922 F (08) 9360 6587

E [email protected]

www.nteu.org.au/murdoch