10 things you should know about TAFE EB10
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 124 No 2, 15 March 2019, page no. 8
1. What is an EB (enterprise bargaining agreement)?
Chapter 4 of the Industrial Relations Act 2016 provides for good faith bargaining by employers like TAFE Queensland and their employees, represented by their Union, intended to reach agreement on wages and employment conditions. If the parties are unable to reach agreement, the same chapter also sets out arbitration and conciliation processes with the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. The intention of EB10 negotiations is to replace the current TAFE Queensland Educators Certified Agreement, which expires on 30 June.
2. Who does the TAFE Queensland Educators Certified Agreement apply to?
All educators employed by TAFE Queensland are covered. The agreement applies to:
- TAFE Queensland, which has obligations on matters like undertaking consultation pursuant to government policy on employment security
- employees, or categories of employees, prescribing such matters as team-based working arrangements
- employee organisations like the QTU which represent employees in dispute resolution processes.
3. How does the certified agreement relate to other industrial instruments?
The certified agreement is to be read in conjunction with the award and industrial instruments covering the relevant employees. In the event of inconsistency with existing awards and industrial instruments, the terms of the current certified agreement take precedence.
4. What is the QTU’s role in enterprise bargaining?
The QTU is the industrial representative of TAFE educators and conducts negotiations for a replacement certified agreement on behalf of members. At the local level, members elect branch officers and rank and file representation on TAFE Council. Throughout the EB10 process, the QTU negotiating team will be consulting with branches and their elected officials at Council.
5. What’s happened so far?
The QTU began EB10 consultation with members and branches in 2018. TAFE Council participated in workshops at three of its 2018 meetings, and delegates provided a survey to members at their respective branch meetings. The surveys were returned to the QTU and were used to shape the EB10 log of claims. In January, the QTU wrote to TAFE Queensland advising that negotiations for a replacement certified agreement are due to commence in March. Since that time, the QTU has met informally with TAFE Queensland negotiators in an attempt to resolve a number of matters arising from the current certified agreement.
6. What’s in the EB10 log of claims?
The QTU log of claims, which can be found on the QTU website, is grouped into 10 categories:
- workload management
- consultation
- programming
- gender employment equity
- permanency
- class sizes
- professional issues
- non-attendance time
- other matters
- salaries.
7. What are the EB10 priorities?
The QTU survey asked members to rank workplace issues from most important to least important. Workload management was deemed the priority issue, followed by consultation, and then programming (i.e. yearly plans, delivery timetables, team-based working arrangements).
8. What next?
The QTU will be sending a letter to TAFE Queensland requesting that bargaining commences, which will include the QTU’s log of claims. Regular reports will be provided through this Journal, the QTU website, EB10 Bulletins, and official QTU social media.
9. How can I be involved in EB10?
Dates and venues for QTU branch meetings are advertised at www.qtu.asn.au/tafe - scroll down and click the “branch meetings” tab. The QTU will also be providing regular updates to members in the form of EB10 Bulletins.
10. How does all this impact on CQU members?
The current round of enterprise bargaining does not impact directly on CQU members, because they are covered by the Central Queensland University Enterprise Agreement, which has a nominal expiry date of 30 June 2021. However, there will be matters arising from EB10 negotiations that may have relevance to future CQU negotiations. Such matters will be reported to CQU members at local branch meetings.