1 April 2021 | DOWNLOAD PDF 

AEU(Q)/QTU serves its log of claims

Late on Tuesday 30 March, the AEU(Q)/QTU shared its log of claims for the 2021 enterprise bargaining round on behalf of members. Today, 1 April, is the last date the log of claims can be exchanged in order to commence negotiations for a replacement of the Central Queensland University Enterprise Agreement 2017. The agreement nominally expires on 30 June.

Serving the log is the culmination of eight months of consultation in branches and workplaces across Central Queensland University. The AEU(Q)/QTU aims to be the most democratic and representative voice of the teaching profession in Queensland on industrial and professional matters, and members have been at the centre of developing and approving the log.

The process commenced in August 2020 with face-to-face meetings with members and concluded with joint meetings via Zoom to seek confirmation from the membership that the final cohesive document reflected its wishes. The log of claims was endorsed by the TAFE Council of the QTU at its meeting of 14 November 2020.

However, exchanging claims is only the end of the beginning. Next comes a series of meetings of the single bargaining unit, where representatives of the parties and other bargaining agents will engage in discussions regarding the content of the replacement industrial instrument.

Who is the AEU(Q)/QTU?

The AEU(Q)/QTU is a party to the Central Queensland University Enterprise Agreement 2017, representing vocational educators. The Union is a party to the university agreement as the Queensland Teachers Union (QTU) represented TAFE teachers before the amalgamation of Central Queensland Institute of TAFE with Central Queensland University.

The Queensland Teachers’ Union of Employees is one of the oldest unions in Australia. We have been a part of Queensland since 9 January 1889, when representatives of seven teachers’ associations gathered for a conference at the School of Arts, Brisbane, and the Queensland Teachers’ Union was born.

132 years later, the Union has more than 48,000 members and represents teachers from the Torres Straight to the Gold Coast across the whole of the publicly owned state primary, secondary and vocational education systems.

The QTU is registered in the federal jurisdiction as the Australian Education Union (Queensland) (AEU(Q)) which reflects our national membership of the Australian Education Union, a federation of Australian compulsory and post compulsory state-based education unions.

The AEU(Q)/QTU is committed to working for vocational educators in traditional TAFE institutions and in dual sector institutions such as the CQU. The Union has recently launched a new national campaign in support of public provision of vocational education under the hashtag #rebuildwithTAFE.

What is a log of claims?

To kick off negotiation, unions usually submit a log of claims to the employer. It is a set of claims for improved pay or conditions lodged by a trade union on behalf of workers. The employer will also provide one. The log of claims will define the matters that will be the subject of the negotiation and will set the agenda for negotiations. Generally, where there is agreement on a need or measure, that will be dealt with first, and the areas of greatest disagreement will be dealt with last.

In good faith bargaining, all the claims are provided through the logs of claims. A log of claims may contain ambit, that is, asking for a “bit extra” to have room to move in negotiations.

Just because an item is in a log of claims, does not mean it will be included in the final negotiated outcome. Some items may be discussed without agreement being reached.

The AEU(Q)/QTU log of claims for the replacement of the Central Queensland University Enterprise Agreement 2017 is available here.

How can I have a say in the bargaining process?

Every employee gets to vote on whether the final offer is accepted, through an employer ballot of all staff. This is federal law. You get to say if you like it or you do not, on the basis of being an employee.

But if you want a voice in the negotiations, you need to be a part of a union or appoint a bargaining agent.

The unions who are party to the agreement will provide negotiators on behalf of their members as a part of the process.

Joining your Union will ensure that your voice is heard. While the AEU(Q)/QTU only represents vocational educators in this negotiation, it is important that everybody has the opportunity to contribute to the discussion that is going to take place over the next few months.

So, join your Union to ensure your voice is heard.

You can find the union parties to the agreement at Clause 2.1 Coverage in the Central Queensland University Enterprise Agreement 2017.

If you are a vocational educator, you can join the AEU(Q)/QTU online call our membership team on 07 3512 9000.

Strengthening publicly provided vocational education

CQU is a part of the great heritage of TAFE in this country: it is the inheritor of the values of accessible and quality public provision. AEU(Q)/QTU is proud to support both TAFE Queensland and CQUniversity as the public providers of vocational education in this state.

CQU is TAFE. The Australian Education Union recently launched a new national campaign in support of publicly provided vocational education through the TAFE network. With hundreds of campuses all around the country, TAFE can help Australia rebuild in response to the COVID crisis. In fact, TAFE is perfectly positioned to provide skills, jobs, purpose, and opportunities to millions more Australians, and help to create a positive future for all of us. But TAFE has suffered government funding cuts – so while right now is the time Australia needs TAFE more than ever before, it is also the time TAFE needs funding more than ever before.

Will you add your voice and ask the government to invest in a positive future for all of us?  #rebuildwithTAFE.

 Authorised by Kate Ruttiman, General Secretary, Queensland Teachers' Union
21 Graham Street, Milton, QLD, Australia, 4064