30 April 2021 | DOWNLOAD PDF

The QTU Log

At the beginning of April, the AEU(Q)/QTU shared its log of claims with the university and the other parties to the Central Queensland University Enterprise Agreement 2017 to commence bargaining in good faith. The agreement nominally expires on 30 June.

As was stated in CQU Newsflash email #1, this is important because the combined logs of claim from the parties will define the matters that will be addressed in the negotiation.

Just because an item is in a log of claims doesn’t mean it will be included in the final negotiated outcome, as some items may be discussed without agreement being reached. 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.

Unpacking the AEU(Q)/QTU P3 campaign

The AEU(Q)/QTU log is broken into three Ps: Professionalism, Parity and Programming. It is based on feedback from TAFE members employed by CQU and from matters arising from AEU(Q)/QTU policy. 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 over eight months of 2020 and 2021.

Working for professionalism: a beginning educator classification

Today we take a more in depth look at one of the professionalism claims: a revised classification structure that will include a new classification to allow the employment and training of beginning vocational education and training (VET) educators. The aim of this new classification within the enterprise agreement (EA) would be to establish a position from which prospective professional VET educators can be trained inhouse by CQU, with the aim of appointing them to higher level educator roles upon successful completion of a structured program.

For any such program to be successful it would need to be structured to include support, and the AEU(Q)/QTU will propose something like the arrangements negotiated with TAFE Queensland. In that program, mentoring and observation are structured around both direct supervision in the classroom and supervised mentoring of the new educator by appropriately qualified and experienced teachers. This ensures that the requirements for the supervision of delivery staff under national regulations are conformed with.

The formal instruction would need to be based around delivery of the Certificate IV TAE as the minimum qualification required to work with the national VET system. To facilitate successful completion, an appropriate set of conditions of employment would have to be negotiated. It would be the aim of the AEU(Q)/QTU that the revised conditions for this beginning educator classification ensure sufficient time to observe and learn from mentors and supervisors and to study and complete the course of structured formal instruction.

As a comparison, the program and classification in place within TAFE Qld’s Foundation Educator program allows for increasing levels of responsibility and engagement in mainstream educational processes as the incumbent’s skills and knowledge develop and are recognised through completion of Certificate IV skill sets. As stated, the supervision of unqualified staff is mandated under national regulation (standards 1.13 to 1.20).

It is proposed that educators appointed to the new classification would only be employed as such for the limited period required to ensure successful completion of the program, and that they would then be appointed to a tutor or teacher role. The negotiations for such a role would aim to establish and ensure the core of CQU VET educational staff for the next decade.

The AEU(Q)/QTU notes that CQU as the employer has also identified such a classification within its log and welcomes this particular claim by the university. This is an exciting development that, following the completion of constructive negotiation and with agreement, promises to provide well-prepared and confident educational staff for CQU into the next decade. 

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 don’t, simply by 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 enterprise agreement.

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

Strengthening publicly provided vocational education

CQU is 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-19 crisis. In fact, TAFE is perfectly positioned to provide skills, jobs, purpose and opportunities to millions more Australians, and can 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's 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

Labour Day

Labour Day is fast approaching, and we are excited to share the details of the QTU’s celebrations across the state over the Labour Day long weekend (1 – 3 May). Please  visit https://www.qtu.asn.au/labourday for more information.

We invite all QTU members and their families to join with us in celebrating the ongoing importance and achievements of the union movement and our own mighty Union – the QTU!

Share your favourite pics on the day via social media with the hash tag #QTULabourDay. There will be a prize for our favourite!

While Labour Day’s return is much-anticipated, it is still important that the events are COVID safe. All participants will be required to check in using a QR code, which will be available from our QTU helpers to make this as easy as possible. Please consider pre-downloading the Queensland COVID check-in app.

Important health advice:

• stay at home if you are unwell
• maintaining physical distancing requirements is the individual’s responsibility
• download the Queensland check-in app before attending the event
• do not attend the event if:
  • you have been in close contact with a person who is positive for COVID-19
  • you are positive for COVID-19
  • you have travelled overseas or to a declared COVID-19 hotspot in the previous 14 days.

Download the Queensland COVID check-in app

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