TAFE EB11 Bulletin No. 7, 23 May 2023 | Open PDF 

TO:  QTU TAFE MEMBERS 

Still no answers to the QTU’s reasonable questions about the salary gap

QTU officers continue to prosecute our EB11 log of claims, which includes calling on TAFE Queensland to deliver salary increases across the life of the agreement, addressing cost of living pressures like historically high rates of inflation. At last week’s meeting, the QTU was advised that there has been no response from the Queensland Government in response to negotiations in the single bargaining unit and no change in Government Wages Policy.

That means there continues to be a gap between our QTU position and that of the Queensland Government. Officers will return to educator salaries at the next single bargaining unit meeting on 25 May.

QTU calls on TAFE Queensland to recognise secure employment

The QTU recognises that recruitment and retention of educators is crucial to TAFE’s operations. That’s why the first item on the detailed list of our QTU EB11 log of claims is a five-year workforce plan, including attraction and retention of educators.

Secure employment remains a priority for the QTU, as it was four years ago during our EB10 campaign and as it remains under the Queensland Government Employment Security Policy. We note that, since 2015, the QTU has had a seat at the table with the Queensland Government and other public sector unions for discussions on a suite of employment related matters, for example the Queensland Government Employment Security Policy.

At last week’s meeting of the single bargaining unit, the QTU pursued a case to strengthen the alignment of the Employment Security Policy with a replacement educators’ certified agreement. We also sought guarantees that there is no gender bias in permanent employment and, where there is demonstrable gender bias, that TAFE will implement measures in a replacement certified agreement to close gender gaps.

Previous meetings of the single bargaining unit have discussed the QTU’s interest in establishing a new educator network across TAFE, and we revisited this interest in our presentation on recognising secure employment. Specifically, the QTU noted a new educator network would present an opportunity to improve the quality of induction programs and probation procedures.

New party to join single bargaining unit

The single bargaining unit is more than halfway through its meeting schedule and there is just over one month before the peace obligation period ends. The QTU is therefore concerned that the Electrical Trades Union will be joining the single bargaining unit, even though it has yet to finalise a log of claims. This level of representation appears acceptable to TAFE Queensland and the Office of Industrial Relations. However, the QTU is concerned that there is potential for this to have adverse impacts on the efficiency of negotiations for a replacement educators certified agreement.

TAFE Queensland has 38 days to provide an acceptable offer in response to the QTU’s log of claims.

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