TAFE EB11: member action secures new agreement, COLA, and salary increases
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128 No 7, 29 September 2023, page no. 11
As the previous edition of the Queensland Teachers’ Journal went to print, our TAFE Division members were preparing for a 24-hour strike. They had already engaged in a two-hour stop work meeting and had endorsed strike action in the event that TAFE did not provide a revised formal offer by 9 September.
With the 24-hour strike looming, TAFE Queensland provided a revised formal offer and QTU TAFE Executive recommended the offer be put to member ballot. 96 per cent of votes cast in the QTU ballot accepted the offer.
COLA payment
The revised formal offer includes a front-ended cost of living adjustment (COLA) payment, a one-ofF payment for eligible employees that is equivalent to three per cent of salary as of 30 June 2023. The front-ended COLA was not on offer prior to members engaging in protected industrial action. Front-ended COLA payment estimates for all classifications are available as a member-only document on the QTU website. Sample front-ended COLA estimates include:
Tutor 1 | $1,765.53 |
Senior tutor 1 | $2,138.85 |
Teacher 1 | $2,428.47 |
Senior teacher 1 | $2,869.37 |
LVT 1 | $3,130.68 |
ETL 1 | $3,126.85 |
Assoc. lect. 1 | $2,869.37 |
Lect. 1 | $3,055.99 |
Senior lect. 1 | $3,470.05 |
Salary increases
The revised formal offer also includes the following salary increases:
- 4 per cent on and from 1 July 2023
- 4 per cent on and from 1 July 2024
- 3 per cent on and from 1 July 2025.
Complete salary schedules will be available on the QTU website. Briefly, from 1 July 2023 the salary range for tutor 1 to senior tutor 2 will be $62,525 to $77,235. By the end of the new agreement, the salary range will be $66,976 to $82,734.
From 1 July 2023, the salary range for teacher 1 to senior teacher 3 will be $88,085 to $96,312; and by the end of the new agreement, $91,142 to $103,172. From 1 July 2023, teacher 4 will be increase to $96,312; and by the end of the agreement, will increase to $103,172.
From 1 July 2023, the salary range for leading vocational teachers will be $108,920 to $113,895; and by the end of the agreement, the salary range will increase to $116,674 to $122,003.
In the higher educator classification, on 1 July 2023, the range for associate lecturer increases will be $99,472 to $103,365; and by the end of the agreement will increase to $113,486 – $116,260. The salary range for lecturer increases will be $105,943 to $117,824 on 1 July 2023; and by the end of the agreement will increase to $113,486 – $126,240.
The salary range for senior lecturer increases to $120,298 – $125,109 on 1 July 2023; and by the end of the agreement will increase to $128,866 – $134,015.
Throughout the EB11 negotiations, TAFE Queensland tabled a proposal to add both an assessor classification and a higher educator demonstrator classification to the replacement certified agreement. Both proposals had been included in TAFE’s initial offer. The QTU position in the single bargaining unit was that both classifications would undermine the professionalism of TAFE educators. QTU TAFE Executive members provided clear instructions to QTU negotiators to reject the classifications, and members’ preparedness for a 24-hour strike strengthened the QTU position.
TAFE’s initial offer also sought changes to discretionary time provisions by inserting the words: “The performance and recording of the time itself is mandatory.” This was rejected by TAFE Executive, and QTU opposition was clearly articulated. The revised formal offer has not achieved an industrial definition, but in the second year of the agreement, the parties will convene a working party and ensure that the hours of work between 32 and 36¼ are compliant with relevant legislative requirements. TAFE Executive has provided clear instruction on how the working party will proceed in year two of the agreement.
QTU TAFE Division members are to be congratulated for their commitment to the strategic campaign of protected industrial action and acceptance of the revised formal offer in the QTU ballot in September. As this current Journal goes to print, the QTU anticipates TAFE will have fulfilled its obligations as an employer to consult with its employees and conduct an employee ballot.
CQU EB progress
The AEU(Q)/QTU recently balloted members at Central Queensland University on the acceptability of the proposed enterprise agreement – members voted 97 per cent vote in favour of accepting the agreement.
The Union has written to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Nick Klomp, to advise that the proposed agreement is acceptable to members, and has requested that the initial administrative pay increase be expedited and made in advance of certification. We await the outcome, and expect that the National Tertiary Education Union and the university will have settled salaries for academic and professional employees by the time this article is published.
It is hoped that the university will conduct an employer ballot soon.