CPSU at UNE

(Apologies for the shameless cross-posting here, but it’s far easier than trying to find another creative way of summarising it!)

By now you should all have heard about the e-University Project. A number of you have been part of the process either as part of one of the 3 main committees (Organisational Capacity, Staff & Student Capacity or Course Renewal), or by participating in surveys or forums.

I don’t want to get bogged down in too much detail here, but for those of you who are interested in the rationale and progress of the Project up to this point the official website is here:
http://www.une.edu.au/e-universityproject/

The Project has been in its information-gathering and planning phase for the past few months, but is now ready to present a business model to Council in December.

In terms of official Union representation, CPSU have been given a voice on the somewhat unfortunately named Staff Advisory Group (SAG). I am our representative here. The SAG has not been part of the development of the business plan itself, but has existed to provide feedback on the process and the recommendations coming out of the other groups and surveys. We’ve also helped to do a risk assessment of the recommendations. In short, we’ve been looking at the bigger picture, and making sure that it all ties together well and nothing is forgotten.

At this point I’d just like to take the time to thank Belinda Tynan and the Project team, and all of the chairs of the various committees for their professionalism, dedication and commitment to consultation. This is a very ambitious Project, but they have made sure that they have all the information they need and have considered all possibilities before moving forward. There has been a genuine concern that no stone be left unturned, and that no-one falls between the cracks. I can honestly say that this is the first time I have ever seen groups from all over the University be asked for feedback, and have that feedback seriously considered. If the Project goes ahead it will certainly be a time of great change and upheaval, but you’re in good hands.

If I can say anything about the Project it is this:
The e-University Project is not out to get you. Don’t Panic!

As a result of their consultations the Project have come up with 4 options. The following summary is ridiculously over-simplified, but in a nutshell they are:

1. Do nothing (and continue to fall behind)
2. Lay the groundwork for change, but not embark on any major transformations at this time
3. Lay the groundwork for change, and when successfully completed embark on full transformation to catch up to and surpass our competition
4. Outsource everything

The Project team will be recommending Option 3 to Council when it next meets (December). If Council approves the first step will be to embark on some smaller “building block” projects between January and August next year. These include: strengthening IT infrastructure and processes to cope with the changes, expanding the use of the SRM/AskUNE system across campus, expanding the student retention plans that already exist, and creating and revitalising courses. There will be a further review in August 2010, and only if these milestones are met will the project move into the next, more ambitions phase. All up, it is expected that the project will take 5 years to fully complete.

At this stage it’s all a bit up in the air. What the changes will be, how they effect you, and when they will happen all depend on which path Council decides to take. However, the answers to some of the questions commonly being asked are below:

What’s all this 24/7 service business? Will I end up chained to my desk?
The 24/7 model is a bit of a misnomer. They’re not so much talking about contacting staff directly, but that students will be able to access self-help services like AskUNE, myUNE and the website around the clock. If they need to talk to a real, live person they will still need to call within hours. That said, these hours may not necessarily be the standard 9-5. (But that’s already the case: for instance, Dixson have been open until 9pm and on weekends for years, and the IT Service Desk are already planning on following suit next year). The important things to remember are:

1. Any hours you work over and above your normal weekly hours will count as overtime or TOIL
2. The hours of operation for different departments are clearly spelled out in the agreement- these can’t and won’t be changed for the next 4 years.

Does this mean Workplace Change?
It may well. At this stage we don’t know the finer points of how each Cost Centre or School will be effected, so it’s hard to tell what form this will take (or even whether it will apply in your work area). It’s refreshing to see that the business model that will go to Council acknowledges that UNE has a past history of poorly handled Workplace Changes, and that the Project aims to be the exception to this rule. If WPC is needed we have been given assurances that staff and Unions will be properly consulted before, during and afterwards, and that the Agreement will be adhered to. Of course, on the off chance that the path to hell is once again paved with the best intentions of Management it would pay to be a CPSU member so we can help you out!

Will my job be outsourced?
Although the Project has identified that one option is outsourcing, it’s not the option that they are putting forward. They agree that the risks associated with outsourcing (cost, lack of corporate knowledge, impersonal and possibly unreliable service, devastating effect on staff morale, not in tune with the UNE message) far outweigh the benefits. CPSU have assurances from the Project Team, and Graham Webb that Option 4 (Outsourcing) will not be the recommended course of action.

If my job changes will I get training?
Yes. The Project are pushing for a “grow your own” approach to professional development. This means that existing staff will get first dibbs on being up-skilled to deal with any changes. Training and development have been factored into the proposed resourcing for the project.

What about workload?
Throughout the period of consultation both Unions have raised the issue of workload. The Project recognises that there is a risk that workloads may increase during the implementation and delivery of the project. Again, the proposed resourcing plan aims to mitigate and avoid this by recommending adequate resources be given. Also remember- our new agreement contains a workload clause which protects you from excess workload, and gives you an avenue to have it addressed.

As usual, if you have any questions or feedback please email me (jen.mitchell@une.edu.au).

Well, today’s the big day. Today all General Staff, regardless of union membership, get to have their final say on our brilliant new agreement. This is the vote that counts. It’s history-making time, people!

So…you can forget to tie your shoelaces, you can forget where you put your keys, you can forget that random Great Aunt’s birthday, but whatever you do- DO NOT FORGET TO VOTE!!

Voting will be open until 5pm Friday. You will all receive an email with a link to the online voting page. Just click on the link and follow the instructions. Very Important: If you don’t get this email, if there’s any problem, or if you need a paper voting form instead, please contact Margaret Lockyer in HR asap (her number is x3536).

As you know, there are oodles of great reasons to love our new and improved General Staff agreement, not least of which being that it’s a bloody great agreement!

A YES vote today is the only way to guarantee that all General Staff at UNE can have a payrise before Christmas, and get these fantastic conditions. Make your vote count. Let’s bring this thing home with a resounding, “Yes!”.

Everyone can vote, not just CPSU members. And CPSU members who voted last week must vote again for it to count. So make sure you keep sharing the love in your workplace, and make sure everyone around you has voted too (preferably Yes!). If anyone has any questions (members or otherwise), tell them to get in touch with me (either x3736 or email).

Hopefully I’ll have good news for you all later this evening!

I am delighted to be able to report that our members meeting today has unanimously passed the following motion:

That this meeting of CPSU members endorses the “University of New England General Staff and ELC Teachers Collective Agreement 2009 – 2012”

Thank you to everyone who was able to attend, and also to those of you who gave your proxies. Your endorsement is the first step towards cementing the fantastic new conditions that have been won for you, and all General Staff at UNE.

Where do we go from here? You will receive a UNE-Official in the next few days, detailing how the vote for all General Staff will be run. It is vital that you remember to vote this second time. If you have any questions about the voting process, please don’t hesitate to contact CPSU President, and EB team member, Jen Mitchell.

Today also marked the launch of our “Love Our Agreement” campaign. CPSU members know that our new and improved agreement is fantastic, but now we need your help to spread the message to everyone on campus.

If you love brand new conditions like:

• a 17% payrise (compounded over the life of the agreement)
• TOIL at overtime rates
• Improved conditions and job security for fixed-term staff
• 25% loading and long service leave for casuals
• 2 weeks paid partner leave
• General Staff workload protections
• Improved classifications review procedures
• The ability to buy more annual leave
• Trade union rights
• Intellectual Property rights for General Staff
• Paid relocation costs

…Don’t keep quiet about it- share the love!

A “Yes” vote at the all General Staff ballot is the only way to ensure that these fantastic conditions will be yours. So get out there and make it happen!

PPR, or Performance Planning & Review has had a number of incarnations at UNE with varying degrees of success. Recently a working party has been formed to gauge how well the current system is working, and what could be done to improve it.

You should all have received a UNE Official email from Graham Webb a few weeks ago which contained a link to a survey. Now’s your chance to have your say, and we strongly encourage you to take it. Have your experiences been positive? Was the process followed correctly, or do you feel that you were unfairly disadvantaged? What do you feel works, and what could be improved?

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our tireless CPSU rep on the UNE EEO Committee, Judy Stott, for raising this as an issue, and helping to get the survey and working party off the ground. We love your work, Jude!

The survey closes today, and can be found here. Don’t miss out!