CQU management, NTEU in stalemate

BY TERRICA STRUDWICK

ROCKHAMPTON — Central Queensland University (CQU) Student Association
staff, along with the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), has been
fighting for an enterprise agreement since last May. Top management refuse
to even consider, let alone negotiate, an agreement.

A union taskforce, comsisting of NTEU representative Leah Cencig and
two staff members, was set up in May last year to negotiate with CQU general
manager Ian Bone and board president Gary McMurtrie. After the initial
consultations, Bone and McMurtrie refused to go any further and have refused
all communication with the NTEU.

Industrial action was taken on August 24. Workers who took part were
subsequently intimidated. This has caused a lot of staff members to be
concerned about their employment should more action be taken in support
of their enterprise agreement. Further strike action has been avoided because
of the intimidation and not to disadvantage the students.

Nevertheless, staff want an enterprise agreement that improves their
working conditions and wages. Green Left Weekly spoke to a staff
member, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal.

“No-one knows who earns what or who is on individual contracts or employed
full-time. Management encourages these things to be kept secret so the
workers will not complain, organise and take action.”

CQU Student Association staff are being “drastically underpaid” in comparison
to the university's 10-level pay structure, the staff member told Green
Left Weekly. However, management claim the Student Association staff
are not education providers, so they should not be paid according to the
same pay structure. This is despite the fact that job descriptions being
very similar, and in some instances the same.

Staff are also “overused”. Many workers are currently performing duties
outside their job descriptions. One worker described how staff members
had to be a “jack of all trades”.

Staff at CQU Student Association want to be paid appropriately and appreciated
for the job they provide to the 18,000 students at CQU. They want an end
to dangerous working conditions, intimidation and the threat of losing
their jobs just for trying to get a better deal.

From Green Left Weekly, April 24, 2002.

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From GLW issue 488