Landmark decision paves way for industry union

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has won the right to 
represent general (non-academic) staff in all universities following a 
landmark decision of the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC). The 
decision paves the way for an industry union covering all employees in the 
higher education sector, and greater unity in industrial action and 
enterprise bargaining.

The NTEU already has coverage of academic staff throughout higher 
education, but was until now limited to covering general staff at only half 
of Australia's 38 universities.

Ballots of university general staff have shown an overwhelming preference 
to be members of the NTEU, which has taken a strong stand against the 
Howard Government's attacks on higher education funding and accessibility.

The decision grants about 30,000 general staff the right to choose to join 
the NTEU as well as other unions such as the Community and Public Sector 
Union (CPSU) and the Australian Services Union (ASU).

The CPSU and ASU who also cover general staff were opposed to the NTEU also 
being allowed coverage.

"This decision will not be welcomed by Mr Reith, who has recently targeted 
higher education, and the NTEU in particular, as part of his programme to 
reduce the working conditions of employees, and attack collective rights to 
union representation", said NTEU General Secretary Grahame McCulloch..

"Now the NTEU can get on with the job of uniting all university staff to 
protect higher education and achieve salary justice."

An industry union will assist in removing the artificial division between 
academic staff and general staff that management has used in the past to 
pay different wages and conditions.

NTEU National Assistant Secretary Ted Murphy said, "We think the notion of 
an industry union makes sense — the notion that all employees of the same 
university are in the same union ... there's greater strength as a result.

"It will undercut the capacity of management to do a separate deal on a 
lower wage rate", said Mr Murphy.