CPSU lobbies Gillard to rid of HEWRRs

Executive, 25 February 2008

Report adopted

CPSU Federal Secretary David Carey, CPSU Senior Industrial Officer Marc Perica and PSA/CPSU Snr Industrial Officer Andrew Holland met with Education and Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard on 22 January to lobby the Government to urgently act to legislate away the Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs).

The Minister responded positively to our concerns. On 4 February the Minister announced HEWRRs will go, and the funding tied to the HEWRRs will be given unconditionally. This was followed up on 13 February with a Bill introduced to Parliament to formally abolish HEWRRs. This is a significant win for the union, general staff and public higher education.

The restoration of conditions stripped away from general staff collective agreements by HEWRRs, such as limitations on the use of fixed term and casual staff, will be vigorously pursued in round six of negotiations.

The abolition of HEWRRs means there is no compulsion for universities to offer AWAs. However, whilst WorkChoices is still operational universities can continue to offer AWAs.

Until the Bill is passed we are still campaigning to advise general staff not to sign an AWA. We have written to all university VCs seeking confirmation that they will no longer offer AWAs.

We also believe the new Labor Government must abolish the Workplace Productivity Programme because it provided universities with an $83 million pool of money to fund roll outs of AWAs and slash general staff jobs. We raised this issue in the meeting with Julia Gillard. Julia Gillard committed to make an announcement soon on the future of this Programme.