BY PAT BREWER
CANBERRA — After a hard-fought two-year industrial campaign waged against a recalcitrant Australian National University management, an enterprise agreement negotiated by the combined unions was put to a staff ballot at the end of August. Of 1432 votes cast, 96.5% supported the agreement.
Management had initially offered a wage rise of 1.4% plus indexation, the loss of many award conditions and a dramatic increase in managerial power. However, the negotiated agreement included protection of all award conditions, a 12.5% pay increase, maintenance of superannuation and a review of workloads.
Workers at the University of Canberra won similar benefits without having to take strike action. This is an example of the success of the strategy of the National Tertiary Education Industry Union which targeted key wealthy universities in the primary round of bargaining.
The staff ballot is nearly completed at the University of Canberra. A combined union endorsement of the enterprise agreement there should also result in a yes vote. At both universities, the unions have been strengthened by the success of their campaigns.