{"id":27399994,"date":"2026-05-08T12:47:31","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T02:47:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nsw.nteu.au\/council\/?p=27399994"},"modified":"2026-05-27T13:15:56","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T03:15:56","slug":"usyd-nteu-bargaining-update-week-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nsw.nteu.au\/council\/news\/usyd-nteu-bargaining-update-week-3\/","title":{"rendered":"USYD NTEU | Bargaining update – Week 3 – May"},"content":{"rendered":"

Summary of this Summary<\/h4>\n

This bargaining update marks a transition from introductory discussions to substantive negotiations between the NTEU and University management. The Union is pressing for active resolution of claims throughout bargaining, while management prefers a \u201cwhole of package\u201d approach, taking into account final costings, which the NTEU argues may delay outcomes and undermine staff confidence in concluding negotiations by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n

Key matters discussed included: strengthened protections for freedom of expression, including protections for protected speech and protest activity; proposals to eliminate forced redundancies and equalise redundancy pay across staff groups; unfilled professional staff roles; and management\u2019s proposed \u201csecure academic employment package\u201d aimed at reducing casualisation through a number of new or updated teaching-focused ongoing and fixed-term roles. The Union raised questions and expressed concerns about workload, career pathways, and potential impacts on existing academic roles.<\/p>\n

Parental leave proposals were also debated, with the NTEU advocating expanded access, concurrent leave for university-employed parents, and improved superannuation and return-to-work facilities. Upcoming meetings will focus on our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander claims, AI governance, disability rights, and professional staff conditions.<\/p>\n

From Start of Bargaining to Initial Negotiations<\/h4>\n

Bargaining has begun to move from broad introductions of claims and questioning about their substance and practical elements toward initial negotiation over claims at the table.\u00a0 This transition is likely to accelerate from these meetings onwards, as the positions of the respective parties become clear.<\/p>\n

The Union will be pushing for this going forward, as the preferred approach to bargaining by the NTEU and Management is quite different over some matters, and the NTEU has made it explicit that we want to substantively bargain at the table, and achieve resolution on matters as we go.\u00a0 Management have expressed a preference for a \u201cwhole of package\u201d approach, which we feel would mean that fewer claims would be resolved throughout the course of the process.<\/p>\n

In our opinion USYD staff need to see that progress is being made, to give confidence that we want to finalise bargaining \u2013 as mutually agreed \u2013 by the end of 2026.<\/p>\n

Substantive Matters under Discussion<\/h4>\n

Four very important substantive matters were discussed at the bargaining table this week.<\/p>\n

Freedom of Expression<\/strong><\/p>\n

The NTEU brought its Freedom of Expression claim to the table with the provision of a set of proposed changes to the Agreement to strengthen and clarify the existing provisions in the Agreement.<\/p>\n

This issue has been subject to considerable debate in recent years, and the Union\u2019s proposals strengthen explicit protections for freedom of expression already in the Agreement, remove the risk of disciplinary action from protected speech, while maintaining protections against harassment, intimidation and vilification.\u00a0 The Union proposal also clarifies the appropriate use of University space, in the context of the joint traditions of academic free inquiry, and campus protest and activism (for example, the University\u2019s key role in the Freedom Rides).<\/p>\n

Job Security<\/strong><\/p>\n

The NTEU presented its proposed clause changes to remove forced redundancies from the Agreement, as well as equalising redundancy pay for professional and academic staff.<\/p>\n

The rationale for the former is that this is in line with the current provisions of the Agreement aimed at maintaining the level of university employment and avoiding involuntary redundancies.\u00a0 In a workforce of 22,000 people, the Union believes that the number of staff who are made redundant involuntarily each year, which is a very small number, can be redeployed with appropriate training, and that this right to redeployment would require staff to undertake appropriate training and accept reasonable alternative work.<\/p>\n

The Team also outlined the reasons why redundancy pay (which would only be for voluntary separations under the previous proposal) should be equalised, and discussed the changing nature of employment in our sector and the development of \u201cthird space\u201d workers who sit between \u201cpure\u201d academic and professional activities. Management rejected this proposal at the table, but the Bargaining Team will provide additional information on rationale for this claim.<\/p>\n

Managements “Secure Academic Employment Package”<\/strong><\/p>\n

A considerable discussion was held with management over their proposals to address casualisation through the creation of new types of ongoing roles with majority teaching focus, and expansion of PhD Fellowships.\u00a0 This is an ongoing discussion and the Union flagged with management the desire to get more detail or the proposal \/ options for a robust and fulsome discussion at the upcoming General Members Meeting.\u00a0 The Union was clear that this was the type of sweeping proposal that would require the membership of the union to be deeply involved in considering.<\/p>\n

These proposals were probed by the Bargaining Team, and the Union raised a variety of questions with regards to:<\/p>\n