P.O. Box 393, Newcastle NSW 2300 Phone: (02) 4921 8985

Number 5 May 2004

This is the first opportunity we have had to contact you with news of what’s been happening recently. In this issue, we profile the Employee Relations Team at The University of Newcastle and report on the March Twilight Seminar. Don’t forget to contact us if you would like to include any items of interest.

On Monday, 1 March, around 25 people attended the first Twilight Workshop for 2004 held at Noah’s-on-the-Beach. The presenter, Igor Nossar, Chief Advocate of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia, provided a thoughtful and enlightening account into his ground-breaking work on protecting employee entitlements. The seminar detailed the development of novel regulatory strategies specifically designed to overcome exploitation and protect employee entitlements in outsourcing arrangements involving complex supply chains. The seminar specifically focused on the protection from exploitation of textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) home-based workers. Igor emphasized the difficulties in ensuring the protection of employee entitlements in home-based clothing manufacture due to elaborate multi-tiered, sub-contracting and contingent work arrangements. Igor designed and drafted the current NSW legislative model aimed at addressing the plight of these home-based workers and explained how, through this legislation, responsibility for the protection of employee entitlements has been moved to the top of the supply chain – the major retailers. Igor is now heavily involved in lobbying, state by state, for its adoption throughout Australia. A detailed and thought-provoking question-time ensued, including discussions regarding the transferability of his model to other industries.

The University of Newcastle is a modern, comprehensive/ research intensive institution that had its origins in the Newcastle University College established in 1951 as a College of the then New South Wales University of Technology (now the University of New South Wales). An Act of the New South Wales Parliament of 1 January 1965 gave the University College autonomy and established the University of Newcastle.

In November 1989, the Hunter Institute of Higher Education and the Newcastle Branch of the New South Wales State Conservatorium of Music were amalgamated with the University under the provisions of the Higher Education (Amalgamation) Act of the NSW Parliament.

The University comprises five faculties – Business & Law, Education & Arts, Engineering & Built Environment, Health, and Science & Information Technology, with three administrative divisions – Research & International, University Services, and the Vice-Chancellor’s Division. With a total student population of just under 23,000 spread over multiple campuses, the University is one of the largest employers in Newcastle with a staff of around 2,200 full-time employees. The University also operates a number of international campuses and has strong links with the Hunter Area Health Service.

The University has an outstanding research record, both in comparison with other Australian universities of similar size or discipline mix, and with all other Australian universities – currently ranked in the top 10 Australian universities for our high quality research output. The University has had considerable success in attracting funding from the Australian government and industry to host a number of specialist research centres.

The University is recognised nationally and internationally for its leadership in the establishment and ongoing provision of problem-based learning (PBL), the educational core of programs in Medicine, Architecture, Nursing, Engineering and Law.

The University is strongly committed to increasing the participation of indigenous students in higher education, and currently has 310 indigenous students enrolled in its programs.

As a resource to business and industry, the University delivers value-added services:

• Education, training and development including industry partnerships, consultancies and a diversity of disciplines.
• Management, professional development and industry-based tailored short courses.
• Research and development.
• Flexible delivery – on campus, off-shore, distance learning and internet access.

Paul Munro who is The Director, Employee Relations, leads a small team which focuses on employee relations issues at the University. The Team comprises Steve Quinn and Linda Cooper (who some may remember was formerly the Student Representative on the Executive Committee of the Society) in a job share arrangement as Senior Industrial Relations Officers supported by Shirley Sorensen. The team deals with a full range of industrial relations issues, including:

• Performance issues
• Misconduct
• Disciplinary matters
• Classification review processes
• Review of contracts of employment

The Team conducts training programs for the Leadership Group across the University, and provides specialist services and advice to Heads of Schools, Pro Vice-Chancellors and Divisional Heads. It is currently heavily involved in Enterprise Bargaining negotiations. The Bargaining Team is headed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Brian English, who is on the Board of the Australian Higher Education Industrial Association (AHEIA) and has a strong IR/ER track record. The Team also utilises the advocacy specialist advice services of AHEIA which operates out of Melbourne and Sydney.

The University has three Enterprise Agreements in place:

• Academic Staff Enterprise Agreement 2000
• General Staff Enterprise Agreement 2000
• ELICOS, Foundation Studies in Non-Tertiary Music Teachers’ Agreement 2002

The University enjoys productive working relationships with three Unions represented within its workforce: the National Tertiary Education Union, the Community and Public Sector Union, and the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers’ Union. The University has worked hard at establishing and enhancing these relationships, and there are a range of formal and informal issue resolution processes in place. The Academic Staff Consultative Committee members and the General Staff Consultative Committee members are open and direct in their discussions.

Please note that Membership fees have not increased and are currently:

Ordinary: $99.00

Student: $45.00

CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP

Corporate membership of the IRS is a great way to guarantee a close link between your organisation and the Society. The following is a list of the existing Corporate members and we thank them for their continued support.

Hunter:

Australian Workers’ Union

Bilbie Dan Solicitors

Drake Recruitment and Training

Helicopter Rescue

HGT Australia

Hunter Area Health Service

Hydro Aluminium, Kurri Kurri

Interim WRC

Lake Macquarie City Council

MRM Solicitors

Mullane & Lindsay Solicitors

Newcastle City Council

Newcastle Newspapers

Newcastle Port Corporation

One Steel

Port Waratah Coal Services

Shop Assistants & Warehouse Employees’ Union

Sparke Helmore Solicitors

TAFE – Hunter Institute

Tomago Aluminium

United Goninan

United Services Union

Univ. of Newcastle (HR Services)

Univ. of Newcastle Union

Weathertex Pty. Ltd.

Websters

Central Coast:

IRAS Pty. Ltd.

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