The UWA Enterprise Agreement Variation: What it Means for Employees and Employers
The University of Western Australia (UWA) and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) have recently reached an agreement on variations to the existing enterprise agreement. This agreement was ratified in October 2020 and came into effect in December 2020.
So, what does this mean for UWA employees and employers?
Firstly, there will be changes to the salary structure, with an increase of 1.2% from 1 June 2021 and another increase of 1.2% from 1 June 2022. There will also be an adjustment to the salary scale for new academic staff members, with an increase of 2.5% for the first year and another 2.5% increase for the second year.
In addition to salary changes, there will be changes to the workload of academic staff. The new agreement sets a workload range of 3 to 5 courses per year for full-time academic staff, with additional support for those who are teaching large courses or courses with high student-staff ratios.
Another significant change is the introduction of a new paid parental leave scheme. This scheme provides 20 weeks of paid leave for the primary carer of a newborn or adopted child, and 2 weeks of paid leave for the secondary carer.
This agreement also includes provisions for casual and fixed-term employees, including increased job security and access to parental leave entitlements.
Overall, this agreement is a positive step towards improving working conditions for UWA employees. It provides increased support for academic staff, especially those teaching large courses and those with caring responsibilities. It also provides greater job security for casual and fixed-term employees.
For employers, this agreement provides greater certainty around employment conditions and strengthens UWA`s commitment to providing a supportive and inclusive workplace.
In conclusion, the UWA Enterprise Agreement Variation is a positive development for both employees and employers. It sets a strong precedent for improving working conditions and ensuring job security for all UWA staff.