June 11, 2019

Professional Services staff set for better pay and conditions

Staff vote overwhelmingly to support proposed agreement

Professional Services staff at the University of Wollongong (UOW) are set to enjoy salary increases and improved employment conditions after overwhelmingly voting to support a new proposed enterprise agreement.

The proposed University of Wollongong (Professional Services Employees) Enterprise Agreement, 2019 was open for staff consideration and online voting from 9am Wednesday 5 June until 12 noon Monday 10 June 2019. Of the staff who cast a ballot, 96 per cent voted to approve the proposed agreement.

The new agreement offers professional services staff (i.e. non-academic staff) an initial $1000 increase to base salary, followed by stepped salary increases (calculated from today) that are above expected CPI over the life of the agreement. The agreement expires on 30 June 2022.

Professional Services staff will also enjoy several important improvements to working conditions including 15 days paid family and domestic violence leave, cultural and ceremonial leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and, in an industry first, making employer superannuation contributions on periods of unpaid parental leave during the child’s first year of life.

UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings CBE, said he was pleased that staff had embraced the new agreement so enthusiastically.

“This is an agreement that recognises the dedicated work of our Professional Services staff while also putting UOW on a solid footing to prepare for the future in a rapidly changing higher education sector.

“The University approached this bargaining period determined to promote inclusive and equitable work practices and provide staff with supportive and flexible career pathways while simultaneously ensuring the University remained viable and sustainable into the future.

“We were met with good faith and a spirit of cooperation by Professional Services staff representatives that led to us achieving this positive and constructive outcome for all parties,” Professor Wellings said.

The University will now lodge the new, staff-endorsed agreement with the Fair Work Commission for approval. Once approved by the Fair Work Commission, the agreement will come into effect.  Until then, provisions of the existing agreement will continue to apply.

The University is in the process of finalising its agreement covering Academic staff and looks forward to it being completed as soon as possible.

More information

More information about Fair Work Commission approval processes and timeframes is available from the Fair Work Commission website.