The University of Queensland has offered academic and general staff unions a cumulative 12.3 percent salary increase as part of negotiations on wages and conditions in the second enterprise bargaining round.
University Secretary and Registrar Douglas Porter said University staff had been paid a higher base rate than staff at many other institutions since January 1, 1996.
The University was one of only three in Australia (the others, the University of Canberra and Australian National University) which passed on a 1.3 percent increase to staff from January, 1996.
University of Queensland staff therefore had been comparatively advantaged because of the higher base rate for current negotiations, Mr Porter said.
'To build on this, the University is now offering to academic and general staff a further 10.9 percent salary increase in several cumulative steps over 27 months, starting with a five percent increase in 1997 which could be paid as soon as a formal agreement is reached,' he said.
'In response to views expressed at meetings of union members, the University is considering ways in which this initial increase for general staff might include a flat rate component which would deliver a larger percentage increase to more lowly paid staff.'
The other cumulative increases would be two percent from January 1, 1998, 1.5 percent from July 1, 1998, and two percent from January 1, 1999.
'These salary offers compare favourably with those offered elsewhere and should provide an incentive for early conclusion of negotiations,' he said.
Mr Porter said the University had undertaken detailed budgetary analysis to produce a maximum viable offer in an environment where the additional Government funds available to pay for salary increases were totally inadequate.
The University had also provided unions and their representatives with full briefings and had tabled budget papers.
The salary increases proposed by the University are estimated to cost up to $20 million in a full year.
To support a salary rise of this magnitude, the University would seek to increase its income and to work co-operatively with unions to streamline activities. For example, more flexible work practices might be appropriate to respond to market needs.
However, the University had informed the unions that the size of the increases were such that it was inevitable that fewer staff positions would be able to be supported than would otherwise have been possible.
'The University will be seeking to work co-operatively with academic and general staff on approaches to managing change and the inevitable restructuring that will result from reductions in the operating grant, combined with salary increases inadequately supplemented by Government,' Mr Porter said.
'Every effort would be made to minimise job losses.
'The University is currently negotiating directly with the National Tertiary Education Industry Union in respect of academic staff; and with the Australian Services Union (Clerical division), Commonwealth and Public Sector Union and Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union in respect of general staff as provided for under the Industrial Relations Act, 1994.
'However, under the new Workplace Relations Act, 1996, all affected staff, not just union members, will need to be kept informed and will have an opportunity to vote on any proposed agreement before the Industrial Relations Commission will certify it.'
For further information, contact Mr Porter telephone 07 3365 1310.
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