Enterprise Bargaining - Managers

Dear Colleagues

This email contains important information about the employee ballot for the proposed TAFE Commission of NSW TAFE Managers Enterprise Agreement 2017 (the ‘Agreement’), which will open on 28 July 2017.

Today, I am writing to advise you that:

• the 'Access Period' will begin from Thursday, 20 July 2017 (the access period is, in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009, the period in which employees have access to the terms of the Agreement); and
• the ballot will open at 12:01am on Friday, 28 July 2017 and close at 11:59pm on Monday, 31 July 2017 (‘Ballot Period’).

Who is eligible to vote?

All current TAFE Managers employed under the proposed Agreement are eligible to vote.

How do I vote?

The ballot will be conducted by a company called CorpVote, which has expertise in managing independent and secure electronic and telephone voting processes.

Prior to the Ballot Period, all employees eligible to vote will receive an email from CorpVote at their work email address. This email will contain:

• your individual log in and password details;
• a link that will take you directly to the voting portal for the Agreement; and
• instructions on how to vote.

Employees who have notified us that they are on leave, and have not provided us with a personal email address, will also receive voting information sent to their home address. This will contain the details on how to vote via the internet or telephone.

During the Ballot Period, you can vote on your computer at work or at home or by telephone. If you want to vote on your computer at home, you can send the email from CorpVote from your work email address to your home email address.

Where can I find more information?

Attached to this email are copies of:

• the proposed Agreement;
• a guide explaining the terms of the Agreement;
• a clause by clause summary of the terms of the Agreement;
• Information from Corpvote on how to vote in the ballot.

Copies of these documents are also available on the TAFE NSW enterprise bargaining website.

We will be conducting a series of information sessions on Workplace during the access period.  Please keep an eye out for notification of the times for these events.

Dear Colleagues

I am pleased to advise you that the TAFE Commission of NSW TAFE Managers Enterprise Agreement 2017 (AG2017/3332, [2017] FWCA 5482) has been approved by the Fair Work Commission.

You can find a link to all of our Enterprise Agreements here. The new TAFE Managers EA should be online over the coming days.

As you may be aware, the Agreement was signed by TAFE and employee representatives and submitted for approval to the FWC on 4 August 2017.  We have been waiting on the Fair Work Commission’s approval since that date.

What does this mean for you?

If you are employed under the terms of the TAFE Managers Enterprise Agreement, you will receive a pay increase of 2.5% from 12 January 2018, and a further 2.5% from 11 January 2019.

Although the nominal expiry date for the Agreement is 29 October 2019, the Agreement continues until replaced. We will commence negotiations for a new agreement early in 2019.

If you have any questions about the new Agreement, please speak to your local People and Safety Business Partner.

Dear Colleagues

TAFE NSW is about to commence negotiations for a new enterprise agreement for TAFE NSW employees covered by the TAFE Commission of NSW TAFE Managers Enterprise Agreement 2015.  The current agreement expires on 30 June 2017.

Today TAFE NSW has also written to the relevant unions, the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) and the Australian Education Union/NSW Teachers Federation (AEU) about the commencement of bargaining. You can find a copy of these letters on the enterprise bargaining Letters to unions page.

An important part of the enterprise bargaining process is your right to nominate a bargaining representative to participate in the negotiations on your behalf. There are three ways you can be represented during the negotiations:

• your union can represent you - if you are a member of a union that is entitled to represent you (for example, the AEU or the CPSU), your union will automatically be your bargaining representative for the agreement, unless you appoint another person as your representative, or revoke the union's status as your representative; or
• you can appoint a bargaining representative to represent you; or
• you can appoint yourself as a bargaining representative.

If you wish to nominate a bargaining representative to represent you during the negotiation process (including yourself), send an email to EBUpdate@tafensw.edu.au. The email must include your full name and electronic signature, along with details of the representative you seek to appoint. You can nominate a bargaining representative at any time during the bargaining process.

Further information is attached to this email about your rights to representation during the negotiation process.  This is also available on the enterprise bargaining website. 

If you have any questions you can contact your local P&S Business Partner. The Fair Work Commission website has very useful information about enterprise agreements  or you can also call their Infoline on 1300 799 675.

I look forward to a productive engagement with all employees and their representatives, as we work together to build a successful, competitive and sustainable One TAFE for the future.