Progress in university pay talks

Progress in university pay talks
Planned strike action in universities, scheduled for next Wednesday, has been called off after further negotiations between university and union representatives in Wellington this morning.

AUS General Secretary Helen Kelly, speaking on behalf of the combined university unions, said that while she was unable to release details of today’s negotiation, sufficient ground had been made to avert the first of five days of strike action planned over the next five weeks.

Ms Kelly said that the employers were now considering a new proposal to make progress in the dispute and they would be responding to the unions by Friday this week.

Meetings would be held late next week with union members at the seven universities involved in the negotiations to consider the employers’ response to the new proposal

The Unions, representing more than 7,000 university staff, have been in negotiations since October 2003 claiming two new national collective employment agreements to replace more than 13 enterprise agreements currently negotiated at a local university level.

University employers have offered salary increases of between 2.0% and 4.0%, and have refused to agree to national collective employment agreements.

Ends

For further information or comment please contact:
Helen Kelly, General Secretary, Association of University Staff (AUS)
Ph (04) 915 6691 (work) (04) 385 3153 (home) 027 436 6308 (mobile)
Email: helen.kelly@aus.ac.nz

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