If a dispute cannot be resolved
2018 March Newsmonth
With these words Union members achieved the fundamental right they set out to retain 12 months ago.
On Monday 6 March I received from the CCER the final draft of the Enterprise Agreement which I believe the Union can recommend to its members. At the time of writing senior IEU officers are undertaking a final proof reading and checking the cross references prior to our response to Catholic employers.
Deep in the body of the EA, on page 106 are the clauses which deal with resolving disputes which may arise in relation to the EA itself or the Work Practice Agreements which sit alongside the EA. Those clauses set out the steps that must be taken to resolve disputes, (the same steps the Union has always taken) but now clearly providing either the employer or the Union to refer any intractable dispute to the umpire for a decision which is binding on the parties.
The voices of the 88% of teachers and support staff who voted NO to the employers substandard proposal in December last year have been heard (more detail inside).