Staff Enterprise Agreement
During the reporting period the Directorate successfully negotiated the current ACT Department of Education and Training Staff Enterprise Agreement 2010-2011 (Staff Enterprise Agreement). The Staff Enterprise Agreement replaced the ACT Department of Education and Training Staff Certified Agreement 2007-2010 and covers all Directorate staff other than teachers. The ballot for the new Staff Enterprise Agreement was declared on 5 November 2010. Of the eligible employees who cast a valid vote, 96 percent voted to approve the agreement. The Staff Enterprise Agreement was approved by Fair Work Australia (FWA) on 23 November 2010 and came into operation on 30 November 2010. The first pay increase, back adjustments and the $650 bonus payment were paid to eligible employees on the pay day of 9 December 2010. The Staff Enterprise Agreement nominally expired on 30 June 2011 but continues to operate until a replacement enterprise agreement is approved and becomes operational.
In response to a recommendation of the School Based Management (SBM) review, a Business Managers Classification/Work Value Review Committee was established to examine Business Manager classification levels. A survey was conducted by the Directorate in April 2011 to identify the roles and responsibilities of Business Managers across all sectors. This will form a basis for the response to the recommendation of the SBM review, to be funded from the 2011-12 budget allocation of $1.6m over four years, to increase frontline support in primary schools.
The Fair Work Act 2009 requires the Directorate to provide a Notice of Employee Representational Rights to employees who will be covered by the agreement when bargaining for an enterprise agreement. In accordance with the requirements of the Fair Work Act 2009 the Directorate provided a Notice of Employee Representational Rights to all staff other than teachers on 2 February 2011. As at 30 June 2011 the Community and Public Sector Union, Australian Education Union (AEU) and United Voice have been appointed as bargaining representatives.
Bargaining for the common terms and conditions is being conducted by the ACT Government negotiating team and employee representatives, including unions, from across the ACT Government. Bargaining commenced on 15 February 2011. As at 30 June 2011 no agreement had been reached on the common terms and conditions or a salary offer and consequently bargaining for the Directorate’s agency schedule for staff other than teachers had not commenced.
Teaching Staff Enterprise Agreement
During the reporting period the Directorate and the AEU continued implementation of the ACT Department of Education and Training Teaching Staff Enterprise Agreement 2009-2011 (Teachers’ Enterprise Agreement). The Directorate also established a joint working party with the AEU to examine a range of teacher workload issues. To comply with the provisions of the current Teachers’ Enterprise
Agreement the Directorate met with the AEU on 17 December 2010 to commence discussions on matters of relevance to a replacement enterprise agreement. In accordance with the requirements of the Fair Work Act 2009 the Directorate provided a Notice of Employee Representational Rights to all teachers on 2 February 2011. To date one bargaining representative in addition to the relevant union has been appointed.
Formal bargaining commenced on 21 March 2011 and by 30 June 2011 eleven bargaining meetings had been held. As at 30 June 2011, no agreement had been reached on the Directorate’s agency schedule for teaching staff or a salary offer. The Teachers’ Enterprise Agreement nominally expired on 30 June 2011 but continues to operate until a replacement enterprise agreement is approved and becomes operational.
Special Employment Arrangements and Australian Workplace Agreements
Special Employment Arrangements (SEA) are made in accordance with the provisions of the relevant enterprise agreement. SEAs are part of the Directorate’s attraction and retention strategy, allowing the needs of the Directorate to be met through the employment of officers with specialist skills and qualifications.
Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA) made prior to the introduction of the Fair Work Act 2009 will continue to operate until terminated. No new AWAs have been made.
Table C10.1: The number of Special Employment Arrangements and Australian Workplace Agreements
Description | Number of individual SEAs | Number of group SEAs | Total employees covered by group SEAs | Total employees covered by SEAs |
A | B | C | (A+C) | |
Special Employment Arrangements | ||||
The number of SEAs as at | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
The number of SEAs entered into during the reporting period | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
The number of SEAs terminated during the reporting period | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
The number of SEAs providing for privately plated vehicles as at 30 June 2011 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
The number of SEAs for employees who have transferred from AWAs during the reporting period | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Australian Workplace Agreements | ||||
The number of AWAs as at | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
The number of AWAs terminated/lapsed (including formal termination and those that have lapsed due to staff departures) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Human Resources Branch
Table C10.2: Classification and remuneration for officers on Special Employment Arrangements and Australian Workplace Agreements
Classification range | Remuneration as at 30 June 2011 | |
Individual and group SEAs | Senior Officer Grade C to | $98,822 -$147,175 |
AWAs (includes AWAs ceased during reporting period) | Senior Officer Grade B to | $114,809-$135,930 |
Source: Human Resources Branch
For more information contact:
Director
Human Resources
(02) 6205 9202