1. Coverage

There will be a single enterprise agreement covering all University of Newcastle staff.

Supported by the University. Not supported by the CPSU. Through the Commission process all parties have agreed to keep negotiating for two agreements for now and review further at a later stage.

2. Salary Increases

A salary increase for all staff of 20% (flat).

NTEU claim would addover $100 million per annum to our salary costs - this is not financially sustainable.  University offered a 3.45% increase to be paid in March 2026 to extend our agreements for 12 months. That was not agreed.

3. Expiry Date

An expiry date of 1 September 2029 provided agreement is reached by January 2026.

University supports a maximum 4 year term for our new agreements.

4. Safe Workloads

Protect professional and academic staff from excessive and unpaid work by:

4.1 Ensuring professional and academic staff vacancies are filled within three (3) months;

4.2 Requiring that Academic Work Allocation Models be developed and reviewed in collaboration with staff of the College or School, and approved by a majority of staff in a work unit; and

4.3 Ensuring individual academic workloads provide opportunities to conduct research and undertake leadership roles, and that they cannot be varied without mutual agreement.

Our current agreements contain extensive provisions for managing staff workloads and work allocation.

4.1 The University has agreed to clarify our provisions for managing professional staff workloads in terms of the impact of vacancies. Academic workloads are subject to further discussion through the Commission process.

4.2 Academic Work Allocation Models

will be subject to further discussions through the Commission process.

4.3 Individual academic workloads will be subject to further discussions through the Commission process.

5. Job Security

5.1 The Agreement will strengthen pathways for fixed-term and casual staff to be converted to secure employment.

5.2 The Agreement will provide for strengthened job security rights, including:

a) Improved consultation clauses;

b) Redundancy as a last resort; and

c) That no individual be subject to an organisational change process more than once during the life of the Agreement.

5.1 Fixed term and casual conversion processes were agreed in principle prior to the Commission process.

5.2 Commission process has recommended some improvements to our current provisions for consulting on major workplace change which the University and other parties have agreed in principle. No changes to our current job security provisions designed to avert or minimise potential redundancy have been recommended. Some of the changes sought by the NTEU have been described as not workable and not agreed to by the University.

6. Casual Equity

17% employer superannuation contribution rate for casual staff

The University is not opposed to this claim, but it will be subject to further discussions around salary increases.

7. Union Rights

The Agreement will provide improved union and delegates’ rights, including time release for union branch officials and delegates to perform their duties, access to staff email lists, access to staff inductions, and access to at least 10 days of trade union training leave per member each year.

Changes to union and delegate rights to reflect legislative changes have been agreed in principle. Our current agreements enable new staff to be provided with access to relevant information about the unions as part of our onboarding program. The NTEU claim for 10 days training leave per member each year is not agreed.

8. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Staff

The Agreement will strengthen UON’s commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff. The NTEU claim seeking a guarantee of dedicated funding of at least $1 million annually to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment outcomes

This claim will be subject to further discussions around salary increases as it will have a direct impact on operating costs.

9. Compliance Uplift

That the parties audit the Agreement to ensure it is compliant with legislative changes, and exceeds conditions provided in relevant Awards and the NES.

The University undertook a review of its agreements for changes required as a result of legislative changes. This information has been shared with all parties, including proposed amendments to current clauses to address identified compliance issues.

10. A right to make further claims

A right to make further claims.

No further claims have been raised by the NTEU.