Decent Work and Economic Growth
Employment Practice: Labour Rights
The University of Newcastle explicitly recognises the rights of all staff, including women and international staff, to join and be represented by unions, and to engage in collective bargaining.
These rights are established through enterprise agreements covering academic, teaching and professional staff. In 2025, the University of Newcastle Academic Staff and Teachers Enterprise Agreement 2023 and Professional Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023 provided the principal framework for union membership, representation and workplace consultation.
Union membership and representation across staff groups
Clause 7.5.4 of each 2023 enterprise agreement expressly recognises the right of staff members to belong to and be represented by a union, and acknowledges the contribution unions make to employment relations at the University. Both agreements were approved by the Fair Work Commission in September 2023 and remained the operative enterprise agreements throughout 2025, ahead of their replacement in 2026.
The recognition applies to employees covered by the relevant agreement, without restricting union rights by gender or nationality. The 2023 agreements also commit the University to a workplace free from unlawful discrimination and harassment under clauses 7.4.3–7.4.5 (academic and teaching) and corresponding professional-staff provisions. This supports the ability of women and international staff to exercise representation rights on an equal basis.
Practical support for union participation
The 2023 agreements supported union participation in practical ways: paid time release for nominated delegates, subject to operational requirements; access to appropriate workspace, electronic facilities and noticeboards; union meetings and consultation with management; union contact information for new staff; and payroll deduction of membership fees when requested by staff.
Staff could also nominate a representative for consultation on major workplace change, dispute resolution and other employment processes. The University’s industrial grievances guidance explains that a staff member may bring a union representative or support person to initial discussions and that unresolved union-raised matters may proceed to formal dispute processes.
Union consultation and collective bargaining in 2025
During 2025, University, National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) representatives participated in the Staff Consultative Committee. Official meeting records document their involvement on 19 February and 14 May 2025, including discussion of employment conditions, workloads and matters arising under enterprise agreements.
The 2023 agreements provided for the committee to meet generally every two months or as requested. Under the professional-staff agreement, its membership included three NTEU representatives, three CPSU representatives and four University representatives. These arrangements provided a structured forum for consultation about staff employment conditions.
Formal collective bargaining also took place in 2025. Beginning in April 2025, the University held more than 20 meetings with NTEU, CPSU and staff representatives, as reported in the University’s Enterprise Bargaining 2025 statement, to negotiate replacement employment agreements. Union participation in these negotiations demonstrates that collective bargaining rights were exercised in practice, as well as recognised in policy.
Continuity under the 2026 enterprise agreements
The University’s newer agreements continue these protections. The Academic Staff and Teachers Enterprise Agreement 2026, at clauses 40.4–40.9, and the Professional Staff Enterprise Agreement 2026, at clauses 46.4–46.9, explicitly recognise union membership, representation, delegate support and union participation in University consultation. These agreements were approved by the Fair Work Commission on 26 August 2026 and have a nominal expiry date of 1 September 2029.
By recognising freedom of association in its employment agreements and engaging unions in consultation and collective bargaining, the University supports meaningful staff representation across its academic, teaching and professional workforce.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.