Enterprise Bargaining: Teachers in TAFE Children's Centres

Dear Colleagues

This email contains important information about the employee ballot for the proposed TAFE Commission of NSW Teachers in TAFE Children’s Centres Enterprise Agreement 2018 (the ‘Agreement’), which will open on 15 June 2018.

Today, I am writing to advise you that the:

• 'Access Period' will begin from today, Thursday 7 June (the access period is, in accordance with the Fair Work Act 2009, the period in which employees have access to the terms of the Agreement to enable them to consider how they will vote); and
• ballot will open at 12:01am on Friday 15 June and close at 11:59pm on Tuesday 19 June 2018 (Ballot Period).

How do I vote?

The ballot will be conducted by a company called CorpVote, which has expertise in managing independent and secure electronic and telephone voting processes.

Prior to the Ballot Period, all employees eligible to vote will receive an email from CorpVote at their work email address. This email will contain:

• your individual log in and password details;
• a link that will take you directly to the voting portal for the Agreement; and
• instructions on how to vote.

Employees who have notified us that they are on leave, will also receive voting information sent to their home address. This will contain the details on how to vote via the internet or telephone.

During the Ballot Period, you can vote on your computer at work or at home or by telephone. If you want to vote on your computer at home you can send the email from CorpVote from your work email address to your home email address.

Where can I find more information?

Attached to this email are copies of:

• the proposed Agreement
• a guide explaining the terms of the Agreement
• a summary of the clause in the agreement
• information from CorpVote on how to vote in the ballot.

Copies of these documents are also available on the TAFE NSW enterprise bargaining website.

Regards and please stay safe,

Dear Colleagues

On Wednesday afternoon we held the first bargaining meeting for the new TAFE Commission of NSW Teachers in TAFE Children’s Centres Enterprise Agreement 2018. Representatives from TAFE NSW met with the Australian Education Union - NSW Teachers Federation (the Union) and had some productive discussions about the proposed new agreement.

We are hoping to progress quickly through the negotiation process to ensure that our employees have their conditions protected by a new agreement and receive an annual salary increase as soon as possible. We will continue to meet weekly with the Union throughout May and early June and will keep you updated regularly on the progress of the bargaining.

If you would like more information you can contact the Workplace Relations Team on workplacerelations@tafensw.edu.au or speak with your Union.

Regards

Donna Wilcox

Head of Workplace Relations

Dear Colleagues

TAFE NSW is about to commence negotiations for a new enterprise agreement for TAFE NSW employees covered by the TAFE Commission of NSW Teachers in TAFE Children's Centres Enterprise Agreement 2016. The current agreement expires on 13 June 2018.

Today I have written to the Australian Education Union New South Wales Teachers Federation Branch about the commencement of bargaining. You can find a copy of this letter on the website.

An important part of the enterprise bargaining process is your right to nominate a bargaining representative to participate in the negotiations on your behalf. There are three ways you can be represented during the negotiations:

• your union can represent you - if you are a member of a union that is entitled to represent you (for example, the AEU), your union will automatically be your bargaining representative for the agreement, unless you appoint another person as your representative, or revoke the union's status as your representative; or
• you can appoint a bargaining representative to represent you; or
• you can appoint yourself as a bargaining representative.

If you wish to nominate a bargaining representative to represent you during the negotiation process (including yourself), send an email to WorkplaceRelations@tafensw.edu.au. The email should include your full name and electronic signature, along with details of the representative you seek to appoint. You can nominate a bargaining representative at any time during the bargaining process.

Attached to this email is your notice of representational rights. This is also available on the TAFE NSW website here.

If you have any questions you can contact Workplace Relations through the above email. The Fair Work Commission website has very useful information about enterprise agreements at www.fwc.gov.au/awards-and-agreements/agreements or you can also call their Infoline on 1300 799 675.

Jon Black

MANAGING DIRECTOR, TAFE NSW