As you are aware, UniSuper has recently put out communications regarding proposed changes to your Contract of Employment.
FSU Members have taken a stand and said they are not comfortable with these changes, and have begun taking action. But what is it all about?
UniSuper claims that they wish to update all the Employments Contracts of staff who are not currently on the Enterprise Agreement to modernise and standardise your contracts. If this were truly their goal, a mechanism for this already exists. The Enterprise Agreement.
In reality, UniSuper wishes to gain unprecedented control over your entitlements, especially those relating to leave and redundancy. By placing these (and other) entitlements into policy, these entitlements can be changed unilaterally and without consultation.
You may lose rights overnight.
UniSuper claims that these are minor changes and that this is a normal process. That is not the case in either respect.
By making this claim, UniSuper may be misrepresenting your rights at work.
Furthermore, UniSuper states that while you do not have to accept these changes to your Contract of Employment, if you do not, you will not be eligible for a pay increase nor to change roles within UniSuper. They call this an incentive.
We feel that this sounds more like coercion.
FSU Members are fighting back! On Wednesday the 1st of September, a large number of members and non-members attended a Zoom meeting to ask questions and raise concerns about these proposed changes. We are just getting started.
A letter has been sent to management addressing the concerns raised and an explainer document has been prepared to share with your colleagues.
It pays to join the FSU!
Over the next few weeks, the FSU will be creating clauses that can be negotiated into individual contracts to protect your rights. We will be offering assistance to any member who wishes to negotiate their contract to ensure that they get a fair go. This service is only available to members of the FSU – Join now.
Our Members Rights Centre is available to assist with any questions or concerns regarding these proposed changes to your Contract of Employment.
Do not hesitate to contact them on 1300 366 378 between 8am and 8pm AEST or mrc@fsunion.org.au in relation to any aspect of this process and please be sure to contact them as soon as you feel something is not right – do not delay!