Professional staff at the University of Wollongong are set for better pay and conditions after supporting a proposed new enterprise agreement.
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And National Tertiary Education Union branch president Georgine Clarsen reckons a deal with academic staff is also close to being finalised.
Ms Clarsen praised UOW management, adding staff had held onto all their rights and made significant gains in job security.
The new agreement offers professional services staff an initial $1000 increase to base salary, followed by stepped salary increases (calculated from June 11) that are above expected CPI over the life of the agreement.
The agreement expires on June 30, 2022.
Professional Services staff will also enjoy 15 days paid family and domestic violence leave, cultural and ceremonial leave for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and, in an industry first, making employer superannuation contributions on periods of unpaid parental leave during the child's first year of life.
UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings said he was pleased that staff had embraced the new agreement so enthusiastically.
Some 96 per cent of staff who cast a ballot during the online voting period, voted to approve the proposed agreement.
"This is an agreement that recognises the dedicated work of our Professional Services staff while also putting UOW on a solid footing to prepare for the future in a rapidly changing higher education sector," Prof Wellings said.
The university will now lodge the new, staff-endorsed agreement with the Fair Work Commission for approval. After it is approved, the agreement will come into effect.
The university is in the process of finalising its agreement covering academic staff and looks forward to it being completed as soon as possible.