1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
agreements which give all employees, collectively and individually, equal opportunity to participate in future bargaining processes
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(a), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements give all employees, collectively and individually, equal opportunity to participate in future bargaining processes.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if the agreements:
- do not specify how the next agreement is to be negotiated;
- provide that future agreements will be negotiated with all staff; or
- allow for staff membership of consultative committees without references to union membership/non-membership or limiting membership to representatives or nominees of unions.
It will not be persuasive for an application to state that the institution intends to provide, or has provided outside the agreements, all staff with an equal opportunity to participate in future bargaining processes. The agreements should provide an equal opportunity for all staff to participate in future bargaining processes. Commentary in relation to proposed agreements will not be persuasive.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
agreements which promote an institution-specific focus through approaches including:
(i) ceasing reliance on sector-wide industrial instruments (i.e. developing agreements which are comprehensive and closed); and
(ii) ensuring that any award provision (allowable or non-allowable) included in an agreement is tailored to the needs of the institution
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(b)(i), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements are comprehensive and closed.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if the agreements:
- are comprehensive because they include all relevant terms and conditions and do not operate in conjunction with, or incorporate by reference, the provisions of other awards or instruments;
- where award provisions are included in the agreements, provide evidence that they are included in their entirety, not merely incorporated by reference;
- contain clauses that state that the agreements prevail over all sector wide awards;
- contain clauses that state that the agreements operate in conjunction only with awards that are specific to the institution or a small group of institutions; and
- are closed to variations to awards or other instruments so that variations to such awards or other instruments cannot flow on through the agreement.
To allow assessment under (1)(b)(ii) applications should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how all award provisions included in the certified agreements have been tailored to meet the needs of the institution.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if they:
- identify all clauses in agreements which are derived from award provisions;
- show how these clauses have been tailored to meet the needs of the institution and provide details or copies of relevant award provisions for verification; and
- where award provisions have been incorporated unchanged into the agreements, provide information on why it was not considered necessary to tailor the clause.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
agreements which provide for Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) to be made with staff
Note: This criterion requires that institutions with one or more certified agreements beyond its nominal expiry date(s) have a policy, and state in the application that they have a policy, that the use of AWAs will be considered in relation to all staff classifications covered by each certified agreement beyond its nominal expiry date.
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(c), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements provide for AWAs to be made with staff.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if the agreements allow AWAs to be offered to any staff member covered by the certified agreements and provide for AWAs to be offered which take precedence over the certified agreements.
Where agreements have expired institutions should provide documentation to show that AWAs will be considered for use in relation to each staff classification covered by those agreements.
The use of forms of engagement other than AWAs, such as common law contracts, will not be persuasive for the purposes of this criterion.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
agreements which enable AWAs to operate in conjunction with certified agreements
Note: This criterion requires that institutions with one or more certified agreements beyond its nominal expiry date(s) must have a policy, and state in the application that they have a policy, that the use of AWAs will be considered in relation to all staff classifications covered by each certified agreement beyond its nominal expiry date.
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(d), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements enable AWAs to operate in conjunction with certified agreements.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if the agreements state that they:
- provide for AWAs to be offered which take precedence over the certified agreements; and
- enable AWAs to operate in conjunction with the certified agreements for all staff.
Where agreements have expired institutions should provide documentation to show that AWAs will be considered for use in relation to each staff classification covered by those agreements.
The use of forms of engagement other than AWAs, such as common law contracts, will not be persuasive for the purposes of this criterion.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
(i) agreements which utilise flexible/ facilitative terms which allow employment conditions to be tailored to needs at the local level; AND
(ii) made progress in implementing those employment conditions
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(e)(i), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements use flexible/facilitative terms which allow employment conditions to be tailored to needs at the local level.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if they:
- identify at least one example of how tailoring is allowed for academic staff and one example for general staff; and
- support the examples provided by identifying the clauses in the agreement(s) which allow local work areas (such as faculties, departments and work groups) to vary terms and conditions to suit their own needs.
Where it is unclear from the agreements how the clauses identified allow tailoring, the application should provide that information and any supporting policy documents.
To allow for assessment under (1)(e)(ii), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of the implementation of the tailored employment conditions identified in (1)(e)(i) above at the local level since the date of the application for first round funding.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if they:
- detail the increased flexibility in work practices in local work areas (e.g. at the faculty, department, supervisory or work group level);
- identify the numbers of staff/work groups who have used any flexible work arrangements or practices;
- outline the actions of the institution to promote flexibility;
- demonstrate how employment conditions identified in their application have been modified to some degree at the local level; and
- supply evidence of at least one example of localised terms and conditions have been utilised for each group of staff (i.e. academic and general).
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
(i) agreements which include initiatives which promote cost savings, discretionary revenue generation and productivity gains, particularly gains in quality and administrative efficiency;
AND
(ii) made progress in implementing those initiatives.
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(f)(i), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements include initiatives which promote cost savings, discretionary revenue generation and productivity gains (particularly gains in quality and administrative efficiency).
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if they identify from the certified agreements those clauses which promote:
- cost savings;
- productivity gains; and
- discretionary revenue generation.
Cost savings, productivity gains and revenue generation should all be identified and addressed. A minimum of one element (i.e. cost savings or productivity increases or revenue generation) should be identified for each group of staff (i.e. academic and general).
If it is unclear from the agreements how the clauses identified contribute to each of cost savings, productivity increases and facilitation of revenue generation, the application should explain how the initiatives are promoted.
To allow assessment under (1)(f)(ii), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how the initiatives identified in (1)(f)(i) above have been progressed by the institution since the date of the application for first round funding.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if examples for each clause identified for (1)(f)(i) above:
- explain how cost savings, discretionary revenue generation and productivity gains have been implemented; and
- where the agreements make a commitment to investigate the feasibility of proposals or introduce particular policies to generate revenue, make cost savings or productivity increases, provide information on the nature and status of such proposals/policies.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
(i) agreements which include effective performance management arrangements
AND
(ii) made progress in implementing those arrangements
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(g)(i), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements include effective performance management arrangements.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if they identify the clauses in the agreements which:
- outline procedures for performance management for all staff;
- refer to policies about performance management for all staff;
- relate to management of unsatisfactory performance; and
- relate to incremental progression and/or performance pay.
Where agreements make reference to performance management arrangements which are contained in a separate policy document, copies of those documents should be provided.
To allow assessment under (1)(g)(ii), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how the performance management arrangements identified in (1)(g)(i) above have been progressed by the institution since the date of the application for first round funding.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if they:
- demonstrate that performance management arrangements are actively being implemented for all staff-institutions which committed to introduce performance management arrangements in their first round application will be expected to have made demonstrable progress in implementing a fully operational performance management system by the time they submit an application for second round funding;
- where performance management arrangements are in place, provide details of how the scheme is operating;
- where agreements contain a commitment to develop or implement a scheme, provide information on progress with the development and implementation of the scheme since the first application, including documents relating to the scheme (e.g. guidelines, performance review pro formas etc.); or
- where the scheme has not yet been developed or implemented, provide information on the current status of the scheme and when it is expected to be developed and implemented; or
- provide details on how many staff have participated in performance management, consistency of management performance and, where available, any evaluation of the arrangements.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
(i) agreements which reinforce the achievement of the institution's strategic objectives
AND
(ii) made progress in achieving those objectives
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(h)(i), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements reinforce the achievement of the institution's strategic objectives. The application should include a copy of the institution's strategic plan or information on its strategic objectives.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if they:
- detail, from the agreements, the clauses which refer to the institution's strategic plan or strategic objectives, either directly or indirectly; and
- explain the link between those clauses and the institution's specific strategic objectives.
Where clauses reinforce the achievement of strategic objectives, but do not explicitly refer to those objectives, the application should provide details and supporting documentation to explain how those objectives are reinforced by the agreement.
To allow assessment under (1)(h)(ii), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how the achievement of the strategic objectives identified in (1)(h)(i) above have been progressed by the institution since the date of the application for first round funding.
Institutions will be better able to meet this criterion if they:
- provide an explanation of how specific clauses in each of the agreements have contributed or are contributing to the achievement of the strategic objectives; and
- include any review of achieving or performing the strategic objectives and relate it to those agreements.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
agreements which simplify procedures for redeployment and retrenchment.
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(i), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements simplify procedures for redeployment and retrenchment for both general and academic staff.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if:
- they set out the clauses which provide for redeployment and retrenchment arrangements for all staff;
- they address the procedures for voluntary redundancy and redeployment/retrenchment for all staff;
- the application or agreements provide details of academic staff redeployment and retrenchment arrangements which improve on provisions of the unsimplified Universities and Post Compulsory Academic Conditions Award 1995; and
- they explain how the current redundancy provisions for general staff compare to those used prior to the agreements and explain how the current procedures have improved on the previous procedures-detailed information on the previous procedures should be included for comparison purposes.
Full copies of the procedures should be provided if these are not incorporated entirely into the agreements.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
agreements which guarantee freedom of association, and refrain from any indication of disposition towards, or against (or other encouragement or discouragement of) union membership.
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under (1)(j), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how its certified agreements guarantee freedom of association, and refrain from any indication of disposition towards or against (or other encouragement or discouragement of) union membership.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if, for the agreements, they:
- point out the clauses which guarantee freedom of association;
- can demonstrate that no clauses encourage or discourage union membership;
- are not required to distribute union material;
- are not required to provide details, including names of new employees, to unions without the agreement of the employee;
- have clauses which allow unions rights of entry which are consistent with the Workplace Relations Act; and
- have clauses which provide for employee representation on university committees (i.e. if there are clauses that provide for union representation, then provision for other employee representation should also be made).
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
(i) initiatives which provide, where payment for union fees is effected through payroll deduction, an opportunity for staff to elect whether or not to continue to make such payments through payroll deduction
AND
(ii) made progress in implementing initiatives which provide that opportunity for staff
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement, if any (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under 2(a)(i), institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence, where payroll deduction of union fees is effected, of how staff are given an opportunity to elect whether or not to continue to make union fee payments through payroll deductions.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet this criterion if they:
- detail existing initiatives, including details of specific opportunities for staff to elect;
- demonstrate that they intend to provide an opportunity for staff to elect; and
- provide documents to evidence any existing and future initiatives.
To allow assessment under 2(a)(ii), institutions should provide information on what they have done since the date of the application for first round funding to provide an opportunity, for staff who currently use payroll deductions for payment of their union fees, to elect whether or not to continue to make such payments through payroll deduction. Documents supplied could include a copy of a notice to all staff or a notice on payslips providing such an opportunity. Institutions should provide evidence of progress since the date of the application for first round funding.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
(i) initiatives which reflect the active pursuit, either directly or through representative bodies, of award simplification consistent with the objectives of the Workplace Relations Act
AND
(ii) made progress in implementing initiatives which reflect that active pursuit
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement, if any (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under 2(b)(i) institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of how the institution is pursuing award simplification for all staff.
Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet the criterion if they:
- are members of a representative body that actively pursues simplification; and
- explain or show evidence of direct activities, or activities through representative bodies, that address the pursuit of simplification.
To allow assessment under 2(b)(ii) institutions should explain and provide supporting documentary evidence of what it (or its representative organisation) has done since the date of the application for first round funding in relation to pursuing award simplification of awards covering all staff.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts
1 An applicant institution must demonstrate that it has
(i) initiatives which, where appropriate, encourage youth employment, including junior rates of pay
AND
(ii) made progress in implementing, where appropriate, those initiatives
2 (Applicant institution to detail) relevant clauses of agreement, if any (including as outlined in first round application if applying on same agreements)
3 Information and documents to be provided
To allow assessment under 2(c)(i) institutions should provide information on youth employment at the institution. Institutions will be better able to demonstrate they meet this criterion if they include:
- evidence of any programmes run by the institution which encourage youth employment (e.g. trainee and/or apprentice intakes or encouragement of student employment);
- evidence of any employment of youth by the institution, including details of the numbers of employees; and
- details of the clauses in certified agreements which provide for payment of youth wages and describe how they apply to relevant staff.
To allow assessment under 2(c)(ii) institutions should outline how the institution has made progress since the date of the application for first round funding in implementing initiatives, where appropriate, which encourage youth employment, including junior rates of pay, since the date of the application for first round funding. This could include information about particular plans or activities to:
- increase the number of youth employees, including the intake of new youth employees;
- run recruitment programs for youth employment; or
- expand use of youth employment in particular areas.
4 (Applicant institution to provide) list of attached supporting documents with references to key parts