Dear University of Melbourne staff, 

Union members have won minimum workload allocation protections for permanent academic staff in the new Enterprise Agreement through collective action.

If you are an academic in a continuing education- or teaching-focused position, and

• Are employed 0.8 FTE or above, a minimum of 20 per cent of your workload allocation should be for research, academic disciplinary currency and/or professional practice; or 
• Are employed below 0.8 FTE, a minimum of 10 per cent of your workload allocation should be for research, academic disciplinary currency and/or professional practice. 

We know that University management is not meeting these obligations. 

NTEU is making a collective workload review application to University management on behalf of staff who are not receiving their minimum. We will be seeking adjusted 2025 workloads to reflect the minimums required under the Enterprise Agreement. 

These applications will press for adjustments such that employees receive the full benefit of the Agreement provisions from the date they came into effect (in April this year).   

Example: A permanent academic employee on a 1.0FTE fraction has only received a 10% research allocation for 2024, without any other allocation for academic disciplinary currency or professional practice.

NTEU’s proposed resolution through workload allocation: The employee’s workload allocation is adjusted to provide at least 30% research, academic disciplinary currency and/or professional practice allocation for 2025, thereby receiving an average workload allocation which is consistent with the Agreement minimums over the two calendar years.

If you believe you are not currently getting the minimum research allocation, you can find information on NTEU’s collective application here.

In Solidarity,

David Gonzalez

NTEU UniMelb Branch President