We have always been upfront with both council and our members. The USU has been 100% committed to assisting staff prepare an in-house bid. We have been in discussions with Council for weeks to try and make that happen.
But on 16 September we were advised that the ‘Council will not be providing any assistance to the USU with the preparation of the in-house bid on behalf of staff.’
The Council demanded that the Union sign a confidentiality deed which would have restricted our ability to talk to members and lobby the politicians on your behalf. So we proposed that a committee be formed with members from staff, one USU official and management to prepare an in-house staff bid. All of those committee members would have signed Council’s confidentiality Deed. The Council rejected that proposal.
The question you should ask yourself is why didn’t Council put together a committee to look at improvements to the service before all of this started?
In-House Bid Timeline
20 August Union is told that Council is ‘prepared to provide any reasonable assistance’ to staff in preparing an in-house bid
3 September Council rejects in-house bid expression of interest on the basis that Union does not hold ACECQA accreditation
4 September Council withholds assistance to staff until the Union signs a confidentiality agreement
8 September to address Council’s confidentiality concerns the Union proposes a Committee made up of staff, management, and one Union official be formed to prepare the in-house bid
16 September Council rejects USU’s committee proposal
WHAT YOU CAN DO
It is even more important to get EVERYONE YOU KNOW to sign the petition now.
Complete the petition online here
Contact your organiser Sue Kealy on 0418495265 or skealy@usu.org.au for further information.
