Sydney University Library Dispute
4 October 2024
This morning we received legal advice from 色狼社区CPSU NSW聽 Head Office in relation to the current Library dispute, specifically the likelihood of success if we arbitrated on the direction by management to stand and roam during your shift at the Fisher Library.
The advice was that continuing the dispute to arbitration on this point was unlikely to succeed, unless compelling evidence could be supplied to support our arguments around fatigue and work health and safety relating to standing for a period of up to four (4) hours. We did try to present medical research in the commission which referred to known health problems arising from 鈥渨orking in a standing posture on a regular basis鈥 but the Deputy President questioned what did and did not constitute 鈥減rolonged鈥 standing.
In the final conciliation meeting yesterday, the Deputy Commissioner commented that the University offer on Fisher foyer seemed to allow the capacity to sit at times and we thought it possible or perhaps likely he was indicating he thought it was a satisfactory solution.
We have made some significant gains in this dispute, however we understand that there are other outstanding matters and the CPSU NSW is considering how best to continue to support members on these issues. The union will persist in pressing them via feedback and through the Library鈥檚 Local Joint Consultative Committee.
The CPSU NSW is seeking members input on whether we continue with the dispute or accept the offer put by the University.
If we attempt to push this further via proceeding to arbitration at the Commission, it is possible that the resolution reached will be something less than the University has offered.
For details of the University offer please see the email sent to members at 12:55 pm this last Tuesday, 1st October.
The health and safety of members is of the utmost importance and we are mindful as a Union that we also have the opportunity to raise issues under the workload clauses in the Enterprise Agreement, with SafeWork NSW and in Riskware, and staff should seek medical advice where relevant and necessary if they are made unwell by their work, post-implementation.
With this in mind, please respond to the survey below. We apologise for the short time frame for response, but again we are constrained by the process as determined in the Commission.
Thanks and Regards,
Grant (on behalf of Library Delegates)