Tertiary_Education_Union

Tertiary Education Union

Tertiary Education Union

Education trade union in New Zealand

For the similarly named Australian union, see National Tertiary Education Union.

The New Zealand Tertiary Education Union (Māori: Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa) is the main trade union in the New Zealand tertiary education sector, and represents the interests of more than 10,000 workers employed within the sector across New Zealand. Its membership includes academics, researchers, teachers and workers employed in all occupations in universities, polytechnics, institutes of technology, wānanga, other tertiary education providers and allied organisations.

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History

TEU flags at a rally in 2011

Founded in 2009, the TEU was established a result of the amalgamation of the Association of University Staff of New Zealand (AUS) and the Association of Staff in Tertiary Education (ASTE).[1] The Tertiary Institutions Allied Staff Association (TIASA) voted not to amalgamate[2] and remain independent.[3]

TEU is a registered trade union in accordance with the Employment Relations Act 2000.[4] The TEU is a democratic union with strong membership participation and is governed by an elected council. Policy is determined by an annual conference and implemented by a number of committees.

Campaigns

MP Peter Dunne speaking at a TEU-organised Parental leave event.

As well as negotiating typical labour rights and employment issues with employers (salary levels, hours of work, etc.) the TEU has been involved in a number of national campaigns.[5]

The Union have actively supported longer statutory paid parental leave, including the recent Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave and Work Contact Hours) Amendment Bill which provides six months paid parental leave and guaranteed right to return to work afterwards.[6][7][8] The bill is currently stalled in parliament.[9]

Academic Freedom

The Union have campaigned for academic freedom, running an essay competition in cooperation with Academic Freedom Aotearoa.[10][11] and giving out awards, including to Mike Joy an academic at Massey University who had a high-profile clash with Prime Minister John Key.[12][13][14]

Living Wage

Under the Employment Relations Act 2000 there are limits on what actions a union can take in support of employment relations involving employees other than union members, but the TEU supports the Living Wage Movement Aotearoa NZ which campaigns to raise the legal minimum wage.[15][16] A number of the TEU's members are paid the current legal minimum wage.[17]

Membership

The Union is present in most tertiary education institutions representing academic, purely teaching, purely research and general staff.[18]

The Union is the members' official representative in employment matters when dealing with their employers (directly or indirectly), many union members (particularly academics and researchers) are also members of the Royal Society of New Zealand (commonly via constituent bodies) as it is the peak professional body in the humanities and the sciences and has legislated roles in science and research funding.

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International

Through membership of Education International, TEU is linked to international education groups worldwide, and a wide range of education unions and through membership of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions, TEU works with other unions to improve the position of all New Zealand workers.

New Zealand Tertiary Education Union

References

  1. [1]
    Education staff to vote on tertiary union The Press Sep 10, 2007. A postal ballot has been sent to members of the Association of University Staff (AUS), the Association of Staff in Tertiary Education (ASTE) and the Tertiary Institutions Allied Staff Association (TIASA) to decide whether or not to amalgamate.
  2. [2]
    "Staff veto tertiary super union". Stuff.co.nz. 6 October 2007. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  3. [3]
    "Tertiary Institutes Allied Staff Association. Home Page". TIASA. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  4. [4]
    "Register of unions - Societies and Trusts". 27 July 2017.
  5. [5]
    "Tertiary Education Union – Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa". teu.ac.nz.
  6. [6]
    Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months’ Paid Leave) Amendment Bill
  7. [7]
    "Fact Sheet – 26 for Babies Parental Leave and Employment Protection (Six Months' Paid Leave and Work Contact Hours) Amendment Bill" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 April 2017. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  8. [8]
    "Parental Leave – TEU". Teu.ac.nz. 26 September 2011. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  9. [9]
    "Politicking stalls paid parental leave bill – TEU". Teu.ac.nz. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  10. [10]
    "The Dr Clara Immerwahr essay competition - Academic Freedom Aotearoa". 6 February 2016. Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  11. [11]
    "The Year of Conscience – TEU". Teu.ac.nz. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  12. [12]
    Lucy Townend (12 November 2013). "Massey ecologist wins academic freedom award". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  13. [13]
    "Scientist Mike Joy ruffles dairying feathers again". Stuff.co.nz. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  14. [14]
    "Dr. Mike Joy clears the air over water contamination comments - The Country - The Country News". Nzherald.co.nz. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  15. [15]
    "Living Wage – TEU". Teu.ac.nz. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  16. [16]
    "Sandra Grey (@GreyNZ)". Twitter. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  17. [17]
    "Victoria rejects living wage – TEU". Teu.ac.nz. 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  18. [18]
    2014 Annual report, https://issuu.com/nzteu/docs/teu_annual_report_2014
  19. [19]
    "TEU Annual Report 2014". Issuu. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
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