Global Education Provider
Enterprise bargaining in the education sector. The background Our client is an ASX listed global education provider that offers a range of educational services through its university partnerships, affiliations with major universities as well as its professional education, English language training and settlement services. In around March 2012, our client entered into negotiations on behalf of one of its colleges, with the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and employees for a replacement enterprise agreement to cover its academic and non-academic employees. Negotiations became protracted and extended for over 18 months, with the bargaining representatives meeting on no less than 17 occasions in 2013, and a further 7 occasions in 2014. Despite the best efforts of the bargaining representatives, even after some 18 months the negotiations had not progressed and there was limited prospects of the parties reaching agreement on terms for a new Enterprise Agreement for the reasonably foreseeable future. In addition, on 15 April 2014 the NTEU filed in the Fair Work Commission an Application for a Protected Action Ballot Order, which included forms of...