26 Weeks Paid Parental Leave for Macquarie University General Staff

General Staff at Macquarie University are celebrating the doubling of paid parental leave.

Their new agreement was certified yesterday by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.

26 weeks paid parental leave, available for the primary care giver, has been increased from the previous 12 weeks, is part of a broader package of improvements won after over 18 months of negotiations between the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) and Macquarie University.

CPSU Senior Industrial Officer Mr Andrew Holland said today "This Agreement has been completed today only after the hard work of CPSU delegates and members in overcoming the obstacles of the Howard Government's unsuccessful 2003 Higher Education Workplace Requirements and the High Court's Electrolux decision. The certification of the Agreement today shows that the higher education sector will continue to enjoy positive outcomes and a fairer, more family friendlier workplace."

Mr Holland also said: "It is unfortunate that General Staff at Macquarie University may well lose out on the conditions and wage rises certified today if the Howard Government succeeds in implementing their Industrial Relations agenda both in the Higher Education sector and more broadly. The CPSU will be vigilant in protecting and building on today's result."

The other key improvements in the new Enterprise Agreement include:

• 19% pay rise, or 20.4 % cumulative, for an Agreement that expires in June 2006
• $750 sign on bonus, paid in Christmas 2004
• Improved managing change and consultation clause
• Conversion for casual staff who can demonstrate regular and systematic work for over 12 months.