National Tertiary Education Union - Definition and Overview

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) is an Australian trade union that is comprised of workers in the higher education industry. It has the right to cover all University academic staff, and it shares the right to cover University general staff primarily with the Community and Public Sector Union, but also with the Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (in catering areas). The NTEU only recently won coverage of general staff, and more militant general staff members have generally joined the NTEU.

The NTEU is a relatively recent union, formed out of previous white collar staff associations representing academics. It is generally considered to be more towards the left of the union movement, and has a high focus on self-directed membership branches and the organising model of unionism. However, as the majority of academics are not conscious of themselves as workers who would need a trade union, the NTEU often engages in organising campaigns to build its membership density. The NTEU is not affiliated with any Australian policial party.

External link

• Official site (http://www.nteu.asn.au)