From 1 January 2009 the New Zealand Tertiary Education Union will be formed following the amalgamation of the Association of the University Staff (AUS) and the Association of Staff in Tertiary Education (ASTE).
The union will represent academic and general stuff of the 30 main tertiary institutes in New Zealand and a number of allied organisations.
The presidents of the two existing unions, Maureen Montgomery of AUS and Tangi Tipene of ASTE see the amalgamation as a positive and logical move. As Dr Montgomery points out, “Both unions have worked successfully together and already collaborate in the negotiation of collective employment agreements in the university sector.”
“The benefits of this cooperation will be enhanced by amalgamation.’’
Preparations for the new union are under way with a rules conference to take place in July and a joint conference between the two unions to take place in November.