Structure

Organisational guide to the TEU

Structure of the Tertiary Education Union

The TEU is a national union comprising a number of branches and committees, and employing a number of staff to carry out its policies and objectives. The annual conference is the TEU’s supreme governing body, with an elected national council to govern between conferences. Branches and committee are, however, the foundation for participation in the TEU as shown in the accompanying diagram which broadly represents the union’s organisation structure.

Branches

Branches underpin the day-to-day activities of the union and exist in most worksites with TEU members. Branches will continue to operate in a largely autonomous manner and deal with local issues, recruit members, organise campaigns, contribute to national policy and participate in local union activities, including bargaining where appropriate.

There are approximately 34 TEU branches, with many smaller workplaces having more informal arrangements for representation.

Sector and national committees

In recognition of the diverse and distinctive interests of component groups within TEU membership, three separate sector groups, two national committees and a variety of other structures have been established to ensure that all voices are heard. Each committee or group will meet and have the opportunity to discuss issue particular to the group and ensure the group is represented in the formulation of national policies and decisions.

i University sector committee

The university sector committee will meet three times per year and comprise a representative from each university, and one teacher education representative, the national president, the university academic vice-president from the national council, the university general staff vice-president from the national council, two Māori representatives from the Rūnanga, Kaumātua and a univesrity representative from the women’s committee.

ii ITP sector committee

The ITP (institutes of technology and polytechnics) sector committee will meet three times per year and have representation from ITPs, REAPs, other tertiary education providers and NZCER. It will comprise four representatives elected nationally by general staff in that sector and four representatives elected nationally by academic staff in that sector. It will also include the National President, the ITP Academic vice-president from national council, the ITP general staff vice-president from the national council, two Māori representatives from the RÅ«nanga, Kaumātua and a representative from the women’s committee from the ITP sector.

Note: Representatives of union members at wānanga will be invited to attend both sector group meetings in the first instance to determine which group (if any) they believe best represents the issues for this group of members.  

iii General staff committee

The general staff sector committee will be chaired by the two general staff vice-presidents from the national council. It will meet twice a year and include three representatives from the ITP sector, three representatives from the university sector, two representatives from the Hui-ā-Tau and a women’s representative.

iv Women’s structures

The TEU will have local women’s committees and a national structure. The national committee comprises 10 members of which there will be broad representation of general and academic staff, the Women’s vice-president from National Council and one representative from the RÅ«nanga.

The role of the committee will be to provide advice on issues of concern to women, organise women members at branch level and ensure that the TEU is representing the interests of women members at both policy and industrial level. Women throughout the TEU will meet together in national conferences and/or at local events organised for women.

The committee will also link into the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions women’s structures.

v Māori structure

The TEU has a national Māori committee (Rūnanga) and a national annual meeting of Māori members (Hui-ā-moto). The Rūnanga includes Kaumātua, the Māori vice-president and two other senior Māori positions from the national council, two representatives from the university sector committee and two representatives from the institutes of technology and polytechnics sector committee (one general member and one academic member in each). The three senior Māori representatives of the Rūnanga sit on the national council and, reflecting the Tiriti partnership relationship, the Rūnanga and National Council are the pou whirinaki or support structures.

vi Tiriti Partnership Group

A Tiriti Partnership Group will educate, monitor, audit and develop resources in respect to the Tiriti partnership which underpins the TEU. The group acts as a sub-committee of the national council and will comprise of equal representatives from Tauiwi and Tangata Whenua.

vii Fono

A biennial Fono (meeting) for Pasifika members of TEU will be held will include one representative from each branch.

Annual Conference

The annual conference is the supreme decision-making body of the TEU, among its main rooles formulating and developing organizational objectives and policy.

Annual conference will meet in Wellington each year and will comprise all members of the national council, representatives from each branch, based on a proportion of membership, and members of the Rūnanga.

National Council

A national council will meet four times per year and make decisions on behalf of the TEU in between Conferences. It will implement policy and campaigns, liaise with branches, decide financial matters, ensure the organisation is managed efficiently, and appoint and assess the performance of the national secretary.

The National Council will be chaired by the national president and include four representatives elected nationally from each of the university sector committee and ITP sector committee, the immediate past-president, six vice-presidents, two other Māori representatives, and one staff member (non-voting).

Office-holders will be elected for a term of two years and the national president’s position will be full-time.

All officers will be elected by the constituencies they represent (eg the university academic vice-president will be elected by university academic members).

The national council or other bodies will be able to form sub-committees to work on particular areas as needed.