31 March 2023
Don’t let these numbers fool you
If the Vice-Chancellor’s message about the University’s finances tells us anything, it’s that University management continues to use its discretion to pay for a host of other things rather than the key priorities of staff expressed in our claims for a more fair workplace.
The numbers don’t tell the real story
I’ll let the experts tell the real story on why we can’t trust the University of Melbourne when they share numbers with us, (Pandemic pessimists wrong, really wrong, on uni finances, Where did the surplus go?, The seven gaps between uni managements’ rhetoric and financial reality, Uni Melbourne finances: stronger than they look).
Management’s choices
Even if we take the Vice Chancellor at his word, the University has publicly announced spending last year that would more than make up for his ‘operating deficit’, ($70 million Arts and Cultural Building Opens, Global pandemic therapeutics centre announced in Melbourne, Igniting digital innovation with the Cremorne Digital Hub, Locally developed mRNA vaccines and therapeutics to fight disease, New $115 million investment funds to accelerate research discoveries.)
The curious timing of this announcement
As reported today in The Australian, “University of Melbourne financial results are not usually revealed until its annual report is tabled in the Victorian parliament in May or June. This early release comes as negotiations intensify with the National Tertiary Education Union over an enterprise agreement in which the union is seeking adjustments for high inflation.”
Results of Protected Action Ballot Soon
Let’s not get distracted, the only way we are going to win a guarantee that 80% of University jobs are ongoing, better parental/carer’s leave, a REAL pay rise, improved workloads, restricting restructures, and stronger working from home rights is through organising to move University management to guarantee these in a new enterprise agreement.
