5 April 2023
Industrial action voted up by membership
At a members’ meeting of the branch on Tuesday, attendees unanimously voted to take industrial action if the University didn’t move on any of our key claims.
No new information on our claims
At a meeting with University management Wednesday, the NTEU bargaining team was hoping to receive a proposal from the University that included a plan to reduce casualisation at the richest university in Australia.
No hard commitments on increasing secure work
Instead we received a presentation (see it for yourself in the all staff email sent yesterday) that included nothing addressing our key claim that 80% of all University jobs should be ongoing. As we know, secure jobs are the only way to ensure equitable and sustainable career pathways and workloads for staff across the University.
A pay rise that falls well short
Moments after we announced our Protected Action Ballot win on Monday, management announced a 4% administrative pay rise for all EBA covered staff. The NTEU’s pay claim of 15% or CPI + 1.5% is the only plan that will help many of our workmates make ends meet amid high inflation.
Vice Chancellor notified today that we are taking industrial action
The branch is moving ahead with plans to take two forms of the industrial action that we won the right to take in our Protected Action Ballot at the end of last week. These were voted on by our members yesterday, and will take effect from14 April 2023. Members may:
Begin an indefinite ban on applying penalties for late submission of student work.Commence making statements while working explaining why members of the union are taking industrial action.
Member guidance being prepared for industrial action
It’s important for all of us to feel well supported and understand how these actions will work. Our strike committee, branch officers and staff will spend the next week and half developing fact sheets and guidance notes for members on how each of these actions can work. We will also be meeting with University student leadership to ensure they fully understand the actions we are taking and to be responsive to any needs they identify to minimise negative impacts on them.
Together we can push management
We don’t take industrial action lightly, but it’s clear from the past eight months that we must try something new to get management to present another proposal that addresses our concerns. The Union has a plan to make this University better, the Uni management has none.
