Union prosecutes University in landmark case
13 May 2001
The National Tertiary Education Union, representing staff in Australian Universities, will lodge a prosecution against the University of Wollongong in the Federal Court tomorrow, in defence of its enterprise agreement.
The NTEU says that the University breached its own Enterprise Agreement when it summarily sacked Dr Ted Steele in February. The Vice-Chancellor sacked Dr Steele for alleged `serious misconduct\' after he made public criticisms of assessment procedures within his Department. However, none of the procedures for assessing serious misconduct - which are set out in the University\'s Enterprise Agreement - were followed. Neither was the University\'s governing body consulted about the decision to act in breach of the Agreement.
NTEU Wollongong Branch President Ron Perrin said that by acting as judge, jury and executioner in this case, the Vice-Chancellor had ignored the employment rights of all university staff.
`Staff representatives at the University of Wollongong invested two years of time and effort in negotiating this agreement with the university management. By his actions, Vice-Chancellor Gerard Sutton has shown that he has no respect for due process, and is prepared to breach the agreement whenever it suits him,\' said Mr Perrin.
`The NTEU won\'t tolerate this action, as it threatens the job security of all staff.\'
NTEU General Secretary Grahame McCulloch said that the case was a landmark for the Union, as the serious misconduct procedures contained in enterprise agreements were central to the defence of academic freedom.
`We\'ve received national and international support for our campaign on this issue, with over 2,000 signatures received in 9 working days for an on-line petition to the University Council. Signatories so far include the General Secretary of the Confederation of Irish University Teachers, the General Secretary of the Association of University Staff (New Zealand) and a number of eminent academics.\'
We won\'t stand by and allow our enterprise agreements to be treated with contempt, by this or any other university manager.\'