SYDNEY UNI STAFF REJECT ABBOTT'S BULLYING – Management Must Sign Agreement
Wed 24 Sept 2003
A meeting of University of Sydney staff today condemned their management’s decision to renege on the signing of a proposed three–year enterprise bargaining agreement, and unanimously endorsed a two-week campaign of industrial action unless the decision is reversed.
The meeting, attended by over 300 staff, also rejected Workplace Relations Minister Tony Abbott’s threats to deprive universities of $404 million in additional funding unless they sign up to hardline industrial conditions, as an unwanted and divisive attempt to interfere in university affairs.
“Staff at the University of Sydney are understandably very angry with management’s reversal on the proposed agreement, the product of year-long cooperative negotiations, because it does not conform with the Government’s interventionist industrial requirements, particularly the inclusion of individual contracts,” said Grahame McCulloch, NTEU General Secretary.
“The Government’s proposals have been rejected by staff, the Australian Vice Chancellor’s Committee and a number of Senate Independents.”
“These requirements are nothing more than an ideological vendetta on the part of the Government, and will do nothing to improve the quality of the teaching and research carried out at the institution.”
“As has been so graphically demonstrated at Sydney University today, the proposals will also result in industrial turmoil if the university management attempt to implement them.”
“The outcome of today’s meeting leaves Sydney University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Gavin Brown, with two clear choices,” said McCulloch.
“Either he can give in to Tony Abbott’s bullying and try to renegotiate the agreement, or he can side with staff, their attempts to improve the quality of teaching and research at the university, and the principle of cooperative bargaining.”
“The Union hopes that management will choose to sign the agreement, but if they decide to push ahead with attempting to renegotiate they will face a two week campaign of industrial action, culminating in a 24-hour strike on October 7 at which staff will effectively close down the university.”
FOR INFORMATION AND COMMENT
Grahame McCulloch, NTEU General Secretary
Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President
Michael Thomson, Acting President, NTEU University of Sydney Branch