NTEU NATIONAL COUNCIL 2003 - Information for the Media
Thu 25 Sept 2003
From September 29 to October 1, over 200 representatives from staff at Australia’s 38 public universities will meet in Melbourne for the 10th annual Council of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
This years’ Council takes place at a time of considerable turmoil in higher education. The Government’s proposed changes to universities could result in the largest shake-up of the sector in nearly a decade. Universities also face the prospect of widespread industrial action in response to Workplace Relations Minister Tony Abbott’s threat to deny universities $404 million in public funding unless they meet a range of hardline industrial conditions.
The Council, which will set the political and industrial agenda for the Union for the next 12 months, will focus on two issues:
- Responding to the Commonwealth’s planned workplace relations changes and how they will impact on the enterprise bargaining round currently underway at all 38 of the nation’s public universities. The possibility of national industrial action against the changes will be discussed.
- Campaigning against the negative aspects of the Government’s Backing Australia’s Future package leading up to the next Federal election, widely expected to take place in the next 12 months.
In addition to debate on a range of higher education issues, the morning of the second day (September 30th) will feature a forum on tax policy and public spending featuring:
- Sharan Burrow, ACTU President;
- Michael Raper, ACOSS Past President;
- Jeff Lawrence, LHMU National Secretary and Vice President of the NSW Branch of the ALP.
The forum will examine the adequacy of the tax base and current spending levels, the tax policies of the major political parties and the implications of higher fees and charges for university and vocational education, for low-income workers.
The Council will be attended by a number of international guests, including:
- Helen Kelly, General Secretary of the Association of University Staff, New Zealand, and Dr William (Bill) Rosenberg, National President of AUS. AUS was formed in 1991 through the merger of the former technicians' union with the union representing university academic staff and librarians.
- Jenny Chapman, Field Officer for the Association of Staff in Tertiary Education (ASTE) New Zealand, which is the professional association and industrial union that represents employees in all spheres of the tertiary education sector throughout New Zealand.
- Rosli Bin Mahat, President of the University of Malaya Academic Staff Association.
The Council will take place at the Carlton Crest Hotel, 65 Queens Road, Melbourne. All sessions except the morning on the third day are open to the media. A full agenda for the Council can be accessed here
For information about the Council and for all media inquires during the Council contact:
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator: 0438 026277