2005 News

2005 News

2005 News

NTEU WILL URGE UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT STAFF TO REJECT AWA	The University of Ballarat’s decision to offer an AWA to general staff today is unnecessary and punitive, and the NTEU will recommend that staff reject it, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
STUDENTS, UNIVERSITIES AND THE COMMUNITY THE BIG LOSERS FROM VSU DEAL	Thousands of jobs, the educational experience of students, the quality of our universities and their ability to compete in the international higher education market are the big losers from today’s last minute deal to pass the Federal Government’s so-called Voluntary Student Unionism (VSU) legislation, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Friday.
ENOUGH BELLS AND WHISTLES – TIME FOR THE SENATE TO REJECT THE VSU LEGISLATION	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) today called on the Senate to reject the Government’s Higher Education Support (Abolition of Compulsory Up-front Student Union Fees) Bill 2005 when it goes before the upper house tomorrow.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE ACTION TO STEM DECLINE IN INDIGENOUS STUDENTS ATTENDING UNI	The Federal Government needs to take urgent action to stem the continuing decline of Indigenous students in our public university system, including adopting a new Indigenous specific student income support scheme, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said in a submission to the 2006/7 Budget, released on Tuesday.
SENATE MUST ENSURE ANTI-TERROR BILL CONTAINS SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT ACADEMIC FREEDOM	The Senate must ensure that the anti-terrorism legislation includes strong safeguards to protect academic freedom and does not leave university staff exposed to potential sanctions simply for doing their jobs, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Tuesday.
INTERNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION UNIONS MEET IN MELBOURNE	On December 7 – 9, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) will host a meeting in Melbourne of trade unions representing higher education staff from 32 countries.
NTEU ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND ANTI-TERRORISM LAWS SEMINAR	The higher education section of Education International, the international union body to which NTEU is affiliated, will meet in Melbourne on December 7 and 8, 2005. As part of this event, NTEU is organising a seminar on ‘Academic freedom, Universities and the response to the new terror laws’. The seminar will take place on December 6, from 12.30-5pm, at the FEU Building, 120 Clarendon Street, South Melbourne
UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT SHOULD USE LEARNING AND TEACHING FUNDS TO REWARD STAFF	The University of Ballarat should use the additional $1.56 million funding it has just received from the federal government to reward its staff by paying them the back pay that was offered to staff in last week’s agreement, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT STAFF AGAIN REJECT THE VICE-CHANCELLOR’S SUB-STANDARD AGREEMENT	University of Ballarat staff have again rejected the latest version of the Vice-Chancellor’s sub-standard enterprise agreement, by 401 votes to 323 votes.
NELSON’S SECOND WAVE OF REFORMS COULD SEE PROFESSIONAL DEGREES AVAILABLE ONLY FOR THE WEALTHY	The second wave of higher education reform being proposed by Education Minister Brendan Nelson may see universities in regional and outer suburban areas stripped of their ability to offer professional degrees in areas such as law or engineering, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) warned on Wednesday.
Position Vacant: Indigenous Projects Officer	NTEU is seeking an Indigenous Australian with working experience in higher education and or Trade Unionism for appointment to the position of Indigenous Projects Officer.
VCs attempt eviction of Unions from campus to pander to Nelson	Vice Chancellors at three New South Wales Universities have attempted to use Government funding requirements to kick staff unions off university campuses, and adopt discriminatory commercial practices. A letter received by the NTEU today orders NTEU members to vacate the NTEU premises at the University of Newcastle by close of business today. Newcastle management are also refusing to allow unions to commercially lease premises, drawing accusations of discrimination.
Submissions to WorkChoices Inquiry	Submissions to the Senate WorkChoices inquiry by: NTEU, Centre for Employment and Labour Relations Law, and a group of 150 Australian Industrial Relations, Labour Market, and Legal Academics
UNIVERSITY STAFF TO JOIN NATIONAL PROTEST ON IR LAWS	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) expects thousands of University and TAFE staff across Australia will join with other workers attending protests being held against the Government’s proposed industrial relations laws.
UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT STAFF PASS MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE IN VICE-CHANCELLOR	University of Ballarat (UB) staff have overwhelmingly passed a motion of no confidence in the outgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kerry Cox, over his handling of the long-running dispute about enterprise bargaining, NTEU University of Ballarat Branch President Dr Jeremy Smith said today. The motion also called on senior management to negotiate a reasonable union-based agreement.
INDEXATION OF UNIVERSITY GRANTS AT RISK BY WORKCHOICES LEGISLATION	The failure of the Commonwealth Government to develop a new indexation system for universities has placed at risk badly needed additional funding. The current indexation system is based on the value of the minimum wage (the safety net increase), as currently determined by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. What will happen when the new Fair Pay Commission begins its work? Will the safety net increase essentially be equal to the Commonwealth’s preferred wage number? And what might this mean for Universities?
PROFESSORS SIGN UP TO PROTECT UNIVERSITY INDEPENDENCE AND OPPOSE WORKPLACE CHANGES	Over 200 university professors from across Australian have signed a statement, released today, opposing the Federal Government’s workplace relations changes for higher education as a threat to university independence, that will undermine academic freedom and do nothing to help improve the quality of teaching and research.
UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT STAFF REJECT MANAGEMENT’S AGREEMENT,AND CALL ON MANAGEMENT TO RETURN TO NEGOT	University of Ballarat staff have rejected the enterprise agreement proposed by management by 451 votes to 335 votes. Staff are now calling for University management to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
NTEU Seminar: Academic freedom, universities and the new terror laws	Academic freedom, Universities and the response to the new terror laws
AIRC SAYS UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT STAFF SHOULD BE TOLD BALLOT RESULT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE	The Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) has recommended that the University of Ballarat release the result of the staff ballot on management’s proposed agreement as soon as possible after the ballot closes at 4pm today (Friday 21 Oct).
WHAT DOES UNI OF BALLARAT HAVE TO HIDE?	The University of Ballarat is showing contempt for its staff by refusing to release ballot results until a week after the ballot closes, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT STAFF HAVE A REAL ALTERNATIVE TO SUB-STANDARD AGREEMENT	University of Ballarat (UB) staff have a real alternative if they reject management’s sub-standard agreement in the ballot being conducted this week, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
SOUTHERN CROSS UNI AGREEMENT INCREASES PRESSURE ON HIGHER EDUCATION EMPLOYER BODY	The conclusion of an Enterprise Agreement at Southern Cross University (SCU) that complies with the Federal Government’s proposed higher education workplace relations changes, increases pressure on the sector’s employer body to cooperate in enabling all universities to reach similar agreements, the National Tertiary Education Union said on Wednesday.
NTEU ANALYSIS SHOWS GOVERNMENT INTERFERES MORE, PAYS LESS AND INCREASES THE COST TO STUDENTS	A National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) analysis of the Higher Education Funding Report 2004-05 reveals no new resources for higher education, an increase in Federal Government interference through changes to the funding mix, and an increase in student contributions to the cost of their university education.
MANAGEMENT AND STAFF REACH HEWRR COMPLIANT AGREEMENT AT DEAKIN UNIVERSITY	Management and staff at Victoria’s Deakin University today reached final agreement on an Enterprise Agreement, which the Department of Education Science and Training has advised is compliant with the Federal Government’s Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs).
GOVERNMENT MUST RELEASE DOCUMENTS DETAILING IMPACT OF VSU LEGISLATION	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) on Monday condemned the Federal Government’s refusal to publicly release the details of alternative policy options being considered to its current voluntary student unionism legislation.
New NTEU merchandise available!	Great new NTEU merchandise is now available to buy.
UNIVERSITY STAFF VOICE ALARM OVER NEW TERROR LAWS	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) warned on Friday that proposed anti-terrorism laws agreed to by Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments this week will increase the powers of police and security services at the expense of civil rights, and could have serious implications for staff working in our universities.
NTEU WILL URGE BALLARAT STAFF TO VOTE NO	NTEU will encourage University of Ballarat staff to reject the unsatisfactory Enterprise Agreement proposed by University management, and once again calls on University management to negotiate a HEWRR-compliant agreement with union and staff representatives, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SHOULD DISCLOSE FULL DETAILS OF CARNEGIE MELLON PROPOSAL	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) on Thursday urged the South Australian State Government to publicly release all details relating to the application by the US private Carnegie Mellon University to operate as a foreign owned and operate university in Adelaide.
NTEU wins better staff conditions while ensuring maximum Government funding in new SCU Agreement	The National Tertiary Education Union has this morning finalised with management a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement to cover all staff at Southern Cross University, winning a 22% pay increase, greatly improved parental and adoption leave along with several other improved conditions. Significantly, the agreement ensures that Southern Cross University will be eligible for the maximum funding under the Government’s Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs), with the Union helping ensure the University’s ongoing financial well being.
B.I.I.T.E. STAFF RAISE THE STAKES	The Australian Education Union has joined with the NTEU supporting the call by Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff employed at the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Education (BIITE) at Batchelor, Darwin and Alice Springs to ensure that only Indigenous Australians be allowed to apply for the Institute’s senior executive positions, recently advertised nationally.
ORWELLIAN-TITLED "BETTER BARGAINING BILL" AIMED AT NTEU MEMBERS	The Government's proposed Better Bargaining Bill is aimed at unions which conduct coordinated bargaining strategies to maintain and improve industry-level conditions or to protect quality through industry standards.
STAFF TO VOTE AGAINST THE VICE CHANCELLOR IF AGREEMENT CANNOT BE REACHED	University of Ballarat staff have reaffirmed their commitment to achieving a properly negotiated Enterprise Agreement that will ensure the University’s future funding, but committed to a vote of no confidence in the Vice Chancellor if the University refuses to settle a negotiated agreement, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
SECRET EMPLOYER BODY PLAN WILL SLASH STAFF CONDITIONS AND LEAD TO INDUSTRIAL CHAOS	The NTEU condemns a secret employer plan reported in today’s media to allow universities to unilaterally cancel industrial agreements that do not meet the Federal Government’s harsh workplace relations conditions, in return for accessing additional Commonwealth funding.
INDIGENOUS STAFF B.I.I.T.E. THE BULLET	Indigenous staff employed at the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Education (BIITE) at Batchelor, Darwin and Alice Springs, have expressed grave concerns regarding the Institute’s decision not to ensure that only Indigenous Australians be allowed to apply for the seven senior executive positions
ACTU President Sharan Burrow joins Uni of Ballarat staff in IR fight	Staff at the University of Ballarat, who will today meet with ACTU President Sharan Burrow, fear Federal Government changes to workplace laws and the refusal of University management to finalise an enterprise agreement could harm the University’s ability to attract and retain the best staff.
AUT (UK) calls for Australian support in campaign against victimisation at	AUT is calling on all higher education colleagues to cut any voluntary ties with Brunel University in West London in protest at its drive to force compulsory redundancy on academic staff.
RMIT JOB LOSSES - NTEU CALLS FOR NO INCREASEIN WORKLOADS AND A FREEZE ON BONUSES	The NTEU has called on the RMIT Vice-Chancellor to give a public commitment to no increase in staff workloads and a freeze on all performance bonuses for 2005 and 2006, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
NTEU Congratulates Minister Nelson on Ernie Award Coup	Every so often a Government MP makes a statement that goes past the rhetoric and spin with which we have become accustomed and reveals what they’re really thinking. The National Tertiary Education Union is pleased that such a statement from Education Minister Brendan Nelson resulted in him being a stand-out nominee for the Ernie Award in the political category and offers the Minister hearty congratulations on his achievement.
NELSON IGNORES EXPERT ADVICE ON UNIVERSITY TEACHING PERFORMANCE INDICATORS	In developing the ranking system used to measure teaching performance at Australia’s 38 publicly funded universities, the Federal Education Minister has completely ignored expert advice commissioned by his own Department that the Performance Indicators they were using were flawed, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Friday.
NTEU AGAIN CALLS ON UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT MANAGEMENT TO NEGOTIATE A NEW AGREEMENT	The NTEU has again called on the University of Ballarat management to sit down and properly negotiate a new agreement, rather than present an unacceptable version to staff as a fait accompli, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
SENATE REPORT FAILS TO ADDRESS STAFF, STUDENT AND COMMUNITY CONCERNS ON VSU	The report of the Senate Inquiry into the Federal Government’s Higher Education Support Amendment (Abolition of Compulsory Up-Front Union Fees) Bill 2005, fails to seriously address the major concerns expressed by university staff, students and the community on the negative impact of the proposed legislation, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Thursday.
PARLIAMENT MUST PROTECT STUDENT ORGANISATION JOBS AND SERVICES AT ALL UNIVERSITIES	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) on Wednesday called on federal parliament to protect the jobs and services provided by student organizations at all universities, not just those in regional areas, and reject the Howard Government’s extreme Voluntary Student Unionism legislation.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO REDUCE FUNDING TO INDEPENDENT INDIGENOUS EDUCATION PROVIDERS	Legislative amendments being introduced by the Federal Government could reduce funding to independent Indigenous education providers by as much as $3.7 million over the period 2006 to 2008, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) warned on Thursday.
UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT MANAGEMENT DOING STUDENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY A DISSERVICE	University of Ballarat management is letting down its students and the University’s standing in the community by threatening to now not pay staff who are applying industrial bans, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
NTEU COMMENTS ON MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ANDREW FRASER	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) wishes to outline its position in relation to the situation of Macquarie University academic, Associate Professor Andrew Fraser.
NTEU Positions Vacant: Melb, Syd, Rockhampton, Darwin
Is the Future of the University of Newcastle “Run of the Mill”?	The National Tertiary Education Union has added its voice to the anger of the community over the controversy that has erupted in response to concerns about the viability of the Newcastle University Legal Centre.
UNIVERSITY WORKPLACE PRODUCTIVITY PROGRAMME MORE UNWARRANTED GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE: UNION	Yesterday the Minister for Education, Dr Brendan Nelson, released a Discussion Paper on the guidelines for the new Workplace Productivity Programme (WPP) for Australian universities. The WPP has total funding of $83m over three years commencing in 2006 and will allow Australian universities to bid for funding to introduce programmes that review or reform management, financial or human resource practices. The WPP is additional to and separate from the Higher Education Workplace Relations Reform (HEWRR) legislation, which is expected to be introduced into the Parliament later this year.
VC’s Comments on Newcastle Uni Legal Centre Continue Trend of Increasing Government Interference	In response to statements by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle, Professor Nick Saunders, that the University of Newcastle Legal Centre should "change the balance of its activities", State Secretary of the NSW Division of the National Tertiary Education Union, Ms Chris Game, has joined staff of the Centre in criticising the Vice-Chancellor's statements.
GOVERNANCE CHANGES COULD UNDERMINE AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL INDEPENDENCE	Changes to the governance of one of Australia’s major research funding bodies could open up its funding decisions to greater political interference by the Government of the day, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) warned on Monday.
CHASS - Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences on the Hill	The event is on 16-17 August in Canberra, and the centrepiece will be the individual appointments for all registrants with Members of Parliament.
Newcastle staff step up campaign to save their University	Following from University of Newcastle management’s stated intention to deal with budget problems by abolishing 450 full time equivalent positions (one in five staff), NTEU members at the University of Newcastle have stepped up their campaign to make university management rethink the extent of its attack on quality of education and research at the University and consider the impact it will have on the region. They will voice their concerns at a public meeting at 7pm this Thursday, 30 June at Newcastle City Hall.
NSW University workers to join Australia’s largest ever workers’ meeting	On the day after 100,000 marched in Melbourne, University workers singled out for attention by the Howard Government will be joining similar numbers of New South Wales Unionists tomorrow morning in hundreds of venues around the State. Local University staff in Sydney, Parramatta, and Armidale and other regional centres will also hit the streets following the Statewide Sky Channel meetings, while unionists battling floodwaters in Lismore, will “wait and see” if their planned march through the Town will go ahead.
NTEU TO JOIN THOUSANDS PROTESTING GOVERNMENT’S IR CHANGES	NTEU members will join thousands of other workers in rallies across Victoria tomorrow, as part of the ACTU’s National Week of Protest against the Howard Government’s proposed changes to Australia’s industrial relations system.
Federal Government Guts ABSTUDY: Senate Report	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) on Friday welcomed the findings of a Senate Inquiry that income support payments under Youth Allowance, Austudy and ABSTUDY are between 30 to 50 per cent below the poverty line, causing extreme financial hardship for increasing numbers of students and particularly Indigenous students.
IT’S NOT JUST THE PHONES, MR ANDERSON	The National Party needs to do much more for its regional and rural constituents than fighting for decent regional phone services, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
PROPOSED UNIVERSITY MERGER MUST NOT THREATEN EDUCATIONAL QUALITY OR STAFF JOBS	Preserving the quality of education offered to students, the career opportunities and conditions of staff, and the broader public interest must be central features of any merger between Curtin and Murdoch Universities, the National Tertiary Education Union’s (NTEU) Western Australian Division said on Wednesday.
UNIVERSITY STAFF BACK ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) today called on Australian Senators to support Senator Natasha Stott Despoja’s Private Members Bill Taxation Laws Amendment (Scholarship) Bill 2005.
GOVERNMENT AGENDA TO BLAME FOR UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE VET PROGRAM TRANSFER	The decision by the University of Melbourne to shed its regional campus-based VET programs in the Faculty of Food & Land Resources (ILFR) is a result of the Howard Government’s higher education ‘reforms’ that make the university’s economic ‘bottom line’ more important than its educational and social obligations in regional communities, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT STAFF VOTE FOR FURTHER BANS	Union members at the University of Ballarat have imposed further industrial bans at a meeting today, in response to a lack of progress in negotiations over a new Enterprise Agreement.
Education unionists hit the streets today in first union show of anger against Govt IR reforms	In what will be the first major demonstration of the public’s disgust in the unfair workplace changes proposed by the Howard government, University general and academic staff will today (Wednesday 1 June) join TAFE staff in rallies and marches around the country.
JUNE 1 UNIVERSITY AND TAFE STAFF NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST	Today, university staff will join their TAFE colleagues in a National Day of Protest against the Howard Government’s plan to tie $1.5 billion in much needed Commonwealth funding to hardline industrial conditions, including forcing staff onto individual workplace contracts with inferior conditions and introducing more casual and contract employment.
THOUSANDS PROTEST AS NELSON REFUSES TO RULE OUT REDUCED CONDITIONS FOR UNI STAFF	Thousands of tertiary education staff marched in protest across Australia on Wednesday against proposed Federal Government workplace relations changes for universities and TAFEs, as the Federal Education Minister refused to give assurances that the reforms would not strip back staff conditions.
USQ RALLY TO PROTEST AGAINST FEDERAL GOVT INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS CHANGES	A university sanctioned public rally will be held in the quadrangle of the West Street campus at noon today (Wednesday 1st June).
Government plan undermines staff rights & threatens universities & TAFEs	The Federal Government should abandon plans to force universities and TAFEs to adopt hardline employment policies that will drive down the wages and conditions of staff and lead to more casual jobs, bigger class sizes and a poorer quality of education for students.
PROTECT REGIONAL TERTIARY EDUCATION PUBLIC FORUM ON WEDNESDAY 1 JUNE	The NTEU and the New South Wales Teachers’ Federation will jointly hold a Public Forum on Wednesday 1 June, as part of a National Day of Protest against the Howard Government’s attacks on tertiary education, which will see future funding for universities and TAFE institutes tied to unnecessary and unwanted workplace relations reforms.
SA STAFF TO TAKE PART IN NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST AGAINST GOVERNMENT WORKPLACE INTERFERENCE IN UNIVER	South Australian University staff will be taking part in the National Day of Protest being organised tomorrow by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) against the Federal Government’s proposal to cut Universities’ funding by $280 million unless their managements sign up to harsh workplace relations changes.
Extent of crippling cuts revealed for University of Newcastle campuses	Following the conciliation process and the direction of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission for the University to release its Discussion Paper, staff at the University of Newcastle today discovered the alarming extent of reductions proposed for both Callaghan and Central Coast Campuses.
Commission buys time for Newcastle staff on eve of protest at University Council	Staff of the University of Newcastle will hold a protest rally outside the University Council meeting at 8.30am Friday morning.
450 STAFF AND STUDENTS RALLY AGAINST NEWCASTLE JOB CUTS	A rally of more than 450 staff and students at the University of Newcastle today heard the Shadow Minister for Education, Jenny Macklin, call on the Howard government to provide emergency funding to avert the proposed 450 job losses recently announced by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Nick Saunders.
JUNE 1 NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION TO KICK OFF CAMPAIGN AGAINST GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN UNIVERSITIES	Higher education unions will cooperate on a June 1 National Day of Action against the Federal Government plan to cut universities’ budgets by $280 million unless their managements sign up to harsh workplace relations changes, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) announced on Sunday.
QUALITY STAFF VITAL TO CQU’S FUTURE	The Central Queensland University Branch of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) will today kick off a campaign aimed at urging the University’s management to resume stalled enterprise bargaining negotiations.
STATES SHOULD REJECT COMMONWEALTH	The states should strongly oppose the Howard Government’s latest interference in the TAFE sector and reject the unnecessary requirement to offer Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) to staff, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
Indigenous HE Budget Misses the Point	The NTEU claims that this year’s Indigenous education budget initiatives have once again missed the point in terms of redressing the critical issues affecting Indigenous educational participation and outcomes.
BUDGET 2005: GOVERNMENT MUST DELIVER FOR HIGHER EDUCATION	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) is calling on the Government to invest some of the Federal Budget surplus, predicted to be in excess of $10 billion, in providing additional investment in Australia’s struggling public universities and in Research and Development (R&D) activities.
WORKPLACE REFORM ABOUT REDUCED CONDITIONS, NOT REWARDING “HIGH FLYERS”	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) rejects claims by education Minister Dr Nelson that further workplace reform is needed in the higher education sector so that universities can attract and keep top academics.
PROBLEM? Poor University management SOLUTION? Sack 450 staff in Newcastle	The National Tertiary Education Union today vowed to defend as many jobs as possible in the wake of the of Newcastle University’s Vice Chancellor announcing yesterday that there will be 450 forced redundancies to address a supposed budget shortfall.
NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN PLANNED AGAINST GOVERNMENT’S INDUSTRIAL PLAN FOR UNIVERSITIES	Staff working in all universities across Australia will be involved in a nationwide campaign over the coming months to oppose the Federal Government’s plan to cut universities’ budget by $280 million unless their managements sign up to harsh workplace relation conditions, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Tuesday.
Government bullying sends universities into industrial turmoil	Australian universities have been plunged into uncertainty as the Howard Government today announced its radical and draconian plans for unprecedented intervention in Universities and their dealings with staff.
NTEU condemns new attack on universities and their staff	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) today condemned the Government’s latest attack on University autonomy, the rights of university staff and attempt to force universities to offer Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) even though most of them do not want to.
Crippling student organisations will hurt students and universities	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has endorsed the National Day of Action, taking place around the country tomorrow, in opposition to the Government’s so called voluntary student unionism legislation. The NTEU is encouraging members not to penalise students who attend the actions and will be speaking at events in some capital cities and regional centres.
DEAKIN UNIVERSITY ACHIEVES NEW ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT	Deakin University has reached settlement on a new Enterprise Agreement, that will provide the best possible protection for staff’s employment conditions through to 2008, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said today.
GOVERNMENT REVIEW OF UNI INDEXATION A ‘REAL’ WHITEWASH	The Minister for Education, Dr Brendan Nelson, yesterday released his Department’s report of the review of indexation arrangements for the higher education sector. The Minister’s response to the review was that “after considering the findings of the report… there is no strong case for a change to the current indexation arrangements at this time.”
Renewed Call to Support Yale/Columbia Graduate Student Strike	Grad students at two top Ivy League US universities - Yale and Columbia - have voted for a five-day strike starting Monday 18 April because they're demanding the right to organise a union. The Bush-run National Labor Relations Board recently stripped the graduate teaching and research assistants of their legal protections for organising unions at private US universities.
UNIVERSITY OF BALLARAT VICE-CHANCELLOR HAS “EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES” MOMENT
Stop Interfering in Universities, says NTEU	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) today condemned the latest announcement by Federal Education Minister Nelson of plans for a new round of interference in the affairs of Australian universities.
UWS Slugs Students as Nelson Drags Chain on Uni Funding Indexation	The National Tertiary Education Union is amazed and dismayed at the decision of the University of Western Sydney (UWS) Board of Trustees to increase HECS fees. Commencing students this year and in the future will pay the maximum increase of 25 per cent. This is symptomatic of the Howard government’s failure to properly index university funding.
Indigenous Employment in Higher Education on the Rise	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) today announced that there has been a significant rise in the number of Indigenous staff employed in Higher Education between 2001 and 2004. The data in Chart 1 provided by the Department of Education Science and Training (DEST) indicates that there was a 24% increase in Indigenous staff numbers between 2001 and 2004, whereas non-indigenous staff numbers increased by 11% for the same period.
Victoria University: Staff Vote ‘No Confidence’ in VC, 48 hour Strike on April 28-29
Member Representatives required: FASTS, AUR, Training Advisory Board	NTEU is seeking expressions of interest from members interested in representing the Union on the board of FASTS; serving on on the Editorial Board of AUR; joing an advisory board of the Union’s Training, Education and Development Program.
NTEU to Protest at Charles Sturt Uni Council Meeting	The CSU Branch of the National Tertiary Education Union today called on its members to join in a protest rally outside the University Council meeting in Wagga Wagga on Tuesday 5th April between 8.30am and 10.30am.
Call to Support Yale/Columbia Graduate Student Strike	The National Tertiary Education Union has been contacted to provide support for strike action being taken by the Graduate Employees and Students Organisation (GESO) at Yale University and Graduate Student Employees United (GSEU) at Columbia University.
NELSON UNVEILS A MORE POLITE GRAB FOR STATE HIGHER EDUCATION POWERS	The discussion paper on re-aligning responsibilities for higher education, released by Education Minister Brenda Nelson today, maintains the thrust of Commonwealth Government’s plan to seize State and Territory powers over our universities, despite its more conciliatory tone.
NEW RESEARCH FRAMEWORK MUST BE BACKED BY INCREASED R&D INVESTMENT	The Government’s proposal to introduce a Research Quality Framework (RQF) must be backed by a commitment to increase the overall level of investment in the Australian research sector, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Wednesday.
Frustrated Charles Sturt Uni Staff to Stop Work Over Pay and Job Security	Management’s insistence on a three year probationary period with no right of appeal along with the worst pay offer in the state has led to Charles Sturt University staff at Wagga, Albury and Bathurst deciding to take stop work action tomorrow to push sluggish University management to agreement after two years of negotiations.
4 Positions Vacant (Melbourne, Townsville, Rockhampton)
UNSW RALLY FOR DISMISSED LIBRARY EMPLOYEE	The first serious rain in weeks failed to dampen this spirits of more than 150 staff and students at UNSW who joined together at lunchtime for a rally and BBQ organised jointly by the NTEU, CPSU and Student Guild.
VSU LEGISLATION MAKES NO ECONOMIC SENSE FOR UNIVERSITIES	Legislation to abolish universal membership of student organisations, introduced by the Government into the Federal Parliament today, makes no economic sense for universities and will severely undermine their efforts to compete in the multi-billion dollar international student market.
NTEU STATEMENT ON VOLUNTARY STUDENT UNIONISM	Student organisations make a crucial contribution to a dynamic, democratic and creative educational environment in our universities, provide students with the means and ability to take part in many facets of university life, and given them a representative voice and participatory role in the governance of their institutions.
Position Vacant - Payroll Officer	The Finance Unit of the NTEU National Office based in South Melbourne requires an experienced Payroll Officer who will be responsible for the end to end payroll of approximately 150 employees Australia-wide plus provide general assistance in the accounts department.
INDIGENOUS POPULATION GROWS WHILE UNIVERSITY PARTICIPATION DECLINES	The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) last week released details of new research showing that in 2000 there was a 15% decline in Indigenous students commencing higher education and that since then, there has been a significant decline in the growth rate of Indigenous student participation in higher education.
NTEU Sinks 12 month Sacking Policy at UNSW Library	University of New South Wales library management have been forced to retract a policy that all casuals would be sacked before their one year anniversary of employment, in interim orders handed down by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission early this evening.
Position Vacant: State Organiser	The WA Division of NTEU seeks a full-time State Organiser based in Perth.
Curtin University Mass Meeting of Academic Staff Condemns Vice Chancellor	An overflowing meeting of almost 200 members of Academic Staff at Curtin University on Wednesday condemned the actions of the Vice Chancellor, Professor Lance Twomey, in targeting a large number of long serving and loyal academic staff with redundancy letters.
Federal moves will drop the standard of Australian Universities	Reports of the push by the Federal Minister for Education, Dr Brendan Nelson to transfer State controls over governance and accreditation of universities (the Australian, March 2, page 1) will, if this succeeds, lead to a drastic downgrading of NSW universities and the quality of the programs that they offer. The additional announcement that protocols for such accreditation are to be overhauled (the Australian, Higher Education Section, 2 March, page 21) will ensure that total Federal control of higher education will be unfettered.
Mis-use of FoI legislation is dangerous for University research	The NTEU (NSW Division), which represents in excess of 7,000 academic and general staff in NSW universities, views with serious concern the alleged recent attempts at using FoI legislation to access data related to individual participants involved in academic research projects (FoIs may set a dangerous precedent, Campus Review, March 2, page 1).
Nelson’s “diversity” a code for dropping standards	In announcing his discussion paper on “diversity” in Australian Universities, Brendan Nelson has stepped closer to his preferred model of a US style, two tiered higher education system, claimed the National Tertiary Education Union today.
ACCREDITATION REVIEW MUST NOT ENDANGER UNIVERSITY QUALITY	The review of the National Protocols governing the approval of universities announced by the Federal Education Minister today must not be allowed to endanger the quality and reputation of Australia’s university system, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Wednesday.
ACCREDITATION REVIEW MUST NOT ENDANGER UNIVERSITY QUALITY	The review of the National Protocols governing the approval of universities announced by the Federal Education Minister today must not be allowed to endanger the quality and reputation of Australia’s university system, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Wednesday.
MESSAGE TO NTEU CURTIN BRANCH MEMBERS’ MEETING	NTEU’s National Office deplores the actions of Curtin University management in the current staffing dispute.
Curtin NTEU Members call Urgent Meeting to Condemn VC’s Forced Redundancies	Curtin University academic and general staff members will urgently meet at 12.30pm on Wednesday March 2nd, at the Jones Lecture Theatre (Building 402, Room 220) to condemn the Vice Chancellor’s actions in initiating letters, to a large number of long standing, loyal and dedicated academics, suggesting that they are likely to be made redundant.
Vacancies - Branch Industrial Organisers, Vic Division
Vacancy - Senior Industrial Officer, Vic Division
Angry UWS staff to Confront University Management	This Wednesday University of Western Sydney staff will continue with their campaign to persuade the University’s supreme governing body, the Board of Trustees, to intervene to address the growing crisis in the institution.
Donate to the Union Tsunami Appeal	Union Aid Abroad–APHEDA is calling on all working women and men in Australia to donate generously to the union appeal for the victims of the tsunami in South Asia.

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