JUNE 1 UNIVERSITY AND TAFE STAFF NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST
June 1, 2005
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.
The National Day of Protest, which is being supported by eight trade unions, will include rallies and protest meetings of staff in all metropolitan and major regional centres, as well as industrial action at eight institutions across the country.
The eight are: Victoria College of the Arts, Deakin University, Ballarat University and RMIT University in Victoria, Western Australia’s Curtin University, Wollongong University in NSW, Central Queensland University and Australian Catholic University.
Full details of the events taking place as part of the National Day of Protest are attached.
Today’s event is the first in a month of activities being planned by the Australian trade union movement against the Howard Government’s workplace relations changes, which will become law after the Coalition takes full control of the Senate on July 1.
“Despite rhetoric from the Federal Government to the contrary, the workplace changes being proposed for universities are not about providing staff with greater choice and flexibility or their students with a better education,” said Dr Carolyn Allport, National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) President.
“The proposed changes are about giving the Federal Government the power to micro manage the details of individual universities’ industrial agreements, regardless of what their employees and management negotiate.”
“These changes are an unprecedented interference by the Commonwealth in the affairs of universities, which threaten academic freedom and leaves university staff with less industrial rights than other Australians.”
“Tying funding to hardline industrial conditions will do nothing to deal with the real workplace issues facing university staff. It will not improve the quality of teaching and research carried out in universities, or do anything about workloads or skyrocketing student to staff ratios.”
“If they become law, these changes mean more red tape and more uncertainty for university staff,” said Dr Allport.
For further information or comment:
Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President: 03 9254 1910
Grahame McCulloch, NTEU General Secretary, 02 9212 5433
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator: 03 9254 1910
More information is available by logging onto www.nteu.org.au//campaigns/higheredatrisk
JUNE 1, NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST ACTIONS
MAJOR METRO EVENTS
Sydney
12.00 noon march from Sydney University and the University of Technology, rally to a 1pm rally at Belmore Park
Speakers:
Greg Combet, ACTU Secretary, Grahame McCulloch, NTEU General Secretary, Marie O’Halloran, President NSW Teacher Federation
Media contact:
Chris Game, Secretary, NTEU NSW, 0408 007 612
Melbourne
12.00 noon rallies from State Library and Victoria College of the Arts, converging for 1pm public meeting at the Atheneum Theatre, 188 Collins Street, City
Speakers:
Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President
Brian Boyd, Victorian Trades Hall Council Secretary
Media contact:
Matt McGowan, Secretary, NTEU Victoria, 0417 654 110
Adelaide
1pm, rally, State Parliament House steps
Speakers:
Stephanie Keys, State Minister for Training and Further Education
Associate professor Ian Hunt, President, NTEU South Australian Division
Media contact:
Greg McCarthy, Secretary, NTEU South Australia, 0419 809 938
Perth
Protest pickets at WA Universities from 8am. 12.15pm, rally QV1 Forecourt, 250 St Georges Terrace, Perth
Speakers:
Ted Murphy, NTEU Assistant Secretary
Dave Robinson, Secretary, Unions WA
Media contact:
Mick Campion, President, NTEU Western Australia, 0437882091
Brisbane
12.00 noon, joint NTEU/Teachers Union rally, Emma Miller Place (Roma Street)
Speakers:
Howard Guille, Secretary, NTEU Queensland, John Baltams, President, Queensland Council of Unions, Doug Cameron, Secretary, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union
Media Contact:
Howard Guille, 0419 673 092
Canberra
12.30pm march from ANU (Childers Street and University Avenue) to Department of Education, Science and Training, Mort Street, Civic
Speakers:
Democrats Senator Natasha Stott Despoja, Jenny Macklin
Federal Labor Spokesperson for Education and Training
Media contacts:
Dr Neil Mudford, Secretary, NTEU ACT, 0439 444 103
Northern Territory
12.00 noon rally, Library Breezeway, Charles Darwin University
Media contact: Mark Wheeler, 0417 977 573
REGIONAL EVENTS
Queensland
University of Southern Queensland
Toowoomba campus: Rally, Main Quadrangle, 12.00 noon
Media contact: Brad Astbury, USQ NTEU President, 07 463 57535
Central Queensland University
Rockhampton: 12pm Stop work action and protest rally, Music Bowl, Yammba Road
Media contact: Richard Whitwell, CQU NTEU 0414 768 600
Victoria
Deakin University
Deakin Geelong: 12.30pm, joint rally with Australian Education Union, Johnstone Park, Gheringhap St, Geelong
Deakin Warrnambul: 12.00 noon, joint rally with Australian Education Union, Civic Green, Warrnambul
Media contact: Mike Wood, Deakin NTEU President, 03 5227 8231
Monash University Gippsland
12.00 noon public forum, Rose Garden, Monash Gippsland Campus, Northways Rd, Churchill, Gippsland
Media contact: Philip Dearman, 0409 682 622
Ballarat University
1pm rally, corner of Sturt and Camp Street, Ballarat
Media contact: Matt McGowan, 0418 322 620
Latrobe Bendigo
6.30pm public forum, RL Campbell Theatrette (Goldfields Regional Library complex), 251-259 Hargreaves Street, MC Rod Quantock
Media contact: Dr Michael Nott, 0438 932 628
New South Wales
Wollongong University
Half-day strike from 12.00 noon
Media contact: Chris Game, 0408 007 612
Southern Cross University, Lismore
Protest pickets outside university entrance from 8am. 12.00 noon rally outside Vice Chancellor’s office
Media contact: Chris Game, 0408 007 612
University of New England, Armidale campus
12.30pm rally outside Chancellery Building, Booloominbah Car Park
Media contact: Rhonda Forrest, UNE NTEU President, 0419 676 506
Charles Sturt University
Wagga campus: 12.30pm rally, Rivcoll Union Courtyard, Wagga campus
Albury campus/Latrobe University Wodonga: 5pm, Forum at the Banksia Room, Commercial Club, 618 Dean street, Albury
Media contact: Kevin Poynter, CSU NTEU President, 0400 274 582