Education unionists hit the streets today in first union show of anger against Govt IR reforms
June 1, 2005
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.
Today’s rallies and protest actions launch the NTEU’s campaign against the Government’s plans to withhold much needed funding from Universities and TAFEs if they don’t implement a prescriptive set of requirements, including stripping enterprise agreements of conditions, offering secret individual contracts to all staff and restricting union activities on campus.
The National Day of Protest will hold extra significance for all workers given the Government’s announcements last Friday of proposed harsh new workplace laws which include removing the right of appeal for people who are unfairly dismissed, the elimination of most of the role of the Industrial Relations Commission, further stripping awards of conditions and changes that will result in lowering the minimum wage.
A march through Sydney streets that will draw together university staff, TAFE teachers, students, unionists and the broader community will conclude with a rally at Belmore Park from 1pm to be addressed by ACTU Secretary Greg Combet.
“Real Government funding per student has been cut by 13% since the Howard Government was elected in 1996” said Chris Game, State Secretary of the NTEU NSW. “Now they say they will cut funding further unless universities strip enterprise agreements of hard fought for conditions and offer individual contracts to all staff. The Federal Government only provides 40% of the funding to universities, yet they want 100% of the control” she said.
“The Government’s latest kick in the guts to university staff comes at a time when staff are already experiencing unmanageable workloads and low morale because of chronic underfunding. A recent report from the NSW Auditor General showed that 5 out of 10 NSW based public universities recorded an operating deficit in 2004. The extreme is the University of Newcastle which has responded to its financial mess by proposing the sacking of one in five of its staff” Ms Game continued.
“Frankly, our members have better things to do trying to deliver quality teaching and research with increasingly inadequate resources, than have to defend their basic working conditions against the ideologues in the Government who are sitting there salivating at the prospect of control of the Senate” she said.
SYDNEY RALLY DETAILS:
Assemble 12 noon, Front Lawns University of Sydney
March through Victoria Park, down Broadway past UTS to Belmore
Park (off Eddy Avenue, Central) for 1pm rally.
(TAFE staff will assemble outside Ultimo TAFE (Jones St) and meet
with UTS members outside UTS Tower, Broadway and then join main
march).
Speakers at Belmore Park rally:
Greg Combet, Secretary, ACTU
Carmel Tebbutt, NSW Minister for Education
Grahame McCulloch, National General Secretary, NTEU
Maree O’Halloran, President, NSW Teachers Federation
David Carey, Federal Secretary, Community and Public Sector Union SPSF
Sarah Jane Collins, President, National Union of
Students, NSW Branch
Kerry Nettle, Greens Senator for NSW
For further information or comment: Ms Chris Game, State
Secretary, NTEU NSW; 0408 007 612
Dr Stuart Rosewarne, President, NTEU NSW, 0417 040
025
Attachment – Details of Actions throughout regional NSW and Western Sydney
University of Western Sydney
UWS Bankstown Campus (2 Bullecourt Rd, Milperra):
NTEU Members dressed in academic cap and gown will distribute leaflets at the Bankstown campus gate between 8.15 and 9.30am
Rally and BBQ 12.30-2pm outside Building 1.
UWS Parramatta Campus (Cnr Victoria Rd & James Ruse Drive, Rydalmere):
Rally on campus from 12 noon, Union Square near Rec Hall Café (Café with the sails).
UWS Campbelltown Campus (Goldsmith
Ave, Campbelltown):
Rally on campus from 12 noon, outside library.
UWS Penrith campuses (including Werrington and Kingswood)
Pre-rally BBQ from 11:45am, Courtyard behind Student Union Building, Kingswood Campus (Second Ave, Kingswood). At 12:30 they will leave for protest outside Federal Liberal MP for Lindsay Jackie Kelly’s electorate office, Corner Woodriff & Tindale Sts, Penrith, where they will congregate from approximately 12:45pm. Speakers: Peter Murphy (NTEU member), Chris Freestone (NSW Teachers’ Federation TAFE Organiser), Lorraine Fordham (Public Service Association), Ben Chapman (UWS Students’ Association).
For more information on University of Western Sydney activities, contact Anthony McLaughlin, 9685 9237, 0411 022 886.
Macquarie University (Balaclava Rd, North Ryde)
Rally on campus from 12:30pm front lawns; Speakers: Judy Goyen (NTEU Branch President), Mark Gregory (PSA) plus music.
Contact: NTEU Branch President: Judy Goyen 9850 8672, Jeane Wells, NTEU 0417 414 613
University of New England (Armidale)
Rally on campus outside Booloominbah, 12.30 to 1.30pm. Staff of the University will be joined by TAFE Teachers.
Speakers from NTEU, Teachers Federation, PSA.
Contact – NTEU Branch Office – Gloria Obbens 6773 3175,
Trish Mullins (NTEU) – 9212 5433, 0418 640 787 ; Branch President: Rhonda Forrest: 6773 3830,
Charles Sturt University
CSU Wagga Campus (Boorooma St Nth Wagga Wagga).
Rally on campus - 12:30pm Student Union courtyard. Speakers: Kevin Poynter, NTEU CSU Branch President,
Maxine Sharkey, NSW Teachers Federation TAFE Organiser. Contact: Kevin Poynter (NTEU CSU Branch President) 6933 2314, 0400 374 582
CSU Albury Campus
Public meeting: Protect Regional Tertiary Education.
Staff and Students from Riverina TAFE, Wodonga TAFE, Charles Sturt University and Latrobe University will hold a public forum about the Government’s threats to TAFE, University and Student Association Funding.
Speaker: Dr Stuart Rosewarne, President, NTEU NSW.
5:00pm for 5:30pm start.
The Banksia Room , The Commercial Club, 618 Dean St, Albury
Contact: Jane Battersby (Secretary, Murray campus sub branch) 6051 6942, jbattersby@csu.edu.au , NTEU Branch office (Thurgoona campus) – Alvynne Maxwell 6051 9921 nteu@csu.edu.au
CSU Bathurst Campus (Panorama Drive, Bathurst)
Rally on campus, Library Lawns 12:30-1:30pm. Speakers from NTEU, PSA, Teachers Federation, and student union.
Contact: Len Palmer, (02) 6338 4532
Southern Cross University
Lismore Campus (Military Rd, Lismore)
Members will be handing out at front gate 8am-9am.
Rally on campus 12 noon - 1pm in the amphitheatre between Y block and R block. Speakers: Paul Gannon (NTEU Acting President), Toni Ledgerwood (PSA), Michael Flinn (ASU) on IR reforms. Contact: Paul Gannon, Acting President, NTEU SCU Branch: Tel: 6620 3761 or 0408 240 579
University of Wollongong (Northfields Ave, Wollongong).
NTEU members have called a half day strike. Members will stop work at 12 noon, assemble on the Duckpond lawn, march off the campus over the footbridge to the TAFE oval where they will join with TAFE workers for a rally. Speakers from NTEU, NSWTF, PSA, South Coast Labor Council.
Contact: NTEU Branch Office: 4221 3701
Craig Hinley, NTEU, 0418 642 823
University of Newcastle
Callaghan Campus (University Drive, Callaghan).
Holding protest meeting in lecture theatre V02 between 1-2pm. Speaker: Bert Groen, Vice President, NTEU University of Newcastle Branch
Contact: Bert Groen, Vice President, NTEU University of Newcastle Branch, Tel: 4921 7966 or 0412 738 935.
CentralCoast Campus (Brush Road, Ourimbah)
Rally at Quadrangle in front of Library at 12 noon.
Speakers: PSA, David Meacham (NTEU member). PSA & NTEU
members will wear black armbands.
Contact: David Meacham 4349 4451