UNIVERSITY STAFF TO JOIN NATIONAL PROTEST ON IR LAWS
November 14, 2005
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.
Speaking today, the General Secretary Grahame McCulloch, said;
“We have been impressed by the strength of feeling among university staff about tomorrow’s protests. Members meetings have voted overwhelmingly in favour of attending the protests. However, the Union will be making sure there is no disruption to examinations.”
“Even before the latest package of legislation was introduced, university staff have been angered by the Government’s interference in universities internal affairs, through the Government’s Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements (HEWRRs), which passed through the Senate last week. These require that universities offer all staff Australian Workplace Agreements, and introduce a range of regressive workplace changes into staff collective agreements, under the threat of having their Commonwealth funding cut,” said Mr McCulloch.
“Now we see the Government trying to extend to the whole workforce the agenda it has been imposing on university staff. NTEU members are committed to retaining quality and fairness through collective agreements, which protect their rights, and protect academic freedom. Many members are also concerned about the effect of the laws on their own children, and on students, who increasingly rely on fairly low-paid work to support their studies.”
“The Government’s industrial laws are aimed at undermining collective bargaining, reducing wages for the low-paid, and removing unfair dismissal rights from millions,” said Mr McCulloch.
Protests by University staff will occur in all metropolitan cities, and in over twenty regional centres from Darwin to Launceston and from Rockhampton to Bunbury.
For Further Information and Comment Contact:
Grahame McCulloch, General Secretary: (03) 9254 1910
Ted Murphy, National Assistant Secretary: (03) 9254 1910
Ken McAlpine, Senior Industrial Officer: (03) 9254 1910