Ram-Raiders Steal UWS Library ATM as UWS Management Slash Security Staff
Wednesday 5 July 2006
Thieves have early this morning driven a Four Wheel Drive into the Whitlam Library on University of Western Sydney’s Parramatta campus, taking its ATM with them at the same time as UWS management pursues a change proposal which would result in a 30 per cent reduction in security staffing, citing lack of need.
An Organisational Change Proposal circulated to staff by UWS management on 19 June, recommends “current security arrangements at Westmead campus to be varied, and as a consequence, for the security staffing establishment at Parramatta campus to be reduced by the equivalent of 5 full time Security Officer positions”. Remarkably the proposal document further claims that “there are no known occupational health and safety implications resulting from the changes proposed herein”.
The Parramatta Campus (located on corner of Victoria Rd Rydalmere near the corner of James Ruse Drive) hosts evening lectures and tutorials five nights a week during semester and is currently undergoing a massive expansion. Concerns exist amongst staff and students for their safety after dark.
“We are concerned that cutting back on experienced security personnel may risk the safety of staff and students on Parramatta campus” said Jo Hibbert, Vice President of the National Tertiary Education Union (UWS Branch), which represents the affected security staff along with other general and academic staff of the University.
“While we are pleased and relieved that it appears nobody was hurt in this incident, we do hope that it demonstrates the need at least to maintain the current level of security staffing at Parramatta and Westmead campuses” said Ms Hibbert.
“We look forward to working with UWS management in a consultative process to see if there are any potential for efficiencies without causing risk to staff and students, which the current proposal certainly does” she said. “It is sad that an overall shortage of university funding could result in an institution looking to cut back through redundancies in this area”.
The University of Western Sydney has recently turned around a substantial deficit to record a $2m surplus in 2005.
The UWS theft followed another ram raid in western Sydney at 2:30am this morning in which an ATM was taken after thieves drove into a Wetherill Park Shopping Centre.
For further information or comment contact:
Jo Hibbert
Vice President (General Staff), NTEU UWS Branch
Tel: (02) 9685 9838 or Mob: 0404 038 681