CENTRAL QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY TO AXE 200 JOBS
May 17, 2007
Academic and general staff at Central Queensland University have been dismayed by the University's announcement it plans to axe up to 200 administrative staff jobs, the Queensland Division of the National Tertiary Education Union said on Thursday.
“These job cuts are only the latest in a long line of incidents as the University has lurched from crisis to crisis over the last few years,” said Margaret Lee, Queensland NTEU Secretary.
“The University has not consulted with the staff or NTEU about the cuts, has provided no hard financial evidence as to why they are necessary, and has not even provided any detail about where the affected staff will be located and the likely effects on remaining operations and workloads.”
“The Union has sought information about all these matters, but so far our requests have been met with 'Out of Office' replies.”
“Deputy Vice Chancellor Angela Delves told staff late on 15 May that falling student numbers were the reason for the decision. She said that inaction would see the University's reserves depleted by the end of 2008.”
“But management has refused staff requests to release any budget figures to support her contention until mid-June.”
Furthermore, we are worried that this may only be the first tranche of job losses, as management has said the University will review progress yet again in early 2008, next time looking ‘hard at academic staff'.”
“Meanwhile CQU’s 2006 Annual Report has revealed huge salary increases for the Senior Executive of the University.”
“These job cuts are all the more serious, coming as they do on the back of several years of uncertainty and organisational instability at the institution, including:
- A destabilising and distressing three-year long restructuring of the institution, during which most new staff have been employed on insecure contracts.
- Serious concerns about the governance arrangements CQU has with its private arm, C-Management Services.
“Also accompanying this has been serious under-funding of universities, with the result that a growing proportion of the cost of education has been shifted to students and their families.”
“CQU staff have very serious concerns about the decision making process at university and calls on management to immediately commence full and frank discussions with staff and their representatives.”
“Failure to do this can only further call into question CQU’s commitment to its own staff, to students, and to the community of Central Queensland who depend on it,” said Lee.
For Further Information please call Margaret Lee on (07) 3846 2355