COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENT PAYS VICTORIA UNIVERSITY TO FORCE STAFF ON TO AWAs
October 24, 2007
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said today that it was appalled that Victoria University had sought and gained funds from the Howard Government to force staff on to Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs).
NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Matthew McGowan said it was particularly disappointing that University management is now trying to mislead staff about the circumstances of the $3.6 million grant recently obtained by Victoria University under the Commonwealth Government’s Workplace Productivity Program (WPP).
“Management advised staff in early October about the grant, including that the University wants to have 25% of staff on AWAs by 2010.”
“It said that there would be no change to its existing policy whereby individual employment agreements will be voluntary and fair.”
“What management didn’t say was that the University’s application for the WPP grant included having 10% of new staff offered employment on an AWA-only basis. This means no AWA, no job.”
“The University is either misleading its staff about its intentions, or it has misled the Government. Which is it?”
“The WPP is about implementing the Government’s ideologically-driven industrial relations agenda within the higher education sector.”
“Education Minister Julie Bishop has recently complained to universities that very few AWAs have been taken up by university staff.”
“Now the Government has been caught out funding a programme aimed at forcing staff onto AWAs,” Mr McGowan said.
“This is a snapshot of what is to come if the Federal Government is re-elected on 24 November.”
“It is especially disappointing that Victoria University would want to align itself so closely with the Howard Government, particularly when the University is situated in an area where people predominantly oppose the WorkChoices laws and oppose AWAs.”
For further information and comment:
Matthew McGowan, NTEU Victorian Division Secretary (03) 9254 1930
Dr Paul Adams, NTEU VU Branch Committee Member (03) 9919 4076