Hot summer of industrial action looms over Macquarie University
NTEU claimed victory in Fair Work Australia yesterday following a negotiated settlement that maintained the legitimacy of the current bans on transmission of results at Macquarie University.
“The University had sought to have the bans suspended and the outcome has maintained the integrity of our bans, and formalises a number of exceptions that were largely already being implemented through the NTEU's exemptions committee process,” said NTEU Macquarie Branch President Cathy Rytmeister.
“Sixty-eight members have been stood down indefinitely by management, for participating in lawful protected industrial action. Yesterday’s FWA proceedings has strengthened our resolve to see this dispute through to a successful outcome,” said Ms Rytmeister.
A record meeting of over 180 staff gathered to hear from NTEU national and state representatives who committed their long-term support to Macquarie staff in their campaign.The following motion was passed, concerning the staggered lifting of some specific bans:
"In relation to the current protected industrial action this General Meeting of the NTEU Macquarie Branch endorses the provision of automatic exemptions as follows:
On 16 December 2010:
1. All graduating students, upon the University advising the relevant academic and/or administrative staff members of the students to whom this applies
2. Fail and Conceded Pass grades in units for which a repeat Summer School offering exists, and for Non-Award students
3. Any special welfare cases recommended by letter from the University Counselling or Medical Service
On 23 December 2010:
4. Fail and Conceded Pass grades of international students
On January 14 2011:
5. Remaining grades of all international students
6. All remaining Fail and Conceded Pass grades
We note that the existing Exemption Committee arrangements continue regardless of the above."
The meeting also resolved to consider widespread action throughout the summer, including disruptions to Information Day at the University on 5 January. A meeting scheduled for next Wednesday 22 Dec will consider a range of further action including strike action and rallies and a campaign to inform the community about Macquarie's approach to industrial relations.
“This dispute has never been about disadvantaging students – it’s about putting maximum pressure on University management to reach agreement on limits on the use of fixed-term employment and casual employment as part of new enterprise agreements,” NTEU National Assistant Secretary, Mr Matthew McGowan said.
“Thirty universities have so far agreed to reinstate these provisions. Macquarie University isn’t so different or unique that its staff deserve inferior job security and conditions to their colleagues elsewhere. Macquarie is risking its reputation, the quality of education delivered, and its ability to attract and retain high quality staff,” said Mr McGowan.
Meanwhile, 80 staff in the Faculty of Science met yesterday to hear from staff representatives about the implications of huge budget cuts and job losses that the University has demanded of the Faculty. Staff discussed planned redundancies and cutbacks to the curriculum in the Faculty, which has had an otherwise healthy financial position, and committed to form a committee of staff to coordinate campaign efforts into the future to fight against a lack of transparency in budget processes and cutbacks to unit offerings in 2011.
NTEU members at Macquarie University will meet again next week to review developments in the dispute.
Comments
[ +2 ] "Ryan said on 22 Dec 10 at 3:08 AM
Like • Dislike •What are you saying?
You want a workforce which do not have the right to strike?
You want everyone to be casual?
Do you want one person to have the ability to control the employment of many individuals rendering them without rights?
well too bad. Majority rules.
I am simply observing, you're demanding the results be released.
therefore you are the aggressor. the one who seeks to change things is you. I'm explaining what is happening.
You want a change. Too bad.
The staff are on strike. They are highly educated, and will take any action they deem appropriate.
there's not a thing you can do about it.
you can complain all you want
talk about all your injustice
but at the end of the day you want your marks.
and you're not going to get them until this is resolved.
so from now on you can just sit there and complain all day and night. because that's what you're good at. A+ !"
O RLY?
JUSTICE HAS PREVAILED, MQ STUDENTS HAVE THEIR MARKS.
WHO'S FAILED NOW, SUCKER? LOL LOL LOL
[ -3 ] @Chris: No worries, I think it's good that you spread the good news about the lifted results bans. It's good to hear that at least the MQ students will have something for Christmas. :)
Like • Dislike •I hope the standoff at UNSW ends soon too, but judging from the latest post on the UNSW side it seems that we won't be getting our results anytime soon. Reading between the lines, it suggests that the ban may go on indefinitely... :(
I agree with you there about finding other ways - most of us students just want to get through our degrees. :(
[ -2 ] @mm - thanks so much for your good wishes and generosity towards mq students. It's heartening (especially as I was accused of trolling by another (presumably) mq student when I posted the same info on another blog!)
Like • Dislike •I hope the standoff at unsw ends soon, that management and the union find other ways of dealing with their differences, and that UNSW students get to move on and do what they need to do to get through their degrees.
[ +11 ] @Chris: I'm glad for all the MQ students - it's great that you guys will get your results by Christmas. :)
Like • Dislike •I'm not so optimistic for the UNSW students though. So far there's been no news of anything like this for us. :(
[ +2 ] And here's hoping that unsw students get some relief very very soon.
Like • Dislike •[ +1 ] Just received notice that all mq results are to be released immediately as nteu mq has voted to end this particular action.
Like • Dislike •[ +3 ] @Chris: (My fingers know it's Christmas so they typed "Christ" before I realised :D)
Like • Dislike •No worries - it makes sense to assume the commenters here are from MQ since this is an MQ thread. I think the MQ students have every reason to be upset, because the UNSW students are feeling the same way too. I'm from UNSW but came here to look for information about options for UNSW students because we haven't heard ANYTHING (well my friends and I haven't) about how or when we'll get our results, and we've been waiting since December 2!
[ +3 ] @mm -I've never been referred to as Christ before!!
Like • Dislike •My mistake asking about med students at mq - was accessing this forum from another (mq) blog (which is where I found out the info about the different management structures that mean the strikes disadvantage students @ unsw and mq in different ways). people are still (really, really) upset here at mq but at least there are some options for students to get hold of their results- have unsw students heard anything at all about when they will get or how they can get their results?
[ -1 ] (Oops sorry about the typo - I was replying to Chris)
Like • Dislike •[ -3 ] @Christ: thanks for the reply - it'd be nice if the UNSW branch put in similar measures for us. :(
Like • Dislike •I don't know about med students at MQ but there are plenty of med students here at UNSW who probably don't have their results either.