NTEU Welcomes NSW Parliamentary intervention in Industrial Dispute
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) welcomes the intervention of the NSW Parliament in the protracted industrial disputes occurring at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Macquarie University. The NSW Parliament yesterday unanimously passed a motion, moved by the Greens, calling on the Universities to return to negotiations to settle a Collective Agreement consistent with the overwhelming majority of Universities across the country.
“We are very heartened that there is broad support across the political spectrum for the concerns we have been raising in our attempts to conclude agreements at these two Universities,” Matthew McGowan, National Assistant Secretary of the NTEU, said today
“These are not just industrial disputes, but go to the heart of what it means to be a University. Both these institutions have well over half their academic and general staff on insecure employment, and the current trends are for this to increase.”
“Academic freedom cannot be sustained while staff feel their employment is at the whim of an administration looking to keep political and business interests happy. We want our academic staff to give frank and fearless advice in their roles and not be subject to arbitrary dismissal.”
The Federal Government has already agreed that the principle of academic freedom will be introduced into the object of the Higher Education Support Act 2003, and now all sides of politics in New South Wales have supported these principles in this resolution.
The Union called on the Universities to sit down and negotiate agreements consistent with the standards established in the vast majority of universities across the Australian higher education sector and supported unanimously by the New South Wales Legislative Council.
At Macquarie, over half of all general staff (55%) are hourly paid casuals, and of the rest, the number on fixed term contracts has more than doubled in the last four years, to 26%.
At UNSW, nearly half of all general staff jobs are casual hourly paid, and 30% of non-casual employment is on fixed term contracts.
Media Contacts
Sarah Gregson, NTEU UNSW Branch President, s.gregson@unsw.edu.au, 0421 641 439
Cathy Rymeister, NTEU Macquarie Branch President, cathy.rytmeister@mq.edu.au, 0466 144 384
Genevieve Kelly, NTEU NSW Division Secretary, gkelly@nteu.org.au, 0424 465 839
Matthew McGowan, NTEU National Assistant Secretary, mmcgowan@nteu.org.au, 0417 054 110
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Branch Contacts
Branch Office
Black Rose Bdg Armidale Campus
University of New England
Phone: 02 6773 3175
Fax: 02 6773 3973
une@nteu.org.au
http://www.nteu.org.au/une
Tim Battin
Branch President
tbattin@une.edu.au
Trevor Smith
Branch Organiser
tsmith@nteu.org.au
Comments
[ +3 ] Interesting that Macquarie University had a higher proportion of staff on casual hourly and fixed contracts than UNSW staff in both categories, yet Macquarie has already settled and released students' marks. Or does being a Group of 8 university mean that UNSW staff can be pickier than the 'peasants' at Macquarie?
Like • Dislike •[ -4 ] Will somebody think of the children??????
Like • Dislike •[ +3 ] nothing wrong with being homo. some of the smartest and nicest people i know are, and i'm so proud to know them.
Like • Dislike •[ +3 ] james is a homo
Like • Dislike •[ -1 ] @ Former Student: how do u know we'll have our results? WHEN will we have them? How can we enjoy Christmas if our futures are on the line with no end in sight for the wait?
Like • Dislike •[ -6 ] To all students your results will come so relax and enjoy christmas at least you have a couple of years before you feel what its like to be on a fixed term contract paying a mortgage.
Like • Dislike •[ +3 ] Reading the posts by my fellow students, I am further convinced of the need to support those who have to read and mark work that no doubt, is of a similar standard.
Like • Dislike •[ +8 ] Reading the posts by my fellow students, I have only become further convinced of the need to support those who have to read and mark work that no doubt, is of a similar standard.
Like • Dislike •[ -2 ] I understand that the teachers have a right to campaign for better conditions, however I am hoping to transfer to an interstate university. UTAS cannot confirm their offer until my chemistry results are released. I applied for an exemption, as it is crucial that I found out as soon as possible whether I will have to move so I can make arrangments (find accomodation, a job etc), and have been flat-out told no. All I can say is that I am dissapointed with both sides.
Like • Dislike •[ -1 ] National Assistant Secretary! My lord, you guys will just continue to invent titles for yourselves so you can all feel useful. What's next, Assistant to the National Assistant Secretary? How about you you stop complaining, get a real job, and go clean my toilet... While your at it, I'm pretty hungry, so when your done, go make me a sandwich.
Like • Dislike •Stop complaining and release my results, this is a pain in the ass! I've got more important things to be doing than to be be playing games with a bunch of 50 year old's pretending they're still university students! People your age go and get real jobs! If you don't like the terms of your contracts, then beat it, and go and get another job somewhere else! Stop wasting the University's, mine, and other student's time with your pety shit!