Macquarie Uni seeks help to deal with widespread marking bans
Management at Macquarie University has applied to Fair Work Australia (F37) to have marking bans involving up to 100 academics suspended for a period of one month.
The University lodged its application on Friday and a hearing has been set for today at 2pm in Sydney.
After weeks of publicly understating the likely impact of the bans and the level of anger across the University, the Management continues to pursue a industrial path likely to prolong the dispute and anger staff into further action.
Macquarie NTEU Branch President, Cathy Rytmeister, has said that the NTEU and staff across the campus have taken every effort to prevent students being disadvantaged by the bans, which is the substance of the Management's application to suspend them.
Macquarie Undergraduate Student Representative, Mark Cachia says that many students clearly understand that the NTEU’s industrial action will lead to a better deal for students.
“I have already had one lecturer of mine withhold results and this does not worry me in the slightest. I do not support the universities action against the withholding of results by staff. In fact, I wholeheartedly support my lecturer and all other university academics in their actions,” said Mark.
At a well-attended meeting last Thursday, at least 150 staff met to express their frustrations with Management and were encouraged by a range of speakers including NSW Greens MLC John Kaye and NTEU President from Sydney University, Michael Thomson.
"Most people on campus don't really understand why Management is taking the drastic actions they are. What the staff are proposing in terms of job security and pay does not seem to be unreasonable. Most Universities in Australia have already restored the conditions we’re seeking at Macquarie", said Ms Rytmeister.
University staff have also been confronted with shock budget cuts and job losses in an otherwise financially buoyant Faculty of Science. Well-attended staff meetings to discuss problems with University Management have been held in other Faculties including Arts.
“Staff members can't figure out why job cuts are necessary when the University has a such a huge surplus. Student numbers are rising, staff productivity is higher than ever, so why the cuts?" Ms Rytmeister said.
In other news, the Australian Sociological Association made a statement in support of academics stood down at UNSW and Macquarie:
“That this meeting of sociologists express our support for colleagues who have been stood down in the current industrial dispute. We call on the University management to negotiate in good faith with the staff and their Union. We urge members in other Universities to contribute to support our colleagues, via the NTEU fighting fund.”
A university-wide staff meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 1pm in Theatre1 of Building X5B
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Branch Contacts
Branch Office
W2 Winthrop Tower M005 Crawley Campus
University of Western Australia
Phone: 08 6488 3013
Fax: 08 6488 1079
eglynn@nteu.org.au
http://www.nteu.org.au/uwa
James O'Shea
Branch President
james.oshea@uwa.edu.au
Eileen Glynn
Branch Organiser
eglynn@nteu.org.au
Comments
[ -3 ] I found that UOW have a lot of marking problem
Like • Dislike •[ +2 ] thanks very much for the offer, unsw student, but i'm not going anywhere. :) my uni is working out perfectly for me - i have the best angry complainers training me to be a master angry complainer.
Like • Dislike •ryan, i'm not and won't ever be your "precious" nor your "sweetheart", and my partner would appreciate it if you'd stop addressing me so inappropriately.
[ +3 ] Good grief you MQ students are so mean to each other. All that bitchy sniping. You guys need to calm down.
Like • Dislike •@ pls: Feel free to come here, we're much more friendlier. :)
[ +4 ] Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Like • Dislike •change universities precious... it's obviously not working out for u here.
btw everyone is equal. That's a prerequisite for subscription to this notion.
collateral damage should be your new catch phrase...oh waaaaaa it's all about how you're the victim.
sorry sweetheart but you're hanging out with a bunch of angry complainers.
[ +3 ] whether or not i'm an hd student is irrelevant. being an hd student doesn't mean you're better than others who are not. EVERY student, regardless of academic achievement, have a right to speak out. but yeah, go ahead and demean others if it makes you feel more important.
Like • Dislike •for the record, i think this dispute on the whole is ridiculous: the VCs are scum, but the nteu have lost any higher moral ground they had with this stupid ban by using students as collateral damage. if i'm an "ignorant angry person" for wanting to get on with my life, then i'm happy to say i'm not alone. most of the students i know are angry with BOTH the VCs and the nteu for dragging us thru this. i'll continue living my "ignorant angry life", thanks. more than happy to.
[ 0 ] Well done you learnt how to quote... I reckon you're an HD student.
Like • Dislike •The staff work for the uni.
The students go to the uni.
If the uni cannot provide students with their results it's due to poor employment relations.
The staff don't blame the students for exercising their rights against the uni, therefore the students shouldn't blame the staff for exercising their rights.
Whether you like it or not the staff have rights.
It's up to the uni to broker a deal with the staff...remember the uni managements position... a lot of people seem to be forgetting this...
Failure to do so will result has resulted in collateral damage which is the fault of the uni, not the union. You cannot expect staff to give up their rights just for a students right... that's not solving the problem.
Direct your anger where it belongs...
I don't know why you're so angry with the staff...it's not their fault you're an angry person.
Consider the side of the staff....i mean they're striking for a reason.
Understand the reason, then maybe you can have some understanding.
Don't understand why their striking? Then live an ignorant angry life.
[ +3 ] "You note that those striking are abusing their power, but really they are exercising their right to not be treated like a dollar sign."
Like • Dislike •yeah, but students are also exercising their rights not to be used as collateral damage.
"Maybe you want to be a fish a sea, but judging by your narrow mindedness and your emotionally based argument I think you will find that you will be stuck at the bottom of the ocean."
maybe you don't care about your results, but who are you to denounce other students who want what's rightfully theirs? who's being narrow-minded now?
"If you don't like people having rights at work, maybe you should go to a domestic state without any rights... see how much better that is...
that's what you want right? - no rights for workers?"
fat lot of good this strike's doing for this campaign for rights - it's not like the VCs give a crap anyway. it just gives them more reasons to sack staff while the students couldn't care less because the staff screwed them over by withholding their results in the first place.
[ +1 ] Kosta you need to understand that your degree wont assure you a fair wage negotiation. With steady and fair income being at the foundation of family and societies stability, you cannot question the intentions of those on strike. With the many benefits of capitalism the greed of individuals is an unfortunate residual. You note that those striking are abusing their power, but really they are exercising their right to not be treated like a dollar sign. Maybe you want to be a fish a sea, but judging by your narrow mindedness and your emotionally based argument I think you will find that you will be stuck at the bottom of the ocean.
Like • Dislike •If you don't like people having rights at work, maybe you should go to a domestic state without any rights... see how much better that is...
that's what you want right? - no rights for workers?
[ -4 ] Again, for the slow ones: NO GRADUATING STUDENT will be disadvantaged. Apply for an exemption at www.mqstaff.org/students. And find out more about the issues before blathering about abuse of power!
Like • Dislike •[ -6 ] As one of the students who will not be able to graduate due to the marking ban, I'm afraid I disagree with your assertions. It is completely unfair and irresponsible to damage the careers and lives of students to make a point. Responding to unfair treatment, by treating students with equally unfair treatment, is not a solution. You are all abusing your power, and students like myself, who have done absolutely nothing wrong are paying the consequences. Not the university. This is shockingly irresponsible, horrendously petty, and reflects poorly on your organisation, and the educators within it.
Like • Dislike •