All Posts
-
Open Letter to the Provost - Rowanne Couch
"I will be participating in next week’s strike despite the financial challenge it presents to me as an HEO7 with rent to pay -- after all these years of working, I’m one of many who still looks longingly at the prospect of buying my own place as it recedes into the middle distance. It’s sobering to know that next week I’ll be volunteering to forfeit 40% of my wage, and that across the University, many staff earning far less than me will be doing the same. While I stand by my commitment to the NTEU, and to the principle of collective bargaining as a means of redressing the inevitable power imbalance in negotiating contracts between an individual and a massive institution such as ours, I have to say that I’m wary, uncertain and frightened about my future. I can assure you that I don’t take my decision to strike lightly."
• -
Open Letter to the Vice Chancellor - Mark Johnston
"Rather than taking pride in what we’ve accomplished together, the management has tried to embarrass us by cherry picking some of our conditions like sick leave in their statements to the media. Managment representatives have also neglected to discuss or even acknowledge the host of other basic conditions they are trying to roll back, like the right to be represented by our unions in negotiations, the right to be consulted in a change management process – also sound organisational practice – and the right to have our job reclassified if our responsibilities and workload substantially exceed our original terms of employment. It is indicative of the management’s attitude to staff that in their silence on these issues they have not fairly represented what is at stake in this dispute."
• -
Open Letter to the Vice Chancellor - Raewyn Connell.
"To management, this looks like flexibility. To many of my younger colleagues, it looks like a life of precarious labour, scrabbling for short-term, part-time and totally insecure appointments. These are poor conditions for building an intellectual workforce. From an educational point of view, it means a mass of teaching done by staff who can’t build up the experience, depth of knowledge, or confident relationship with students that are needed for the very best teaching."
• -
FAQs for Strike Day - March 26 and March 27
Frequently Asked Questions1. Why is the strike taking place?
The NTEU website below contains information on why members are taking industrial action.
http://www.nteu.org.au/sydney/article/This-is-Why-Members-are-Taking-a-Stand-13970
Further information, and resources for your use, can be found at:
2. When is the strike?
Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 March 2013
3. Who is taking part in the strike?
Members of the NTEU and CPSU, students, Unions NSW and other unions, community organisations and politicians will take part in the strike.
4. Do I stay home on strike day?
No, the strike is not a “day off”, it is an important opportunity to show management that University staff are united in our fight for an enterprise agreement that is fair for staff, students and the University community.
5. What should I do on 26 and 27 March?
Come to the main campus and join us at the City Road entrance at Eastern Avenue.
Pickets will commence from 7am and run through the day. Look for the picket co-ordinator in the yellow vest if you have any questions or require assistance.
6. What is the picket?
The picket line is the physical sign of support for the Union, staff and their conditions, students and the quality of their education. The purpose of the pickets is to inform staff, students, passers-by and visitors of the existence of an industrial dispute. Picketers will seek to persuade staff, students and visitors that they should not cross the picket line. At our 7 March strike this was very successful with many drivers, staff and students turning around and not entering the University. It also resulted in people joining the pickets.
In all cases, picketers should act in a peaceful and orderly manner. More information can be found in the Picket Line Protocol at http://www.nteu.org.au/sydney.
• -
Industrial Action Hardship Fund
Hardship Funds Available for Casual and Part-Time NTEU Members who participate in the strike
The NTEU is determined to address the growth of casual and precarious labour at the University. This is a core element of our Enterprise Bargaining campaign.The Branch has been collecting money for members who suffer severe hardship by participating in the strikes. Casuals and part-time staff who are NTEU members who lose a full weeks pay by participating in the strike action either on Thursday March 07, or Tuesday March 26 and Wednesday March 27 should apply for support.
We will need proof of loss of income, NTEU membership (you must also have been a member prior to taking strike action), and a letter of request. Other members who suffer severe hardship will be dealt with on a case by case basis. Members who participate on the picket line will be given preference.• -
Strike And Picket - March 26 and 27
NTEU members at the University of Sydney voted on Thursday to take further Industrial Action as part of their Enterprise Bargaining Campaign. This is in part because the last Strike saw management make some movement in Enterprise Bargaining negotiations.
Members voted for 48 Hour Strike Action on Tuesday March 26 and Wednesday March 27.
Pickets will be on all main entrances on both days beginning at 7 am.
Here is a file you can download and use either as a leaflet or a poster to advertise the upcoming action.
Other
(228 KB) - PDFUSYD: Strike and Picket Poster - 26 and 27 March
Published: 20 Mar, 2013
Tags: EB6, USYD, Sydney, Syd, bargaining, Strike, poster
• -
Strike Resources for March 26 and 27.
As for the industrial action on March 07, we have prepared some resources you can use to talk to students about the upcoming forty-eight hour strike action at the University of Sydney.
.
• -
Lunchtime Meeting
After last week’s successful industrial action, come along to a lunchtime Members' Meeting from 1 pm - 2 pm on Thursday, 14 March to get an update on Bargaining and to determine our next ...
• -
FAQs for Strike Day
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is the strike taking place?
The NTEU website below contains information on why members are taking industrial action. http://www.nteu.org.au/sydney/article/This-is-Why-Members-are-Taking-a-Stand-13970
Further information, and resources for your use, can be found at:http://www.nteu.org.au/sydney2. When is the strike?
Thursday 7 March 2013
3. Who is taking part in the strike?
Members of the NTEU and CPSU, students, Unions NSW and other unions, community organisations and politicians will take part in the strike.
4. Do I stay home on strike day?
No, the strike is not a “day off”, it is an important opportunity to show management that University staff are united in our fight for an enterprise agreement that is fair for staff, students and the University
• -
Strike Resources
Here are some resources that you can use to talk about the strike with students. These include a powerpoint presentation, a letter for ongoing staff and a letter for casual staff (both editable and PDF versions).
We have also provided a suggested Out of Office autoreply that you might wish to use on strike day.
•
