This week I am participating in another week-long strike at the University of Melbourne. This time it’s a campus-wide 6.5-day strike - the longest ever undertaken at an Australian university. It will also be the longest strike on the Parkville campus since stonemasons downed their tools in 1856 to win an eight-hour workday.
Unfortunately, this industrial action is necessary due to management's prolonged refusal to satisfactorily address our union’s key claims.
Working conditions are learning conditions, and they're both under attack. In our fight for better universities, we're seeking:
SECURE JOBS. More than half of my colleagues are on casual or fixed-term contracts. This has led to exploitation, with the University having to repay over $45 million in stolen wages. Our union is seeking a commitment that at least 80% of staff (and EFT) are on continuing contracts within the next two years.
#UniMelb #NTEU #SecureWork #WageTheft (2/5)
SAFE WORKLOADS. The union has proposed a range of improvements to workloads, which are in crisis across the sector. These include:
• promptly filling vacancies;
• backfilling absent staff;
• limiting restructures;
• consulting on reasonable workload allocation policies;
• a ≥40% research component for new academic roles by default, factoring in the time required for academic staff to maintain currency in their field and undertake their research.
#UniMelb #NTEU #strike #workloads (3/5)
A FAIR PAY RISE. From 2013 to 2022, our Vice-Chancellor's salary grew by 43%. Staff wages grew by only 26% over this period, keeping just ahead of CPI (23%) thanks to NTEU bargaining. Recently, though, they've been going backwards in real terms. Since our 2018 EA expired in 2021, annual pay rises have been far below inflation. We're seeking pay increases that correct this and allow staff pay to stay ahead of CPI during this cost-of-living crisis.
Senior leadership appears totally disconnected from staff struggles. 10 UniMelb execs were paid more than the PM in 2022 (>$564k). Our VC lives in a university-owned mansion and has a salary of $1.5m per year, making in 12 days what HEW 4 staff earn in 12 months. Inequality and entitlement run deep.
Staff want to deliver the best research & education possible, but can't if they're overworked, underpaid, and stressed over whether they'll have work next semester.
#UniMelb #NTEU #inequality (5/5)
Zachary Kendal
Tess Elation
ya boi tim
Alex 🇵🇸
Clare