NTEU Members' Meeting 6 November 2008

NTEU Members' Meeting 6 November 2008
Members attending the meeting at Footscray Park on 6 November 2008 passed the following motions unanimously;

Motion 1
That this meeting notes with anger and dismay:
1) the University management’s determination to see through the largest redundancy program in Australian university history.
2) that the redundancies, combined with course cutbacks, campus closures, car-parking changes, and management’s failure to enter seriously into a Collective Bargaining Agreement with its staff, have done great harm to the University’s reputation. They will do even greater harm to its reputation in the months to come.
3) for the University management’s failure to manage the University’s resources in a way that could avoid this scale of trauma. Senior management should be held accountable. We note that no senior managers will take a pay-cut, much less a job-cut, for their ineptitude. What is more, we remain profoundly skeptical about management’s motives in launching this program of redundancies.

Motion 2
That this meeting reaffirms the five motions passed unanimously by 350 VU staff at a meeting on 21 October 2008. In particular, we reaffirm our commitment to taking industrial action in pursuit of a Collective Agreement that would protect VU staff against such mistreatment by management in the future, should that be necessary.

Motion 3
That this meeting endorses the Union’s recommendation to pursue disputes over section 65 ‘Organisational Change’ of the current Enterprise Agreement. We shall take up these disputes ourselves, and we call on our colleagues also to take up these disputes.

Motion 4
That this meeting endorses the Union’s community campaign of engaging local politicians, media, and others with the scale of management failure of this crucial community asset for Melbourne’s greater western region.

NTEU Public Meeting 6 Nov - Update

Motions from community meeting on 6 November in support of VU staff

A well attended community meeting in Footscray heard from members of staff and students at Victoria University, and from Labor and Greens members of Parliament, on the concocted crisis at Victoria University and passed the following motions:

1. That this meeting calls on Victoria University to:Immediately stop its plans to cut 20% of education courses and sack 270 staff which will have a negative effect on higher education, the western region community and students who attend Victoria University.Halt campus closures until affected communities have had adequate time to review these decisions and have real input into the decisions which will have an impact on tertiary education in their area.Consider a wider range of sustainable alternatives to the present course of action that trades buildings for core education services and jobs.

2. That this meeting further calls on the Federal Government to provide improved funding to strengthen education services at Victoria University and repeal John Howard’s workchoices legislation.

3. That this meeting authorises the formation a Friends of Victoria University to lobby, support and take action to defend Victoria University as a valuable community asset for the west and the region.

4. That this meeting calls on Elizabeth Harman Vice Chancellor of Victoria University to resign immediately.

Things we can do 10

Attend the Public Meeting organised by NTEU this evening

Time: 7.30 pm
Date: 6 Nov
Place: The Church Hall 10a Hyde street. Footscray (next to Town Hall)

What is the future of Victoria University?

Confirmed Speakers:
Dr James Doughney, President, NTEU Victorian Division
Hon Colleen Hartland, Greens MLC for Western Region
Leon Burger, President, VU Student Association
Joanne Duncan MP, (ALP) member for Macedon
Scott Jordan, VU Politics, History and Social Sciences Association

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY BRANCH - NTEU

Check this website for more information about VU Staff cuts situation.

http://www.nteu.org.au//bd/vu

Western Suburbs Day of Community Action 6 Nov 2008

For those who are interested:

Western Suburbs Day of Community Action – Stop the Cuts: staff, students and western region community.

Thursday 6 of November :

Time: 9am, leave by 9.15 am.
Event: Melton Community Protest. All Welcome. Join the Melton Community in a protest against the closure of Melton campus and cuts to Victoria University and retrenchments. Melton Freedom Ride Bus leaves from outside Footscray Bowling Club, Hoadley Crescent , Footscray (Next to D Block, Footscray Park). Or meet us at Victoria University, Melton campus, Rees Road, Melton at 10 am. Return around 11 am.2.

Time: 1pm – 2 pm, NTEU members meeting (students and non-members welcome).
Report back on IRC application for an industrial ballot and strategies for action. Room G370, Footscray Park Campus.

Time: 7.30 pm, Public Meeting.
The Church Hall 10a Hyde street. Footscray (next to Town Hall) What is the future of Victoria University? Victoria University has announced it will sack 270 staff. What does this mean for the future of VU? What are the implications of quality of education provided to VU students? Defend Victoria University as a valuable public asset.

Confirmed Speakers:
Joanne Duncan, MLA for Macedon (covering Sunbury campus of VU);
Colleen Hartland, MLC for Western Metropolitan;
Dr Jamie Doughney, President NTEU Victorian Division;
Leon Burger, President VU student union;
Scott Jordan, VU student action group.

Invited but not confirmed: Elizabeth Harman, Vice-Chancellor Victoria University,
Hon. Julia Gillard, Minister for Education and Workplace Relations;
Hon. Jacinta Allen, Minster for Skills and Workforce Participation.

Attack the Issues

I have maintained from the beginning of this blog that I support VU Staff. I will get involve in students activities that highlight discussions and debates pertaining to how we can try and save as many jobs as possible.

However, I will not make this personal. Therefore I do not support any personal attacks on the Vice Chancellor, Liz Harman or any of the council members. I disagree with the manner in which the decisions were made (i.e lack of consultations, mediation or mitigating factors). I do not know the VC personally so I cannot make a value judgement or give you an opinion of her. As I reflect some people's career and achievements, most do not get to be at the top management without intelligence, management and people skills, hardwork, specialisation, peer recognition of their abilities... etc. Regardless of these abilities they can make mistakes and error in judgment pertaining to the decisions. And on these errors and mistakes we shall judge them.

So let's stick to the issues.

Justice Frank Vincent calls for apology from Don Nardella, MLA

31 October 2008

The following statement has been issued by the Hon. Justice Frank Vincent, AO, Chancellor Victoria University.

The Hon. Justice Frank Vincent, AO, Chancellor of Victoria University is surprised and distressed that the MLA for Melton, Don Nardella, has made a unreasonable and personal attacks on Victoria University's Vice Chancellor, Professor Elizabeth Harman, under Parliamentary Privilege.

He says: "It is important to note that the Vice Chancellor is an employee of the University who is charged with implementing the decisions of Council and entrusted with the management of the affairs of the University in accordance with the strategic directions and mission as determined by Council."

"It needs to be made clear with respect to the matters raised by Mr Nardella that the Vice Chancellor is acting under the directions of Council and in line with its decisions."

"The matters Don Nardella has raised about the future of Melton and Sunbury campuses and the University's need to staff it's courses and deliver its programs as efficiently as possible to which Mr Nardella referred, have been the subjects of the most serious consideration by Council over a substantial period of time through its committees, formal Council meetings and retreats.

The Vice Chancellor is responsible to Council for the implementation of its policy decisions."
"I call upon Mr Nardella to retract his inaccurate and highly emotive comments and apologise to the Vice Chancellor for the deeply regrettable personal nature of them."
The Hon. Justice Frank Vincent is not available for interview on this issue

Media Contacts:

Ms Christine White, Media Manager,Marketing & Communications Department, Victoria UniversityPh: (03) 9919 4322; mobile: 0434 602 884

Andy Gash, Snr. Media OfficerMarketing and Communications Department, Victoria UniversityPh: (03) 9919 4950; mobile: 0411 255 900