VIC UNI STAFF OVERWHELMINGLY VOTE IN FAVOUR OF INDUSTRIAL ACTION
MEDIA RELEASE
28 November 2008
Victoria University staff have voted to take protected industrial action to secure a collective agreement and protect quality of teaching, following the largest round of targeted redundancies in Australian university history.
“The initial reports indicate that over 98 percent of NTEU members have voted to take protected industrial action,” said Matthew McGowan, Victorian Secretary of the NTEU.
“This result in this vote is a overwhelming rebuke of the Vice-Chancellor and the senior management behind her and follows on from an NTEU survey conducted over the past fortnight that showed over 80 percent of surveyed staff had no confidence in the Vice-Chancellor.”
“Staff are saying that they want respect from Vice-Chancellor Elizabeth Harman, rather than disdain and contempt,” he said.
The industrial action ballot authorises legal, protected industrial action, including work bans, bans on the transmission of student examination results, over-time bans and strike action.
“There is a strong feeling amongst Victoria University staff, and that has been reflected in the results we are seeing today. Elizabeth Harman needs to come to the bargaining table to genuinely negotiate. VU staff want job security and a restoration of lost conditions, but most of all they want respect,” said Mr McGowan.
“If the job cuts go through and the University refuses to negotiate a collective agreement, students at VU will be facing the worst student-teacher ratios in Australia. We are acting now to protect the quality of teaching and research at VU, as well as to ensure that students in the West receive the best possible education,” he said.
Victoria University NTEU members will be considering in the next few days what form of protected industrial action will be taken and when.
The Union will be meeting with the Vice-Chancellor this afternoon at 4pm in an attempt to get the University to engage in genuine negotiation.
For more information:
Matthew McGowan
State Secretary, NTEU Victorian Division
0417 054 110
Richard Gough
President, Victoria University NTEU Branch
0418 102 547
http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/untitled_2
29 November 2008
26 November 2008
Petition
PETITION
We, the undersigned, are a concerned group of people who respectively urge Ms Elizabeth Harman, the Vice Chancellor of Victoria University, to act now to support and guarantee the future of the Social Work Unit at St Albans Campus, Victoria University.
The Social Work Unit needs the continued support from University management to be able to provide quality education & training for social work students in the Western metropolitan area. The Social Work Unit has developed and maintained strong links and partnerships with labour force providers in the Western region and broader community. It is paramount that the University retains the Bachelor of Social Work course to be able to meet the ever growing and diverse needs of the community.
The VU Social Work Unit education and training, exemplifies the philosophical principles of social justice, equality, anti-oppression, client self - determination and empowerment.
The Social Work Unit needs the continued support from University management to be able to provide quality education & training for social work students in the Western metropolitan area. The Social Work Unit has developed and maintained strong links and partnerships with labour force providers in the Western region and broader community. It is paramount that the University retains the Bachelor of Social Work course to be able to meet the ever growing and diverse needs of the community.
The VU Social Work Unit education and training, exemplifies the philosophical principles of social justice, equality, anti-oppression, client self - determination and empowerment.
Mary Hutchinson
Western Region
Social Worker: ISIS Primary Care.
mlouhutchinson@optusnet.com.au
mary.hutchinson@vu.edu.au
Maree Corbo
Western Region
Djerriwarrh Health services
Social worker/Counsellor:
mareeco@djhs.org.au
Western Region
Social Worker: ISIS Primary Care.
mlouhutchinson@optusnet.com.au
mary.hutchinson@vu.edu.au
Maree Corbo
Western Region
Djerriwarrh Health services
Social worker/Counsellor:
mareeco@djhs.org.au
*******************************************************************************************************************
If you support this petition and would like to add your name to the petition please send an email to Mary mlouhutchinson@optusnet.com.au / mary.hutchinson@vu.edu.au or Maree mareeco@djhs.org.au and let them know. Please include
Your Full name
Region, Occupation, Organization - Optional
Email address
Brief Comment - Optional
Date
Mary & Maree will collate all the names present the petition to the Vice Chancellor, Liz Harman.
*******************************************************************************************************************
Support from former students of VU
I received this very encouraging email from Maree, a former student of VU Social Work Unit informing me about a petition she and other former students have started.
Maree has given me permission to blog their petition. Following is an extract of her letter...
We just wanted to give you a bit of a heads up about what we as alumni are up too. We received notice last week that the future of the social work unit, while reasonably secure is by no no means out of the woods. My former student colleague and I decided that we could get a petition going around the various networks that we work in and hopefully present a petition to the vice chancellor. As you could imagine Liz Harman will not like to get on the wrong side of the community that supports the university and are hopeful that she may listen to our concerns.
Cheers
Maree Corbo
Counsellor Coordinator of Men's Faxback
Melton, Caroline Springs and Bacchus Marsh
Djerriwarrh Health Services
Cnr High & Yuille Sts
Melton Vic 3337
mareeco@djhs.org.au
Maree has given me permission to blog their petition. Following is an extract of her letter...
We just wanted to give you a bit of a heads up about what we as alumni are up too. We received notice last week that the future of the social work unit, while reasonably secure is by no no means out of the woods. My former student colleague and I decided that we could get a petition going around the various networks that we work in and hopefully present a petition to the vice chancellor. As you could imagine Liz Harman will not like to get on the wrong side of the community that supports the university and are hopeful that she may listen to our concerns.
Cheers
Maree Corbo
Counsellor Coordinator of Men's Faxback
Melton, Caroline Springs and Bacchus Marsh
Djerriwarrh Health Services
Cnr High & Yuille Sts
Melton Vic 3337
mareeco@djhs.org.au
Friends of Victoria University – Statement of Intent
Friends of Victoria University – Statement of Intent
Introduction
Friends of Victoria University was formed on 19 November 2008 to represent the interests of communities served by Victoria University. It is comprised of community members from the Western Suburbs, as well as staff, students and alumni at Victoria University.
Background
Friends of VU formed following the announcement by the Vice-Chancellor of sudden campus closures in Melton and Sunbury, and the forced redundancies of over 270 staff. This decision undermines the original purpose of VU.
Vision
Friends of VU will work to ensure the original vision of Victoria University is maintained: to have a university to serve the Western Suburbs of Melbourne, to provide higher education opportunities to students from the western suburbs.
To this end we will seek to uphold those principals outlined in section 6 of the Victoria University of Technology Act 1990, in particular objects 6 (i), (j) and (k).
6. Objects of the University
The objects of the University include-
(a) the development of an institution with excellence in teaching, training, research and scholarship, with particular emphasis on technological development and applications of knowledge;
(b) the provision of high quality educational, research, residential, social, recreational, sporting and other facilities;
(c) the promotion, advancement and transmission of knowledge and its practical application by research and other means, the dissemination by various means of the outcomes of research and the commercial exploitation of the results of that research;
(ca) to promote critical enquiry within the university and in the general community;
(d) the provision of a wide range of programs and courses of study in post-secondary education, including courses of instruction or training relevant to a trade or other skilled occupation and facilitation of articulation between programs;
(e) the participation in commercial ventures and activities;
(ea) the conduct of teaching, research, consultancy and development activities within and outside Australia;
(f) the fostering of the general welfare and development of all enrolled students;
(g) the conferring of prescribed degrees and the granting of prescribed diplomas, certificates and other awards;
(h) the offering of opportunities for development and further training to teaching and other staff of the university;
(i) the development and provision of educational, cultural, professional, technical and vocational services to the community and in particular the fostering of participation in post-secondary education for persons living or working in the Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne;
(j) the provision of programs and services in ways which reflect principles of equity and social justice;
(k) generally the development and carrying on of a university providing such appropriate and accessible academic and other programs, courses of study and research activity as the Council considers necessary for the attainment of the foregoing within Victoria and elsewhere.
Aims
Friends of VU will work to pursue the short-term interests of VU to ensure that the integrity of VU’s mission is not undermined. It will also work to ensure VU’s long-term interests by supporting efforts to improve VU’s profile and funding.
Friends of VU is politically unaligned, and works solely for the interests of the communities, staff, students and alumni of Victoria University.
Action
Friends of VU will engage in a wide range of activities to represent the communities served by VU, including:
§ Community meetings;
§ Publishing fact sheets and newsletters;
§ Preparing submissions for Government Inquiries or funding processes:
§ Issuing media statements;
§ Lobbying the Vice-Chancellor, University Council, Deans, heads of schools and other leaders of Victoria University;
§ Lobbying local, state and federal government; and
§ Working with staff and student unions.
Introduction
Friends of Victoria University was formed on 19 November 2008 to represent the interests of communities served by Victoria University. It is comprised of community members from the Western Suburbs, as well as staff, students and alumni at Victoria University.
Background
Friends of VU formed following the announcement by the Vice-Chancellor of sudden campus closures in Melton and Sunbury, and the forced redundancies of over 270 staff. This decision undermines the original purpose of VU.
Vision
Friends of VU will work to ensure the original vision of Victoria University is maintained: to have a university to serve the Western Suburbs of Melbourne, to provide higher education opportunities to students from the western suburbs.
To this end we will seek to uphold those principals outlined in section 6 of the Victoria University of Technology Act 1990, in particular objects 6 (i), (j) and (k).
6. Objects of the University
The objects of the University include-
(a) the development of an institution with excellence in teaching, training, research and scholarship, with particular emphasis on technological development and applications of knowledge;
(b) the provision of high quality educational, research, residential, social, recreational, sporting and other facilities;
(c) the promotion, advancement and transmission of knowledge and its practical application by research and other means, the dissemination by various means of the outcomes of research and the commercial exploitation of the results of that research;
(ca) to promote critical enquiry within the university and in the general community;
(d) the provision of a wide range of programs and courses of study in post-secondary education, including courses of instruction or training relevant to a trade or other skilled occupation and facilitation of articulation between programs;
(e) the participation in commercial ventures and activities;
(ea) the conduct of teaching, research, consultancy and development activities within and outside Australia;
(f) the fostering of the general welfare and development of all enrolled students;
(g) the conferring of prescribed degrees and the granting of prescribed diplomas, certificates and other awards;
(h) the offering of opportunities for development and further training to teaching and other staff of the university;
(i) the development and provision of educational, cultural, professional, technical and vocational services to the community and in particular the fostering of participation in post-secondary education for persons living or working in the Western Metropolitan Region of Melbourne;
(j) the provision of programs and services in ways which reflect principles of equity and social justice;
(k) generally the development and carrying on of a university providing such appropriate and accessible academic and other programs, courses of study and research activity as the Council considers necessary for the attainment of the foregoing within Victoria and elsewhere.
Aims
Friends of VU will work to pursue the short-term interests of VU to ensure that the integrity of VU’s mission is not undermined. It will also work to ensure VU’s long-term interests by supporting efforts to improve VU’s profile and funding.
Friends of VU is politically unaligned, and works solely for the interests of the communities, staff, students and alumni of Victoria University.
Action
Friends of VU will engage in a wide range of activities to represent the communities served by VU, including:
§ Community meetings;
§ Publishing fact sheets and newsletters;
§ Preparing submissions for Government Inquiries or funding processes:
§ Issuing media statements;
§ Lobbying the Vice-Chancellor, University Council, Deans, heads of schools and other leaders of Victoria University;
§ Lobbying local, state and federal government; and
§ Working with staff and student unions.
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