Industrial Action

Victoria University Staff Vote to Re-start Industrial Action
MEDIA RELEASE
25 February 2009

Staff at Victoria University voted to re-start industrial action next week to protect jobs and keep class sizes low, the NTEU announced today.

“Strikes will commence next week and continue for the next three weeks, unless the Victoria University senior management genuinely negotiate for a collective agreement with job security and reasonable workload management,” said Richard Gough, President, Victoria University NTEU Branch.

Union members met at mass meetings on Monday and Tuesday at the Footscray and St. Albans campuses to vote on the strike.

“Victoria University is at 106% enrolment, which according to the Vice Chancellor adds up to over $8 million. The university also projects it will receive up to $10 million more in 2010 and $20 million in 2011 from the Federal Government, which shines the light on any financial excuse for the redundancies,” Mr Gough said.

“While there has bee no serious analysis on the impact of job losses on the institution and its students, the senior management continue to promote the need for forced redundancies,” he said.

Last year, the university announced a decision to sack 270 staff, equivalent to a quarter of their academic staff, and a fifth of their general staff.

“Academic staff know that the only way to ensure that teaching and learning standards are maintained is to take industrial action now to ensure class sizes don’t get worse. Class sizes for students at Victoria University will be the worst in Australia if the job cuts go ahead.”

“We are running on empty now. Staff to student ratios will go up, students are facing unprecedented course and subject cuts, and less time with lecturers and tutors,” Mr Gough said.

A two day, 48 hour strike will take place next week on Thursday 5 March and Friday 6 March, with subsequent rounds of strike action for the following two weeks.

“Staff and students know that the strikes can be ended if the University comes to the table,” he said.

Strike Dates at Victoria University
Thursday 5 March & Friday 6 March
Tuesday 10 March & Wednesday 11 March
Monday 16 March & Friday 20 March