http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25101161-12332,00.html
Andrew Trounson February 24, 2009
VICTORIA University is facing a campaign of rolling strikes after academics voted in favour of an indefinite industrial campaign against the university's redundancy plans.
Members of the National Tertiary Education Union will from next week strike for two days a week at different campuses.
With students already back on campus some classes may be disrupted. The NTEU said it would aim to minimise disruption for student by staggering stoppages.
The union says it is taking protected action to seek job security provisions under a new enterprise bargaining agreement.
"We want the university to back off on its current redundancy plans and deal with this more through negotiation," NTEU Victorian secretary Matthew McGowan told The Australian Online.
VU deputy vice-chancellor Jon Hickman said the strike action was disappointing given the university believed most items on the EBA had been agreed.
"The main points of difference with the NTEU remain with their demand that the new agreement include a clause committing the university to no forced redundancies during the life of the agreement," Mr Hickman said.
"Given the university's commitment to financial sustainability, it would be irresponsible for us to commit unequivocally to a no-forced-redundancies provision without potentially impacting negatively on the university financial status and staff's long-term job security," he said.
VU vice chancellor Elizabeth Harman is seeking $27 million in annual cost savings that she says are need to make the university sustainable in an environment of rising costs outstripping revenue increases.
After last year initially flagging compulsory redundancies and up to 270 job losses, the VU has so far limited job losses to a voluntary programme from which it has secured $7 million worth of savings.
But further job cuts remain on the agenda. Earlier this month Professor Harman warned staff that while VU's staff-student ratios were close to national averages, it was paying more staff at senior lecturer level and above than other universities.
"Therefore we will have to be careful in making decisions on staff changes and redundancies in order to solve the financial problem," Professor Harman said.
But the NTEU says redundancies are unnecessary given a surplus last year of $17 million. It also notes that the university is set to get an extra $10 million to $20 million in funding from 2010 if the federal government implements the Bradley Review of higher education that seeks to encourage universities like VU in Melbourne's lower income western suburbs to expand. But Harman said the extra money would not change the need to cut staff costs.
"We must act now to change this so that we are able to use any new money to help more low SES (social economic status) students to succeed at university," she said.
26 February 2009
Motions for Industrial action
Industrial action to begin at Victoria University next week
Victoria University staff voted at a meetings on Monday and Tuesday to begin a campaign of industrial action which will begin from next week. The two motions which were passed are included below.
Supported motions from NTEU meetings 23rd February Footscray Park and 24th February, St Albans.
1. That we, Victoria University’s staff, record our dismay at the University management’s failure to negotiate a settlement with the Union that would restore job security, acceptable workloads, a fair pay outcome, and decent working conditions for all staff.
Management’s refusal to negotiate such a settlement means that VU’s general and academic staff are all at risk from the largest program of lay-offs, proportionally speaking, in Australian university history — and that the workloads of staff who remain will become a serious risk to health and morale.
Noting the impending release of the federal government’s response to the Bradley review and the University’s $17 million surplus in 2008, we are convinced that the proposed lay-offs are unnecessary.
Further, the changes to workloads are drawing staff time away from the core business of the University, while ongoing faculty restructures will reduce the productivity of general staff and reduced opportunities for sessional staff will undermine the University’s long-term staff development.
This meeting reiterates its lack of confidence in the Vice-Chancellor and the senior management of the University.
2. That we, the Victoria University Branch of the National Tertiary Education Union, resolve to take rolling strike action in the form of two consecutive 24-hour strikes at all campuses in each week, commencing in Week 2 of First Semester until further notice.
Strike action will be staggered across a roster of days each week, in order to maximise the pressure on University management and minimise the impact on particular groups of students and staff.
This meeting directs the Branch officers to convene a meeting of members in the week starting 16 March, to review management’s response to date and to agree on dates for further strike action.
If genuine and significant progress is made in negotiating our claims, this meeting authorises the Branch President to suspend or vary the above schedule of strike action.
Finally, we note this is the first time that staff have ever taken such significant rolling strike action at an Australian university — but we also note that no Australian university has ever before treated its staff and students with such contempt.
Victoria University staff voted at a meetings on Monday and Tuesday to begin a campaign of industrial action which will begin from next week. The two motions which were passed are included below.
Supported motions from NTEU meetings 23rd February Footscray Park and 24th February, St Albans.
1. That we, Victoria University’s staff, record our dismay at the University management’s failure to negotiate a settlement with the Union that would restore job security, acceptable workloads, a fair pay outcome, and decent working conditions for all staff.
Management’s refusal to negotiate such a settlement means that VU’s general and academic staff are all at risk from the largest program of lay-offs, proportionally speaking, in Australian university history — and that the workloads of staff who remain will become a serious risk to health and morale.
Noting the impending release of the federal government’s response to the Bradley review and the University’s $17 million surplus in 2008, we are convinced that the proposed lay-offs are unnecessary.
Further, the changes to workloads are drawing staff time away from the core business of the University, while ongoing faculty restructures will reduce the productivity of general staff and reduced opportunities for sessional staff will undermine the University’s long-term staff development.
This meeting reiterates its lack of confidence in the Vice-Chancellor and the senior management of the University.
2. That we, the Victoria University Branch of the National Tertiary Education Union, resolve to take rolling strike action in the form of two consecutive 24-hour strikes at all campuses in each week, commencing in Week 2 of First Semester until further notice.
Strike action will be staggered across a roster of days each week, in order to maximise the pressure on University management and minimise the impact on particular groups of students and staff.
This meeting directs the Branch officers to convene a meeting of members in the week starting 16 March, to review management’s response to date and to agree on dates for further strike action.
If genuine and significant progress is made in negotiating our claims, this meeting authorises the Branch President to suspend or vary the above schedule of strike action.
Finally, we note this is the first time that staff have ever taken such significant rolling strike action at an Australian university — but we also note that no Australian university has ever before treated its staff and students with such contempt.
25 February 2009
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
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
Are the cuts to staff and services necessary at VU?
Is the University budget currently in deficit?
Will there be forced retrenchments?
Are there alternatives to sacking staff?
Are there alternative cash savings which the University could implement immediately to prevent retrenchments?
To find the answers to these questions, please go to http://friendsofvu.org.au/ and click on the 'The Shorter Version of the Victoria University Budget, retrenchments and everything'.
Will there be forced retrenchments?
Are there alternatives to sacking staff?
Are there alternative cash savings which the University could implement immediately to prevent retrenchments?
To find the answers to these questions, please go to http://friendsofvu.org.au/ and click on the 'The Shorter Version of the Victoria University Budget, retrenchments and everything'.
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