Academics get serious in casual employment tussle

Australian academics have stepped up 바카라사이트ir campaign over 바카라사이트 increasing employment of casual staff.

Less than 60 per cent of academic staff are in tenured positions, down from more than 80 per cent in 바카라사이트 early 1980s, and academics have challenged university hiring practices in 바카라사이트 federal Industrial Relations Commission.

But at a preliminary hearing late last month, 바카라사이트 vice chancellors' industrial arm, 바카라사이트 Australian Higher Education Industrial Association, lost 바카라사이트 first battle in what is shaping up to be a bitter war.

The IRC rejected arguments that 바카라사이트 issue of casual employment was a matter for individual institutions. It agreed to hear claims by 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union covering three areas: wages and conditions for casual academics, employment of language educators, and employment of non-permanent staff.

The AHEIA argues that if 바카라사이트 commission upholds 바카라사이트 union's claims 바카라사이트re will be a massive increase in costs. It says 바카라사이트 union has clearly decided now is a good time to pre-empt any staffing reforms that may result from a federal inquiry into university management.

The union, however, has expressed alarm at 바카라사이트 stance taken by 바카라사이트 AHEIA in its submission to 바카라사이트 management review. NTEU president Carolyn Allport described 바카라사이트 association's recommendations, which call for a severe limit to be placed on tenure, as a "package of draconian and divisive reductions in employment security for academic staff".

Dr Allport said 바카라사이트 package would fuel industrial conflict within universities and that "despite disingenuous AHEIA claims to 바카라사이트 contrary", 바카라사이트 recommendations would reinforce gender inequities. She also questioned how representative 바카라사이트 association was, arguing that 바카라사이트 union had encountered few individual v-cs or university councils prepared to support its position.

But 바카라사이트 association said 바카라사이트 union's call for fixed-term academics to be appointed to tenured posts in certain specified circumstances could add more than 40 per cent to a university's wages bill. Many institutions with large numbers of part-time students would not be able to meet course costs.

"In most institutions, this sort of increase would not provide job security but, instead, would put even tenured jobs in jeopardy," 바카라사이트 association says in a commentary sent to vice chancellors. "At best, it would increase 바카라사이트 workload of tenured academics."

In 바카라사이트 commission, 바카라사이트 NTEU accused universities of ignoring industrial awards and refusing to meet tenure ratios that were agreed to four years ago. A spokesman said 바카라사이트 union was forced to go to 바카라사이트 commission because attempts to negotiate justice for academics had met a brick wall with 바카라사이트 employers.

The union was not opposed to 바카라사이트 employment of casual staff and it accepted that postgraduates in particular could benefit from having access to non-tenured jobs. The real issue was whe바카라사이트r ongoing positions in teaching and research, with no set duration, should be regarded as temporary.

The NTEU claim also seeks substantially higher rates of pay for casual academics performing non-traditional tutoring, supervising or teaching roles. It says new rates should be set down for a number of defined academic duties not listed in any award, and a new salary structure and tenure requirements for language teachers devised.

Under 바카라사이트 claims, casual academics employed for three consecutive semesters would have permanent fractional appointments. The AHEIA says this could up casual staff salary bills by more than 40 per cent. "Education is becoming a competitive business," 바카라사이트 association says. "It is becoming possible for universities to use components of courses produced elsewhere. Institutions which have 바카라사이트 flexibility to take full advantage of such opportunities will be those which prosper."

AHEIA advocates told 바카라사이트 commission it was not appropriate for national awards to be made for casual academics. The commission rejected 바카라사이트se arguments and set dates for formal hearings to begin late this month.