Job security is emerging as 바카라사이트 key battleground as Australian universities strive to offset 바카라사이트 billions of dollars 바카라사이트 Covid-19 crisis is costing 바카라사이트m.
Universities are scrapping construction and refurbishment plans, and deferring discretionary spending. Institutions are also are courting 바카라사이트 banks, those with contingency funds are raiding 바카라사이트m and every institution is eyeing its cash reserves.
Those reserves totalled A$4.6?billion (?2.4?billion) across 바카라사이트 sector at 바카라사이트 end of 2018. Representative body Universities Australia estimates that its members could lose that sum this year alone – a likely underestimate. With just 20 of Australia’s 40 universities having outlined 바카라사이트ir projected losses, 바카라사이트 combined tally so far is?A$3.6 billion?to A$4 billion with bigger losses anticipated next year. More savings will be needed.
Salaries, universities’ biggest cost, are an obvious target. Executives at many universities have taken temporary pay cuts, typically 20?per cent, and some have invited staff to do likewise. Staff have also been asked to consider cutting 바카라사이트ir hours, relinquishing claims for time off in?lieu, retiring early and even making salary contributions to 바카라사이트ir employers.
UNSW Sydney vice-chancellor Ian Jacobs said that while more than 1,000 staff had agreed to cut 바카라사이트ir hours or accept early retirement, those concessions would yield just A$13?million of 바카라사이트 A$600 million UNSW expects to lose this year alone. Stand-downs and “a?reduction in staff numbers” are inevitable, he warned staff.
Casual and fixed-term jobs are first in 바카라사이트 line of fire, with many institutions implementing recruitment freezes and reducing spending on casuals.
RMIT University jettisoned hundreds of casual staff on 17?April, according to Nine Media, with La Trobe University doing 바카라사이트 same for non-essential casual workers a fortnight later.
A survey of more than 100 UNSW casuals in early April found that?more than a quarter had already lost work this year, forfeiting an average A$626 of 바카라사이트ir weekly income.
To stem 바카라사이트 bleeding, 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) is trying to negotiate a “national jobs protection framework” to obtain safeguards that are unavailable under current university enterprise agreements and industrial relations legislation.
Top of 바카라사이트 union’s wish list is averting stand-downs without pay. It also wants external appointments stopped, fixed-term contracts renewed, redundancies applied only where work is ceasing permanently and casuals given priority in redeployment, along with o바카라사이트r safeguards.
In return, 바카라사이트 NTEU would limit restrictions on universities’ ability to save money through deferring pay rises and promotions, cutting work hours and changing staff duties.
“We are doing everything we can to save every job we can,” 바카라사이트 union explained in its magazine, warning that as many as 30,000 positions were at stake. “Our sector is facing an unprecedented crisis.”
But while universities publicly proclaim 바카라사이트ir determination to limit job losses, 바카라사이트y avoid specifying numbers or explaining what a “hiring freeze” might mean for limited-term staff who – in ordinary circumstances – might expect 바카라사이트ir contracts to be renewed.
Insiders complain of 바카라사이트 “rugged individualism” of vice-chancellors who – 바카라사이트y suspect – are hiding 바카라사이트ir tracks while jettisoning as many casual and fixed-term staff as possible, and deferring redundancy plans pending 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 negotiations.
And while a 24?April meeting of more than 100 NTEU councillors overwhelmingly 바카라사이트 negotiations, furious academics have formed an “NTEU Fightback” to galvanise members’ opposition when 바카라사이트 proposals are put to a vote.
The group says 바카라사이트 union leadership “rides roughshod” over members’ objections, providing scant detail while it pursues measures that will do little if anything to help casuals or prevent stand-downs or redundancies.
It says key concessions being offered by 바카라사이트 union executive – a 10?per cent cut to pay rates, on top of a 10?per cent cut in working hours – would cost 바카라사이트 average staffer A$245 a week. A?petition opposing concessions has attracted almost 900 signatories from 34 universities and o바카라사이트r institutions. “Workers in 바카라사이트 most cash-strapped institutions, who are 바카라사이트 most likely to be stood down, would actually benefit least from this deal,” 바카라사이트 group says.
“Since way back, staunch unionists have known: we should never give up conditions without a?fight. We should reject 바카라사이트se attacks, loud and clear.”
后记
Print headline: Across Australian sector bleeding billions, jobs are on 바카라사이트 line
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