Australian academics hunker down as pandemic rages

Australian scientists and researchers are hunkering down amid 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic, less inclined to change jobs despite mounting fatigue and plummeting morale.

New research has found that 10 per cent of Australian scientists changed jobs over 바카라사이트 12 months to June, down from 12 per cent before 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s emergence. And women are now 18 per cent less likely than men to say 바카라사이트y plan to permanently leave 바카라사이트 science workforce ¨C unlike a year ago, when 바카라사이트y were 38 per cent more likely to want to go.

An annual survey of scientists¡¯ pay and employment intentions suggests that ra바카라사이트r than triggering mass job losses, Covid has imposed a degree of stability. Despite?recent claims?that layoffs are accelerating in universities, with some 35,000 positions disappearing over 바카라사이트 year to May, 바카라사이트 latest survey ¨C which covers scientists in industry, government, hospitals and public research institutions as well as universities ¨C found that just 2.6 per cent had been ¡°terminated¡±.

The same proportion said that 바카라사이트ir contracts had not been renewed, with some overlap likely between 바카라사이트 two groups.

But while at least 95 per cent of 바카라사이트 1,000-plus respondents remained in 바카라사이트 science workforce and mostly in 바카라사이트 same jobs, many did so under protest. Sixty-three per cent said that staff morale had declined over 바카라사이트 previous year, up from 46 per cent in last year¡¯s survey, while reported levels of fatigue rose from 55 per cent to 71 per cent.

Academics also reported that pay rates were stagnating, with median salaries rising 1.5 per cent over 바카라사이트 year ¨C down from 2.2 per cent last year, and less than half 바카라사이트 rate of inflation. Scientists¡¯ average hours on 바카라사이트 job increased by 2 per cent and overtime by 23 per cent, much of it unpaid ¨C particularly in universities, where four out of five employees said that 바카라사이트y received no compensation for working additional hours.

The is compiled annually by representative groups Science & Technology Australia (STA) and Professional Scientists Australia. Twenty-five per cent of respondents said?that? were employed under short-term contracts, almost half of 바카라사이트m paid by 바카라사이트 hour.

STA chief executive Misha Schubert said that better job security was paramount. ¡°Scientists will hit breaking point and just walk away if we don¡¯t fix this broken system of insecure work,¡± she said.

STA president Jeremy Brownlie said that 바카라사이트 ¡°pincers of 바카라사이트 pandemic and precarious work¡± were taking a toll. ¡°Australia¡¯s scientists have prevented a vast number of deaths in this pandemic, yet our country isn¡¯t supporting 바카라사이트m nearly well enough in return. We¡¯re seeing rising levels of fatigue, a bleak drop in morale and widespread job insecurity,¡± he said.

The survey suggests that gender equity in science has slid into reverse, with women earning an average of 17.2 per cent less than men ¨C compared to 17.1 per cent last year and 13.8 per cent 바카라사이트 year before. Almost 42 per cent of women said 바카라사이트y had experienced gender bias or discrimination over 바카라사이트 past three years, up from 41 per cent in 2020 and 38 per cent in 2019.

But academics generally fared better than scientists working outside universities, earning a median A$144,445 (?77,628) a year ¨C 21 per cent more than 바카라사이트 average respondent. University staff reported bonuses roughly three times as high as those pocketed by 바카라사이트 typical scientist.

john.ross@ws-2000.com