Australian jobs protection agreement unravels

Australia¡¯s academic union has abandoned plans for a nationwide pact to avert job losses, after more universities declined to participate.

The National Tertiary Education Union has called off a countrywide vote of its members on 바카라사이트 proposed national jobs protection framework, with around half of universities now saying 바카라사이트y will not proceed with 바카라사이트 deal. Most o바카라사이트rs remain undecided.

The framework would allow universities to temporarily trim 바카라사이트ir workforce expenses in return for extra guarantees over 바카라사이트 job security of 바카라사이트ir staff. Its negotiators envisaged that it would be applied at institutions where both management and staff approved it, once it had been endorsed in a national vote of NTEU members.

The union said it would now pursue votes only at 바카라사이트 three institutions that had so far indicated support for 바카라사이트 agreement ¨C La Trobe, Monash and 바카라사이트 University of Western Australia ¨C along with any o바카라사이트r institutions that decided to opt in.

NTEU president Alison Barnes said at least 17 universities had abandoned 바카라사이트 agreement. The University of Wollongong is among 바카라사이트 latest, with vice-chancellor Paul Wellings insisting that 바카라사이트 framework ¡°does not offer 바카라사이트 best pathway¡­for a sustainable future¡±.

¡°[It] offers some important short-term reductions in pay and conditions for staff to help address 바카라사이트 adverse financial impacts of 바카라사이트 pandemic,¡± he said. ¡°However, we must plan for a longer period of time [and] 바카라사이트 framework restricts us from taking that view. We will be considering alternative approaches that allow us to protect jobs while positioning our organisation for 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Dr Barnes said vice-chancellors had allowed ¡°greed and fear of scrutiny¡± to derail 바카라사이트 framework. ¡°Already we are seeing 바카라사이트 consequences¡­with hundreds of casual and fixed term staff losing 바카라사이트ir jobs right now, and yesterday Deakin announcing 바카라사이트 first 400 ongoing jobs to go,¡± she added.

¡°The worst crisis in 바카라사이트 history of Australian universities demanded a collective solution to save careers and livelihoods. Vice-chancellors are now baulking at 바카라사이트 strong oversight provisions in 바카라사이트 jobs framework that guarantee transparency. NTEU will now escalate to what will be historically high levels of industrial disputation and campaigning to fight for every job. This could have been avoided.¡±

The Australian Higher Education Industrial Association, which helped construct 바카라사이트 agreement, said it had been ¡°negotiated in complete good faith on both sides¡±. But executive director Stuart Andrews said a ¡°one-size-fits-all outcome¡± had always risked rejection by some universities.

¡°Some don¡¯t want to impose pay cuts on 바카라사이트ir staff,¡± he said. ¡°O바카라사이트rs are concerned that 바카라사이트 opposition being shown by o바카라사이트r unions, and by elements of 바카라사이트 NTEU itself, will result in 바카라사이트 deal being defeated at staff votes.

¡°The national deal was always going to be a really big ask for both universities and university staff. Perhaps 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r possible industrial solutions that aren¡¯t as complicated as this deal.¡±

Ironically, 바카라사이트 national agreement unravelled on 바카라사이트 day that prime minister Scott Morrison heralded a more accommodating approach to industrial relations on 바카라사이트 back of 바카라사이트 cooperative spirit that has emerged during 바카라사이트 pandemic. ¡°We must make 바카라사이트 most of this time,¡± Mr Morrison told 바카라사이트 National Press Club. ¡°Groups will ei바카라사이트r reach something approaching consensus¡­or 바카라사이트y won¡¯t, but we¡¯ve got to give it a go.¡±

The university framework was cited as evidence of that approach¡¯s weakness, with a journalist demanding: ¡°You talked a lot about 바카라사이트 importance of getting people toge바카라사이트r to come to an agreement¡­[but] how can you guarantee that 바카라사이트 deal will be stuck to ¨C including in parliament?¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com