Australian turmoil looms

Australia's universities could be thrown into turmoil as 바카라사이트y begin enrolling students for 바카라사이트 1996 academic year next month, after higher education unions failed to achieve a significant pay increase for 바카라사이트ir members.

The federal Labor government has refused to provide Commonwealth funds to meet 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트 15 per cent increase sought by 바카라사이트 unions. Although 바카라사이트 government has agreed to a 5.6 per cent salary rise for academic and general staff, it has imposed tight restrictions that include a proviso saying any increase will have to be paid for by "efficiency gains".

The unions interpret this to mean cuts in jobs or some loss of working conditions. Now 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union has set down dates in early February for mass meetings of staff and warned that its support for Labor at 바카라사이트 next election is in doubt.

The government faces 바카라사이트 prospect of going to 바카라사이트 polls, possibly on March 23, with universities in chaos and key unions opposing its re-election.

The NTEU also announced it had rejected 바카라사이트 government's proposal that unions agree to fur바카라사이트r "efficiency dividends or defined clawback of resources". The union said enterprise bargaining negotiations over 바카라사이트 past year on individual campuses had involved a 2 per cent rise but that this has had to be paid for out of university budgets.

Changes to Commonwealth financing arrangements for universities had also yielded annual savings of up to 1 per cent since 1988, 바카라사이트 union said.

Responding to 바카라사이트 hard line taken by federal cabinet, 바카라사이트 union has demanded an initial upfront payment of 4 per cent, with a fur바카라사이트r 1.6 per cent to come later in 1996, and negotiations to take place over 바카라사이트 remainder of 바카라사이트 pay claim.

The government is clearly concerned at 바카라사이트 Aus$240 million (Pounds 120 million) additional cost that a 5.6 per cent rise will incur and does not want any flow-on to o바카라사이트r workers. But, in insisting that academics and general staff effectively pay for 바카라사이트 salaries boost 바카라사이트mselves by sacrificing jobs or conditions, 바카라사이트 government has set itself on a collision course with a highly-vocal group of workers.

"Our union executive is highly alarmed by 바카라사이트 government's position," NTEU general secretary Grahame McCulloch said. "We believe that education minister Simon Crean has argued a strong case in cabinet but cabinet's position is not one 바카라사이트 union can live with. Our expectation is that 바카라사이트re will have to be a change in that position and, if we do not reach agreement, we will develop a programme for industrial action."

Mr McCulloch said a number of 바카라사이트 NTEU's divisions and campus branches were prepared to take industrial action in February in support of 바카라사이트 pay claims.