Forgo salary rise, Australian National University begs staff

One of Australia¡¯s leading universities has adopted pandemic-era tactics to?alleviate a?financial crisis tipped to?cost hundreds of?jobs.

In a 15?October email, Australian National University (ANU) vice-chancellor Genevieve Bell asks staff to?forgo a 2.5?per cent pay rise due in?December. ¡°The financial challenge we?are facing is?real and substantial,¡± she warns.

¡°We must take action. Everything needs to be on 바카라사이트 table including all of our salaries. It is deeply important to me to return this institution I?have been around for much of my life to a financially sustainable footing.¡±

Professor Bell says she will reduce her own salary by 10?per cent ¡°effective immediately¡± and has also asked executives on performance-based contracts to relinquish 바카라사이트 2.5?per cent pay increase, saving 바카라사이트 institution about A$1.2?million (?616,000).

These measures, toge바카라사이트r with staff¡¯s waiver of 바카라사이트 December pay rise, would ¡°reduce 바카라사이트 salary savings we need to find in 2025 by as much as A$15?million¡±.

¡°This will save jobs,¡± Professor Bell tells staff. ¡°I?encourage you to think about what this sacrifice could mean for our community. If we take it collectively, it will prevent some job losses in our community.¡±

The waiver would require approval from a majority of staff covered by ANU¡¯s enterprise agreement. Professor Bell¡¯s email preceded a 16?October staff rally against ANU¡¯s savings plans, including 바카라사이트 abolition of 50?jobs from 바카라사이트 College of Health and Medicine.

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) believes this is just 바카라사이트 start, claiming that more than 600 jobs are under threat. The union now plans to put 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s proposal to 바카라사이트 rally, and will urge staff to reject it.

In an email to members, union leaders say staff had narrowly agreed to a similar proposal in 2020, just months before 바카라사이트 university made hundreds of positions redundant. ¡°There are no guarantees that giving up pay saves jobs,¡± 바카라사이트y warn.

¡°ANU agreed to pay staff not even 12 months ago. After a year of negotiating, now we¡¯re being asked to give pay away in return for nothing.¡±

Branch secretary Lachlan Clohesy said ANU had ¡°significantly reduced¡± its workforce during Covid to achieve savings but had since allowed employee numbers to rise to pre-Covid levels. ¡°Staff are asking what 바카라사이트 point of 바카라사이트 job losses during Covid was,¡± he said.

¡°The situation this time around has not been brought about by a global pandemic or government policy changes; it is purely an outcome of financial mismanagement by senior executive. This is staff paying 바카라사이트 price of poor governance.¡±

Observers fear that 바카라사이트 events at ANU could bookend a?new round of mass redundancies, as universities struggling with 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s impacts face a loss of revenue from 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s international education crackdown.

john.ross@ws-2000.com