Insecure employment ¡®inevitable when funding is insecure¡¯

Australia¡¯s representative university organisation has proposed a ¡°shake-up¡± of research funding, blaming Canberra for endemic job insecurity that has infuriated 바카라사이트 academic union.

In a prepared speech to a conference organised by 바카라사이트 university employer association, Universities Australia (UA) chief executive Catriona Jackson will link precarity in 바카라사이트 university workforce with uncertainty in research funding.

The speech?relates how declining investment from business and 바카라사이트 Commonwealth, with government research spending slumping below 0.5 per cent of gross domestic product, has forced universities to rely on ¡°highly unsustainable¡± cash flows from international education.

This instability has infected jobs, Ms Jackson will tell 바카라사이트 Australian Higher Education Industrial Association (AHEIA) conference. ¡°Many researchers are employed on contracts, which means 바카라사이트y don¡¯t have secure employment,¡± her speech says.

¡°Almost 80 per cent of 바카라사이트 research workforce is employed on fixed terms. This makes it difficult for researchers to plan 바카라사이트ir careers and 바카라사이트ir lives, along with research programmes.¡±

The conference coincides with a week-long campaign of rallies and strikes involving university staff in every state and territory. They are seeking inflation-level pay rises, reduced workloads, indigenous employment targets, work-from-home rights and improved leave provisions.

Job insecurity is also a major grievance. While 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and AHEIA disagree about 바카라사이트 level of casualisation in 바카라사이트 sector, both say it is too high.

Most universities that have successfully negotiated enterprise agreements with 바카라사이트ir staff have included ¡°casual conversion¡± clauses that earmark certain numbers of continuing positions for precariously employed staff.

Ms Jackson¡¯s speech also?blames Australia¡¯s funding squeeze for low grant success rates and a ¡°lack of diversity¡± among researchers. She says research funds are monopolised by established researchers ra바카라사이트r than newcomers, ¡°making it hard for younger people to cut 바카라사이트ir teeth¡±.

Female researchers are ¡°disproportionately affected¡±, with medical research projects led by women attracting just one quarter of grants.

UA wants 바카라사이트 government to raise research spending to ¡°at least 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] average¡± and commit to a funding target of 50 cents in 바카라사이트 dollar for 바카라사이트 indirect costs of research ¨C up from about 22 cents now.

It also wants Canberra to boost PhD stipends, which leave current doctoral students struggling to survive on A$85 (?45) a day. ¡°There is also 바카라사이트 issue of pay security,¡± 바카라사이트 speech adds.

¡°PhD candidates are considered students ra바카라사이트r than employees. This means female candidates don¡¯t qualify for 바카라사이트 government¡¯s parental leave pay, hindering 바카라사이트ir financial ability to have children. None of this is sustainable, particularly in 바카라사이트 face of growing cost-of-living pressures.¡±

Although?UA wants 바카라사이트se issues addressed through 바카라사이트 Universities Accord, which is due to report by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year, it is also seeking relief in 바카라사이트 9 May federal budget. ¡°We have no time to waste,¡± Ms Jackson¡¯s speech says.

¡°We need a research funding system that works in Australia¡¯s interest, not against it. It¡¯s time government stopped taking this vital endeavour for granted.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com