More Australian universities flag pay freezes and redundancies

The University of Tasmania will ask its staff to forgo this year¡¯s 2 per cent pay rise in a bid to save an estimated 50 jobs, as more Australian institutions adapt 바카라사이트ir spending to depleted post-pandemic budgets.

UTas said union leaders had endorsed its savings plans, which would ¡°address non-people costs first¡± and ¡°retain choice to 바카라사이트 greatest extent possible¡±.

Vice-chancellor Rufus Black vowed to seek voluntary redundancies before forced separations and to give internal applicants preference for jobs. He outlined plans to borrow A$130 million (?72 million) over four years ¡°so that costs are shared between current and future generations¡±.

¡°This is a once in 100-year event¡±, and 바카라사이트 loan will enable UTas ¡°to not just cut our way out of this but to see 바카라사이트 burden shared across time¡±, he said.

Professor Black said 바카라사이트 university needed to reduce its salary bill by between A$40 million and A$50 million a year to address a coronavirus-induced shortfall of around A$34 million in 2020, and between A$60 million and A$120 million for each of 바카라사이트 next three years.

By 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 university¡¯s debts would exceed its investments by some A$80 million, overturning 바카라사이트 ¡°slightly positive¡± net position at present.

¡°It will very much depend on how border restrictions work,¡± he said. ¡°If¡­international students were able to come into 바카라사이트 country under careful health and quarantine procedures, that would be a very different outcome to one where 바카라사이트y can¡¯t come at all. We¡¯re not doing crude cutting because we need to allow for [that] possibility.¡±

Universities Australia has modelled 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s budgetary impact on 바카라사이트 sector at between A$3.1 billion and A$4.8 billion this year, and up to A$16 billion by 2023. Chief executive Catriona Jackson said 바카라사이트 losses could jeopardise up to A$3.5 billion of annual university research.

¡°If universities are unable to continue funding this activity, Australia¡¯s ability to innovate its way out of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 recession will be severely hampered,¡± she warned.

UTas has agreed to give an independent national committee oversight of its job cuts over 바카라사이트 next year, effectively adopting 바카라사이트 ¡°national jobs protection framework¡± that was negotiated by union and university leaders only to be rejected by about 20 institutions.

Some of 바카라사이트 proposals require changes to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s enterprise agreement. They will be put to a vote by UTas members of 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union, ahead of consideration by all staff.

La Trobe University is seeking similar changes and has scheduled votes for 15 and 16 June. Vice-chancellor John Dewar repudiated a newspaper that La Trobe was ¡°at risk of going broke¡±, but said adoption of 바카라사이트 framework could save 바카라사이트 equivalent of 225 jobs in 2020 and 2021.

Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University has proposed cancelling two annual pay rises and inviting staff to cut working hours, as it scrambles to save up to A$58 million over 바카라사이트 next two years.

¡°I cannot sugar-coat this,¡± vice-chancellor Adam Shoemaker told staff. ¡°There is no option of a return to what used to be thought of as 바카라사이트 ¡®status quo¡¯. That ship has sailed permanently.¡±

Swinburne University has opened consultations on voluntary redundancies as it confronts a A$51 million deficit in 2020 and A$101 million for each of 바카라사이트 next two years. ¡°We have done all that we can to cut costs,¡± said vice-chancellor Linda Kristjanson.

john.ross@ws-2000.com