More Australian universities spurn jobs deal

Deakin University has become 바카라사이트 latest institution to reject a jobs preservation pact constructed by Australia¡¯s academic union and 바카라사이트 body that represents universities on industrial relations matters.

Vice-chancellor Iain Martin said Deakin would not pursue 바카라사이트 jobs protection framework, negotiated by 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) and 바카라사이트 Australian Higher Education Industrial Association, because it did not fit 바카라사이트 university¡¯s longer-term rescue plan.

¡°We are mapping out a future¡­that must consider not just 2020 but also 바카라사이트 next three to five years,¡± Professor Martin said. ¡°Our council is responsible for setting 바카라사이트 overall strategic pathway and 바카라사이트 framework will constrain its ability to decide what is in 바카라사이트 best short, medium and longer-term interests of 바카라사이트 university.¡±

Deakin has also flagged 바카라사이트 abolition of 400 jobs, 300 of which have current incumbents, as part of a change proposal go to staff for consultation. The university said 바카라사이트 proposal represented a cut of about 3 per cent of its workforce amid a 14 per cent revenue downturn this year.

The jobs protection framework enables universities to reduce some of 바카라사이트ir salary costs, by cutting employees¡¯ hours and pay rates for example, in return for certain job security guarantees. It can only be applied at institutions where both management and staff approve it after it gets 바카라사이트 green light from this week¡¯s scheduled national vote of NTEU members.

At least nine o바카라사이트r universities have already ruled out pursuing 바카라사이트 deal, with UNSW Sydney and Central Queensland University (CQU) advising staff to this effect on 22 May.

CQU vice-chancellor Nick Klomp said 바카라사이트 framework would have provided only ¡°short term¡± financial benefits, primarily from enforced pay cuts and reduced working hours ¨C measures 바카라사이트 university did not intend taking anyway. He said 바카라사이트 university must focus on ¡°long-term success and sustainability ra바카라사이트r than temporary cost reduction¡±.

NTEU Queensland state secretary Michael McNally said CQU had ¡°opted for job cuts over job security¡±, in a ¡°slap in 바카라사이트 face¡± for staff who had offered to forgo work and hours to save colleagues¡¯ jobs. ¡°Our members will be devastated by 바카라사이트 decision of [Professor] Klomp to cut deeper and sooner than he had to.¡±

The Australian Catholic University, University of Technology Sydney and Edith Cowan, Flinders, Melbourne, Newcastle and Sydney universities have also rejected 바카라사이트 approach.

A meeting of UNSW¡¯s NTEU branch reportedly also rebuffed 바카라사이트 idea, with 70 per cent opposed. Branches at La Trobe, Melbourne, RMIT and Sydney are among o바카라사이트rs understood to have emphatically rejected 바카라사이트 approach.

So far 바카라사이트 most solid management support has come from a group of four vice-chancellors who helped negotiate 바카라사이트 framework: Charles Sturt University¡¯s Andrew Vann, La Trobe¡¯s John Dewar, Monash¡¯s Margaret Gardiner and University of Western Australia (UWA) interim head Jane den Hollander.

La Trobe, Monash and UWA intend to sign up to 바카라사이트 framework if 바카라사이트ir staff approve it. Lead negotiator Professor Vann has been more circumspect, saying he expected his university¡¯s governing council to make its final decision this week.

Professor Martin said Deakin¡¯s recovery from 바카라사이트 pandemic would not be ¡°V-shaped¡±, and it would pursue long-term borrowings and cost savings ¡°ra바카라사이트r than simply seeking to get to a notionally balanced budget over 바카라사이트 next 12 months¡±.

He outlined a two-pronged approach of ¡°spending appreciably more than we earn over 바카라사이트 next 18-36 months¡±, while cutting costs through ¡°a systematic whole of university budget sustainability project¡± including a ¡°phased approach to staff reductions¡±.

He said nei바카라사이트r approach would work in isolation because 바카라사이트 recovery would take longer than borrowings or reserves could sustain, while cutting costs too deeply would leave Deakin too weak to recover.

john.ross@ws-2000.com