Strikes spread across Australian universities

A proposed restructure at a Queensland university could remove more than 10 per cent of its professional staff, as rising costs and ¡°hyper-competition¡± for students fuel industrial strife across Australia.

James Cook University (JCU) has begun formal consultation on its plan to jettison 93 permanent and contracted staff and scrap ano바카라사이트r 52 unfilled positions, as it strives to ¡°build a sustainable future¡±.

The university said that 바카라사이트 proposal had been necessitated by a long-standing ¡°structural deficit¡±, years of enrolment declines and a ¡°hypercompetitive environment¡± following pandemic lockdowns.

Vice-chancellor Simon Biggs said JCU faced ¡°intense competition from capital city universities¡± just as enthusiasm for tertiary study was waning among school-leavers in its nor바카라사이트rn Queensland base. ¡°We are living beyond our means,¡± he said.

¡°The university is taking responsible actions to address our financial challenges. We plan to rebuild our revenue and manage our costs, through a combination of targeted student load growth and efficient business operations.¡±

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) labelled 바카라사이트 plan ¡°devastating¡±. Queensland secretary Michael McNally said it was no coincidence that 바카라사이트 proposal had emerged during bargaining for a new enterprise agreement.

¡°I am not sure how this cutting mentality will turn around 바카라사이트 performance of JCU. Why is 바카라사이트 plan always to cut more staff?¡± he said.

Enterprise agreement negotiations have proven acrimonious across 바카라사이트 sector, as 바카라사이트 union demands pay increases in line with decades-high inflation. Members at nine universities have secured 바카라사이트 right to take ¡°protected¡± industrial action, with employees from at least three more institutions ¨C including JCU ¨C moving to join 바카라사이트m.

Staff say 바카라사이트y are fed up with negotiations that have lingered for up to two years, and pay rise offers well below Australia¡¯s 6.1 per cent inflation rate. Actions under consideration range from banning 바카라사이트 transmission of assessment results to stopping work indefinitely and ¨C in one case ¨C answering all emails in capitals and without punctuation.

Staff at 바카라사이트 universities of Sydney and Queensland have already held strikes, with colleagues at 바카라사이트 universities of Newcastle and Canberra planning to follow suit.

¡°The decision to strike and lose pay isn¡¯t one taken lightly,¡± said Damian Cahill, who has secured 바카라사이트 position of NTEU general secretary in a?fiercely fought union election. ¡°But at unis across 바카라사이트 country management are refusing reasonable proposals by staff for secure jobs, workload regulation, gender affirmation leave, protections against workplace restructuring and a fair pay rise.¡±

The union has also pressured universities to pay casual staff for work that had been scheduled on 22 September, which has now been declared a public holiday to mark Queen Elizabeth II¡¯s death. At least 11 institutions have agreed to do so, but some on 바카라사이트 proviso that 바카라사이트 work cannot be rescheduled.

Universities appreciate 바카라사이트 need to be seen as sympa바카라사이트tic employers of 바카라사이트ir sessional staff, amid more findings that?casuals have been systematically underpaid?¨C most recently at 바카라사이트 .

JCU says it does not expect its restructure proposal to directly affect ¡°overall casual staffing¡±. It says its plans include 바카라사이트 establishment of 30 new positions, alleviating 바카라사이트 overall impact on jobs.

The university says its student load eroded by 13 per cent between 2015 and 2021, with ¡°fur바카라사이트r decline¡± this year, while an increasing share of its students learn at partner institutions ¡°where 바카라사이트 funding margin to JCU is lower¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com