Southern Cross U staff have rejected a management savings plan opposed by one of two campus unions

Vice Chancellor Adam Shoemaker acknowledged the loss in a message to staff late Friday.

But it was close, the proposal went down 52 per cent to 48 per cent, on a two-thirds or so turn-out.

This is a win for the National Tertiary Education Union, which opposed the plan, telling staff that a no vote now could lead to the university offering stronger job protection. But it’s a defeat for the Community and Public Sector Union which backed the university proposal, and for Professor Shoemaker, who wanted the deal to save $5.6m by cancelling one pay rise and deferring another.

The NTEU was consistent in victory, “staff have today sent a clear message that they want negotiations with the NTEU to continue.”

Which is what they are not going to get. Professor Shoemaker, told staff that savings will now be found under the terms of the existing enterprise agreement.

This will delay securing savings if the NTEU decides management’s plans breach the EA and goes to the Fair Work Commission.

SCU joins Uni Wollongong and Uni Melbourne in losing staff votes on proposals the NTEU opposed.