Staff have voted for COVID-19 savings to protect jobs

The university community will accept a delay in an enterprise agreement pay rise, no 2020 Christmas leave loading and a 19-day additional leave purchase by staff. While the number of jobs saved is not specified number-crunching suggests it could be around 230 (CMM June 9).

The deal, and the way it was done, is in-line with what was intended to be a national accord, negotiated by four VCs and the federal leadership of the National Tertiary Education Union.

The UWA version was supported by 77 per cent of staff voting, albeit the turnout was just 50 per cent.

This is a big win for Jane den Hollander, who has acted as VC since Dawn Freshwater left, covering until Amit Chaka starts. The well-respected former Deakin U VC gave her word that the deal was needed to address UWA’s “precarious” finances, which “cannot go on unchecked,” (CMM June 22).

It is also a win for VC-elect Chakma, who will start next month with major savings already agreed.