Union members at Victoria University have voted to oppose management’s new enterprise agreement offer. This is not especially newsy news as the National Tertiary Education Union always opposes management props not signed-off by its campus negotiators and they oppose the terms now on offer (CMM February 6).

But while expected this does not diminish how much is at stake for VU management and union. The university lost the vote on its first offer last year and simply cannot afford a second loss. The union needs to win again, to demonstrate it speaks for staff beyond its membership.  Management says it is offering an improved pay-rise. The union says conditions of employment are eroded.