Management and unions at Western Sydney U generally give and take their ways to agreements but not just now at WSU’s pathway provider The College

Staff will vote next week on taking protected industrial action as part of enterprise bargaining, ranging from work bans to “indefinite stoppages.”

Management put an offer to staff in August, which included a 1.25 annual pay rise across the agreement. The university branch of the National Tertiary Education Union urged staff to oppose it and the offer was knocked back by 80 per cent of staff voting (CMM August 9).

Enterprise bargaining is also underway at the university itself, which may make negotiations at The College are a proxy for the way-bigger stakes there as well as a local issue.