Victorian VCs praise the Victorian Government for funding research and capital works (CMM May 20 2020) – they may not be so supportive now

On Friday the state higher education minister Gayle Tierney released a letter to Victorian  VCs in which she asked for, “an update on how your university is working to address the issue of underpayment of casual staff to ensure it does not occur again.”

And while they were at it, she wants them to update her, “on how your university is working to reduce the level of insecure work and provide job security for your workforce.”

Responses to Minister Tierney’s requests will likely be the standard explanations of underpayment (unfortunate errors, being corrected) and casual employment (lots  of people like it, others don’t qualify for continuing jobs).

But what university spinners will not welcome is more attention for the two biggest reputational issues  some universities face.  What appears systemic underpayment of some staff and using contested interpretations of the Fair Work Act to deny long-serving casuals continuing employment is common at universities across the state.

It makes university managements look uncaring and self-serving – neither of which helps their case that Commonwealth underfunding is the cause of all their woes.