Deakin U sticks to job cuts strategy

Management consulted with staff but still likes its original plan

In May Deakin U management announced a savings-plan to deal with COVID-19 revenue reductions (CMM May 26.) It commenced consulting with staff on job losses, as the Enterprise Agreement requires, but separately in each of 15 operating units.

This was not well received by all at Deakin U.  Staff complained there were a bunch of other ways to save money and they were happy to help management plan for the future.

And the campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union argued that university-wide change required consultation at an all of university level and went to the Fair Work Commission – which agreed.

So, the university met with the union and asked staff for their views, although the comrades did not think managements’ hearts were in it.

And now the process is complete and the university is going to do pretty much what it announced in the first place. Word is 300 FTE positions will go, plus a further hundred that are now vacant, as originally planned