The campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union has notified a dispute with the university, claiming three kinds of breaches of pay rates set by the enterprise agreement.

One alleges incorrect pay rates for tutorials, “which involve the exercise of autonomous academic judgement.” The second is the same for marking that requires academic judgement. The third claim is that casual academic staff are paid for less marking time than continuing and fixed term staff.

These issues are similar to those raised by the union in disputes at other universities which have accepted that casuals were not paid the enterprise-bargaining specified rate for jobs and are making good. The problems are generally due to casual academic staff being paid the lower rate for work, which applies when tasks are routine,  in cases of work where academic judgement is required.

The NTEU wants Flinders U to invite casual academics teaching second semester ’19 and later to seeks a review of tutorial and marking payments, “if they suspect underpayment.” The union calls for any such review of rates paid for actual work to be done by an independent party and; “all staff responsible for contracting casual academic staff or administering the employment relationship will undertake mandatory training on application of the casual academic paid rates, with a particular focus on tutorial and marking payments.”

CMM asked Flinders U for comment and was told the union’s letter was received but “lacks sufficient details and we have since requested further information from the NTEU, so we can properly consider their concerns. Flinders always encourages and enables staff members to raise concerns individually or through the NTEU by providing relevant information.”