The campaign begins for enterprise agreement variations

The university needs to make COVID 19 caused savings and yesterday put a proposal to staff. It follows the failure of talks on a unity ticket with the campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union (CMM yesterday).

Management will ask staff to give up the 2 per cent pay rise due in March. In return for the $10m savings the university promises to protect 80 FTE positions and for voluntary redundancies, “ahead of any retrenchment of staff.” However, there is no word on how many FTE staff or actual individuals the university may need to sack.

Among other commitments the university also offers “transparency” on finances, “with ongoing provision of financial statements.” This appears intended to address the NTEU demand that the university open its books to an independent committee including a union representative.

Any proposal to vary the enterprise agreement must be approved by a staff vote.