There’ s a range of COVID thanks

Various universities have given staff days off. Uni Wollongong says it will pay people deferred wage rises a couple of months earlier than agreed. Monash U sprung for $50 vouchers given to staff who got vaxed, good at campus outlets.

And then there’s Uni Sydney, where newish VC Mark Scott has just announced a $2000 COVID recognition payment for staff – including casuals who worked three pay periods in second semester, they get the whole $2000 (CMM November 10).This is kind – help for people, especially sessional teaching staff who carried a sizeable swag of the on-line class burden, and can really use the money.

It is also clever. Uni Sydney identified just 69 casual staff who qualify for conversion to continuing employment under new Fair Work Act requirements – out of 4173 assessed (CMM September 14). But if casuals continue to complain about that the university can point to the COVID payments as demonstrating management cares.