Needed: united front against next threat to uni jobs

There’s a job problem coming

There are suggestions universities are hoping for an advance on Commonwealth grants, repayable over three years. The case for the feds stumping up is that universities without big reserves – including regionals, will run out of money to pay staff well before a return to normal.

But even if there is some government support, the crisis means universities, not just those already financially marginal, will need, or want, to cut costs.

And that could mean sacking staff in ways and numbers not possible under enterprise agreements.

This would be a disaster for individuals but also for the nation’s teaching and research effort –destroying careers, up-ending the research ecosystem.

Perhaps the way to prepare (preventing is probably impossible) for the post-virus jobs crisis is for the university peak bodies to meet with union and IR reps across HE and adopt agreed positions for talks with government now – and each other later.