The 2018 Enterprise Agreement included a provision for academics on fixed term contracts doing the same work for five years or more to apply for conversion to continuing employment

There was also a clause for sessional staff to convert to fixed term.  The provisions kicked in last September – and presumably end when the agreement expires, nominally at end October.

They won’t be remembered for helping many people escape the precariat. Some 120 people or so are said to have secured fixed term appointments and continuing jobs.

Perhaps there might be more to hope for in the next agreement, if only because the Fair Work Act now sets out a path to permanent employment for casual staff (CMM April 21). And there could be a sort-of precedent, Monash U has been working on fixed terms positions for PhD students with sessional-teaching jobs ((CMM April 1, April 20). VC Margaret Gardner says she is “hopeful” that an unspecified number will be offered jobs this year (CMM July 27).