The National Tertiary Education Union leadership calls on university staff to join it in opposing UniSuper investing in “polluting companies fuelling the climate crisis

The union’s announcement follows grass-root staff and student demands over recent years by activists at individual universities.

“If enough of us write to the board in big numbers, I know we can make the switch,” NTEU national president Alison Barnes says.

She nominates BHP, Woodside and energy infrastructure provider APA as companies UniSuper now invests in, adding the union sold its fossil fuel investments seven years ago.

The NTEU has two seats on the UniSuper board, now occupied by former general secretary Grahame McCulloch and Sarah Roberts (assistant secretary for Victoria).

However, Dr Barnes says the NTEU wants unanimous board support, “The union expects all directors, not just the union nominees, to support UniSuper exiting fossil fuels by 2030.”