At Swinburne U voluntary redundancies are on the agenda as management looks for savings to deal with a $51m deficit this year and in ’21 and ’22

The campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union is not convinced management is out of non-staff savings and makes its case in a restrained, respectful document written deep in the policy and budget weeds.

“We believe any moves towards redundancies are premature,” the comrades conclude.

But if the university is intent on VRs, the union says, “a voluntary redundancy program is preferable to forced redundancies,” as long as there are, “appropriate safeguards for remaining staff.”

People being sacked isn’t being considered, at least not yet.  However, “there is a possibility that involuntary redundancies may be required in coming months to meet the changing environment we are now facing, Vice Chancellor Linda Kristjanson says, (CMM June 3).

If that happens, the apparent good-will would go, the union flat-out rejects involuntary departures.