National Tertiary Education Union members are out today

They are protesting what the union calls “a lack of movement on key issues” in enterprise bargaining, including, “Protections against job cuts and “a fair pay offer.”

The university is offering a two-year agreement, instead of the usual three, citing the need to be ready for uncertain times, with two 3 per cent annual pay rises. Management also offers additional days off plus ten “life-event” days off a year, which it claims translates to nearly six weeks paid leave a year.

However the NTEU’s all-unis ask is three yearly five per cent increases (CMM August 22).

DVC Kent Anderson says the university will be “open and operating” today and he expects “most classes will continue as normal.”