National Tertiary Education Union members at WSU are out today

They are out over enterprise bargaining, including management not moving on its 2 per annum for three years cent pay offer – management’s original 1.6 per cent was on the table before inflation accelerated and the NTEU national leadership increased its all universities pay demand from four to five per cent per annum for three years.

However the strike also involves a proposal to convert numerous WSU casual positions into 150 continuing jobs, funded by non-staff cost cuts and staff accepting a marginally lower pay rise.  This has been discussed for a while and if it happened would be a big deal indeed, giving WSU casuals no more money but the security of continuing employment (CMM May 20). It would also set a precedent for universities across the country – if WSU did it, why not universities way richer?

But it now appears any such deal is delayed, at best. NTEU branch president David Burchell says, “we had been negotiating for what would be a sector leading casual conversion scheme, but management has taken this hostage to the pay negotiations.”