National Tertiary Education Union members will vote Monday in a national ballot on the accord adopted by the university’s national leaders and a group of vice chancellors

If it passes, the next step is all-staff votes at universities. Whether it will, CMM has no clue. Activists who dislike the idea of surrendering wages and conditions to management, are vocal, especially in Victoria, but federal president Alison Barnes and colleagues have solid support among state leaderships for the job protection the accord would provide.

How many universities will sign-on, is another question, (among so many) on which CMM is clue-less. Australian Catholic U and Uni Melbourne were quick to knock-back the deal, followed by Flinders U, yesterday. CQU, Murdoch and ANU managements all say they are thinking about it. Universities which should be solid in support are Charles Sturt U, La Trobe U, Monash U and UWA – the VCs of which all worked on the deal.