Last week scenarios for university managements to deal with the new industrial relations regime turned up in The Australian – the union was cross – now it’s crosser

Consultant proposals to the Australian Higher Education Industrial Association (which represents nearly all public sector universities) included advice for members that want to maintain individual enterprise agreements and those that want to take advantage of the coming multi-employer agreement provisions – CMM wagers there are way more of the former than latter.

According to the National Tertiary Education Union the advice was intended to help managements that want to present pay offers to staff which the union opposes. “This advice … is at odds with the needs of university staff and if continued, will result in further pay cuts and a reduction in conditions for staff in many universities, the NTEU asserted.

And now the union has escalated its ire.

General Secretary Damien Cahill has written to the VCs of AHEIA members, claiming the association,” aims to diminish worker rights and seeking commitments that they “will continue to negotiate in good faith with (the) NTEU and its members.”

Dr Cahill gives VCs seven days to so commit in writing, without which, “we will assume that you support AHEIA’s advice and will act accordingly.”