The National Tertiary Education Union calls for more

With enterprise bargaining under way or on the agenda at universities across the country the union has increased its pay claim by 3 per cent.

The national executive decided on the increase yesterday. Union branches which have lodged  a total 12 per cent claim for the three years of the next agreement will make a supplementary claim on managements.

The present 12 per cent increase was decided by the union leadership in November 2020, when inflation had been negligible for years. However, the union is now responding to inflationary expectations. The RBA suggests a 3.75 per cent CPI rise in the June quarter and running at 2.75 per cent for all of 2023.

“Many institutions have benefited from the sacrifices and increased productivity of staff and are now clearly in position to afford real salary increases,” NTEU General Secretary Matthew McGowan said last night.

There is now a substantial gap between union and management expectations on pay – Western Sydney U, for example, is offering 1.6 per cent per annum for each of the three years (CMM March 24).