UNSW stands down staff

Date: 12 July 2010

Staff are outraged after management at the University of New South Wales commenced the standing down and docking of pay of more than 70 people who are taking part in a campaign to halt the blow-out in the use of casual and fixed-term contracts at the institution.

The National Tertiary Education Union said staff had been campaigning for 18 months for a new enterprise agreement that would address the 36 percent increase in casual and fixed-term contracts in the last four years and bring UNSW in line with other Group of Eight Universities in terms of pay and conditions.

Staff, who had decided to place a ban on the transmission of student marks to the University administration to bring management back to the bargaining table on the issue, received letters from UNSW Human Resources director David Ward telling them they had been stood down, with their pay docked from Friday 2 July, despite having carried out their regular work since then.

Mr Ward wrote: "Because of the ban by you on the recording and transmission to the University of assessment and examination results, the University does not accept the performance of any work by you and you will not be entitled to any payment of salary until you are prepared to perform all your duties."

NTEU UNSW branch president Susan Price said management's move was an unprecedented escalation of the dispute that had the potential to derail preparations for next semester, as well as special classes in some faculties that commence from Monday.

"It is outrageous that despite being at work and doing their jobs, the university has now stood down staff and deducted a weeks pay in an attempt to strong arm them into accepting substandard workplace conditions that will lead to substandard educational outcomes for students," Ms Price said.

"We don't want to harm students or the university, however management's refusal to address the surging rates of casual and fixed term contracts -- which make it difficult to attract the best quality teachers and researchers -- has left staff with no choice but to take action.

"UNSW management needs to halt this malicious attack on staff, return to the bargaining table and begin working cooperatively to ensure we can continue to provide the best possible university experience for students."

Defence Fund The expressions of solidarity by NTEU members through your donations to the hardship fund has been tremendous. The total is $6000 and rising! This is in addition to the financial support which will be provided by the NTEU National Defence Fund to any member stood down without pay.

Members who have not yet had the chance to donate can now do so via https://www.nteu.org.au/shop_tools/donations/unsw

Members should be confident that this action is having a significant impact on University Management, and word is spreading far and wide about the stand down notices, with many messages of disbelief and support for staff flowing into the branch. We are endeavouring to post as many messages as we can on the Branch website.

For further information

Contact:	Paul Clifton
Union:	NTEU
WWW:	https://www.nteu.org.au/

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