NTEU News | 14 March 2014
The Australian | 15 March 2014
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NTEU members at La Trobe University have voted to strike on 26 and 27 March across the university’s campuses as the university’s plan to cut 350 jobs inflamed stalled pay negotiations. …………………………………………………………………………………………………
The union says the job cuts are unnecessary and has demanded management agree to a pay increases of around 3% a year. Management have offered an 11 per cent pay rise over four years — an average 2.75% annual increase.
NTEU Victorian secretary Colin Long says the cost cutting agenda isn’t an excuse to offer a below-sector pay rise because it was driven by management’s spending plans rather than by a financial crisis.
The NTEU also claims the university intends to increase the number of students studying at the university at the same time as sacking hundreds of staff. Student numbers have increased by 1,300 in this year alone.
NTEU La Trobe Branch President Virginia Mansel Lees asked how can it be an improvement to the university to have more students and less staff ?
A La Trobe spokesman said the union has been made well aware of the need for productivity improvements.
He said the staff cuts are necessary and integral to efforts to cut costs by up to $65 million so money can be redirected to boosting the university’s research performance.
