This morning’s protest rally at Melbourne’s Victoria University saw staff’s frustration targeted at Chancellor Steve Bracks as anger rises over what the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) says is a failure to give staff a fair pay rise. A petition expressing staff, student and alumni outrage about Gaza is also driving protest.
NTEU members rallied outside a University Council meeting chaired by the former Victorian premier at VU’s Footscray campus on Tuesday 28 May from 8am – 9am.
The union says that, despite receiving its claims more than a year ago, VU management has failed to make a concrete offer on pay and working conditions.
Block teaching model adds to staff stress
Unmanageable workloads are a major sticking point, driven by VU’s controversial ‘block model’ that teaches students one semester-length subject in four weeks at a time, rather than multiple units concurrently like at every other university in Australia. Recent job cuts that saw almost 20 per cent of employees leave – putting enormous pressure on remaining staff – are another issue.
The NTEU says senior VU leadership has proved combative, with claims that Rechelle Martinez, Head of Operations First Year College at VU “accosted” NTEU representatives who were posting flyers about academic claims and told them to “stick it up your clackers, you lot – you’re a disgrace, go and do some work”.
“Enough is enough,” says NTEU VU Branch President Brandy Cochrane.
“Staff have endured hundreds of colleagues leaving, an unsafe teaching model and a cost-of-living crisis, yet management clearly thinks they don’t deserve to be paid fairly.
“Instead of trying to resolve the issues, management is playing for time and not sending anyone with real decision-making power to talk about staff’s reasonable claims.
“Steve Bracks must bring senior management into line and ensure the university’s top decision-makers get serious about a real pay offer.”
WorkCover claims at university on the rise
NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Sarah Roberts says “WorkCover data reveals that VU has had more claims against it in the last two years than any other Victorian university”.
“Under VU’s model, staff are being forced to work huge hours of unpaid overtime just to get marking and course administration done. Staff need a fair pay rise, reasonable workloads and secure jobs.”
