RMIT University staff have launched a week-long strike over management’s failure to offer a decent pay rise during a cost-of-living crisis.
The strike by National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) members began Monday when they voted on a no-confidence motion in RMIT Vice-Chancellor Alec Cameron and will continue for the entire working week.
Despite the existing enterprise agreement expiring more than 1000 days ago, management has refused to offer staff a decent pay rise, ease out-of-control workloads or consider reasonable proposals to increase secure work.
RMIT management has also tried to abolish long-standing employment conditions, like rights for casuals to convert into secure work in vocational education.
This week’s industrial action – from Monday 25 March to Thursday 28 March – includes a schedule of picketing and protest actions.
Calls for leadership to offer more support for staff
RMIT NTEU Branch President Dr Tricia McLaughlin says there is a clear need for RMIT management to change its tune.
“Staff supported RMIT and students throughout the pandemic,” she says.
“RMIT staff now find themselves with excessive workloads and no negotiated wage increase – RMIT staff deserve better.”
NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Sarah Roberts says the Vice-Chancellor and his executives had shown a shocking lack of respect for staff.
“Staff never take a decision to strike lightly, let alone for an entire working week,” she says.
Fair pay rise is overdue, says union
“It’s completely unacceptable that the wages of RMIT staff are falling behind their colleagues at other Victorian unis simply because management is refusing to negotiate on a fair pay rise.
“Victoria’s universities are suffering from an insecure work crisis while RMIT is rejecting sensible plans to reduce casualisation.
“The sort of bully-boy industrial tactics RMIT has tried to use against staff have no place in any workplace let alone Victoria’s public universities.”
