NTEU members at RMIT will launch a 1.5 day strike on Thursday June 13 and vote on boycotting RMIT Open Day – one of the university’s most lucrative student procurement activities.
RMIT staff have had enough of management’s aggressive and unprecedented tactics to thwart the bargaining process, which has left some RMIT staff among the lowest paid in the tertiary sector.
RMIT’s University Enterprise Agreement expired three years ago, the VE Teachers agreement two years ago, and RMIT staff have taken more industrial action this bargaining round than at any other time in RMIT’s 137-year history.
“While RMIT staff are struggling with the cost of living and dealing with bulging class sizes and ever-increasing workloads, Vice Chancellor Alec Cameron commands a salary of over $1,000,000. No wonder trust in senior management is at an all-time low” said RMIT Branch President, Tricia McLaughlin.
Since losing a non-union ballot in March 2024 for Teachers in RMIT’s College of Vocational Education (VE), RMIT are yet to respond in a meaningful way to these members claims and are instead asking staff to complete another survey on what they want from bargaining.
“Members and non-members are coming to me and are shocked at how little respect RMIT management are showing for their VE teaching staff and the process for bargaining an agreement. They are fed up with “platitudes and spin”. Shiny presentation with lots of numbers means nothing. A non-union ballot and loaded surveys of staff instead of bargaining with the union representatives are so disrespectful. We keep getting told VE teachers are unique and special – how? Less pay – Yes, Less conditions – Yes. Sidelined – Yes. We all have had enough” – Julian Pratt, VE Delegate Chairperson.
The NTEU will be delivering an open letter signed over 800 staff members expressing a vote of no confidence in Vice-Chancellor Professor Cameron and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Vocational Education Mish Eastman at Thursday’s rally.
The letter condemns RMIT management’s approach to enterprise bargaining, stating that NTEU members at the university have lost confidence in their ability to administer their roles and responsibilities in accordance with the interests of staff throughout the enterprise bargaining process.
