For the first time in more than two decades staff at UniSQ will walk off the job next Wednesday 25 October.
NTEU members voted unanimously at a meeting of more than 200 UniSQ staff to take a half-day strike starting at lunchtime.
Quotes attributable to NTEU UniSQ Branch President, Professor Andrea Lamont-Mills
“Management have refused to meet further with the Union and are taking us to the Fair Work Commission instead. It’s a gross overreaction given how close we are to reaching final agreement. Members see it as yet another aggressive, unnecessary escalation.
“UniSQ Members are super keen to strike. When we proposed a half-day strike, members asked why we weren’t going for a full day. They are keen to show UniSQ management that they won’t agree to losing important rights and entitlements.”
Quotes attributable to NTEU Queensland Secretary, Michael McNally:
“UniSQ management appear hung up on removing review processes for termination of employment due to ill health or unsatisfactory performance that currently protect members. Bizarrely, UniSQ management also refuse to commit to using fair and objective criteria where they identify positions for redundancy or to commit to using forced redundancies as a last resort. The job security of all staff at UniSQ is at stake.”
“UniSQ Management have said they want to ‘streamline’ the Agreement to reduce costs, but it’s clear these final sticking points have nothing to do with budgets as they won’t save a single cent. Moving to forced redundancies without using all other measures like redeployment and natural attrition first might actually cost the University money.”
UniSQ Management have until next Tuesday to come back to the table to redress these final outstanding matters. Otherwise, UniSQ members will down tools and rally to defend their rights and entitlements.
