More than 50 per cent of university workers in Victoria are employed insecurely, according to new analysis by the National Tertiary Education Union.
- More than one third of employees are casual workers
- One in three university employees is a woman in insecure work
- Younger people, particularly those aged 25-34, are over-represented in insecure work than other parts of the workforce
NTEU Victorian Division Assistant Secretary Sarah Roberts said it’s clear the university business model is broken.
“More than half of all Victorian university workers have no job security, no sick leave or parental leave and no ability to buy a home or plan for their future,” Ms Roberts said.
“Staff are continually employed on casual or short-term contracts, forced to constantly re-apply for their jobs and are often the victims of wage theft.
“University Councils should step up and heed the warnings being issued from all sides on insecure work.
“Whether it’s from the Union, the Senate, the Victorian Higher Education Minister, the Fair Work Ombudsman or the Wage Inspectorate, the message is the same: stop relying on insecure work or risk the reputational damage of being outed as a wage thief.
“The NTEU will be on the front foot on insecure work as we kick off bargaining at all Victorian universities this year. Our key claims will be around limiting redundancies, rights to renewal and conversion for fixed term staff and proper jobs for long-term casual employees.
“Given this deeply concerning data, we won’t be taking no for an answer.”
NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes said the next federal government must stop the proliferation of insecure work at Australian universities.
“University managements across the country have profited from cutting thousands of jobs and keeping those that are left on casual or short-term contracts,” Dr Barnes said.
“The next federal government must make a genuine attempt to address universities’ gross over-reliance on insecure work because it is clear university managements will not do it themselves.”
