Academic staff at Southern Cross University are angry that management gave themselves pay increases of 7 per cent in 2013-14 while staff received increases of just two per cent.
During that time a number of academic staff were made redundant while others were expected to take on increased workloads.
The squabbling over pay and conditions is underway once again, with members of the National Tertiary Education Union locked in a dispute with management over their latest workplace agreement.
Last Wednesday, NTUE members unanimously rejected an offer from management of 2.4 per cent per annum, which they say is less than the industry standard of 3.11 per cent, and also less than an earlier offer put forward by the university’s management.
SCU has campuses in Lismore, Tweed and Coffs Harbour.
NTEU SCU branch president Kate Mitchell said staff would begin voting on a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement next Thursday, with voting closing on 22 June.
But Ms Mitchell said it was unlikely staff would agree to the offer currently on the table.
‘Staff feel a lack of respect and appreciation for their hard work and commitment, particularly over the last 18 months of dwindling staff numbers and increasing workloads,’ Mitchell said.
‘The management offer NTEU members voted to reject contained an average pay increase of 2.6 per cent. Now management has released an agreement with an average 2.4 per cent increase.
‘This clearly shows that management have the capacity to pay staff more, but have chosen instead to pay less.’
Ms Mitchell said the union would be encouraging staff to vote no unless the pay offer was increased.
