University staff endorse May 30 strike

By Chris Spindler

SYDNEY — In the face of proposed massive cuts to tertiary education funding, a stop-work meeting of Macquarie University academic staff on May 8 endorsed the national 24-hour strike for May 30.

The meeting reaffirmed the National Tertiary Education and Industry Union's wage claim of 15% with no trade-offs. The NTEU is demanding an immediate 8% increase as part of the 15%.

Since 1994 academic staff have received pay increases of less than 5%. Over the same period, class sizes have increased while funding per student has been cut, increasing the student/teacher ratio by 30%.

The NTEU is asking that students and student organisations support the actions of the academics.

Alex Bainbridge reports from Newcastle that the vice-chancellor of Newcastle University, Raoul Mortley, has said that at least 250 academic and general jobs will be lost there if the government cuts education funding by 12%. Many of these would have to be forced redundancies, he said.

Students and staff are planning a rally and march on May 30 in response.

Michael Sloggett and Katherine Henderson report from Wollongong that student organisations and staff trade unions at the University of Wollongong have agreed to a number of combined actions.

May 27-31, NTEU members will impose a teaching ban. Other trade unions with members on campus have agreed not to cross picket lines, which will be established on May 30. Students will join staff for a joint action that morning before boarding buses to the NUS national day of action in Sydney.

On May 22, academics will cancel classes while students hold a day of action to oppose the threatened funding cuts and the possibility of voluntary student unionism legislation being introduced.

From GLW issue 232