UTS unionists vote for industrial action

UTS unionists vote for industrial action

By Melanie Sjoberg

SYDNEY — Academics and general staff at the University of Technology, Sydney have voted to begin rolling strikes at the university to secure a new enterprise agreement. The unionists are frustrated at management's delaying tactics.

A meeting by 50 members of the National Tertiary Education Industry Union (NTEU) on March 15 voted to strike for two hours on March 22 and rally outside the administration office. The rally will coincide with a student-organised national day of action protesting against education cuts.

A further 24-hour strike on March 28 and a 48-hour strike on April 14 and 15 were also approved, if there is no satisfactory response from management.

The NTEU have a nationally formulated bargaining proposal that is being pursued by each campus branch. It includes a claim for a minimum pay rise of 12% over three years, with no job cuts. Successful outcomes of negotiations at Sydney University and University of New South Wales are being used by the union as a benchmark.

NTEU members at UTS have also met with students to coordinate their activities.

From GLW issue 398