Student union worker victimised
By Maurice Sibelle
MELBOURNE — On January 17, a Victoria University of Technology student union employee was sacked. The university administration has refused to renew Bill Deller's contract despite the fact that there is work to be done, funds for the position and a recommendation from the student union manager that Deller's contract be extended.
Administration representative Ian Rae said that no contracts will be renewed because of a recent ruling by the Industrial Relations Commission that suggests that the university has severance responsibilities to workers who have their contracts rolled over. However, Deller's contract has already been extended once, so sacking him will not protect the university.
In a letter posted on the internet last week, student union education and welfare coordinator Geoffrey Binder asked whether Deller was sacked "because he was an outspoken unionist — a trouble maker? Is this a blatantly political act against a political activist? In the absence of a clear rationale, one is left to conclude thus. If the university is allowed to get away with this, all contract staff are at risk of not having their contracts renewed."
The student union will be forced to cancel orientation-week activities because it is one staff member short. The local branch of the National Tertiary Education and Industry Union has been asked to fight this attack on Deller, all contract staff and the autonomy of the student union.