Staff at the University of NSW mail room are the latest victims of the university's cost-cutting and corporatisation. Mail services at UNSW including internal mail and courier services were put out to tender via an advertisement in the November 1 Sydney Morning Herald.
The move follows a round of calls for voluntary redundancy across the university, which will result in hundreds of support staff jobs being lost. The job cuts program is currently the subject of a dispute between UNSW and the National Tertiary Education Union.
"UNSW management has a responsibility to consult properly with staff and their unions about any major workplace change which includes any plan to outsource University services", said UNSW NTEU branch president Susan Price.
"Less than three months ago university management announced that it would outsource cleaning and security services which resulted in the loss of over one hundred jobs. Once again management is ignoring their responsibilities under the UNSW collective workplace agreement. The NTEU will not stand by and see our members' rights stomped on, their jobs put at risk and University mail services handed over to private profit-making interests."
NTEU members employed at the mail room have taken news of their plight to staff across the university, handing out flyers and collecting signatures on petitions as they deliver the mail.