WEEKLY NEWS

Massey staff pay negotiation ends in a disappointedly low pay rise

Sammy Carter (she/her)

Massey staff have finished their pay dispute, landing a low raise of 4.25% instead of the 8% they bargained for.

As Massey’s Collective Agreement expired in July last year, the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) were negotiating an 8% pay rise across universities to match inflation.

Staff took action last year, with multiple protests and strikes pushing for a pay rise over the eight long months of bargaining. The offer of 4.25% was ratified last Monday.

Ben Schmidt, TEU organiser said, “It is disappointing for some, however the settlement and the increase that has been ratified by members has improved significantly from when bargaining started and that is because of the action members have taken.” The pay rise will come into effect on the 20th of April, when union members will be paid backdated to the 9th of January. A further 3% pay increase will be effective on the 8th of January 2024.

The settlement also included a graduate assistant pay increase from minimum wage to just above living wage.

Schmidt said, “While we acknowledge the pay increase is not the 8% that we went into bargaining for, the settlement that members have ratified is significantly improved from the initial pay offer because of the action and the hard work and commitment of union members.” Other universities, such as the University of Canterbury, secured pay increases as high as 17.9%. The new collective agreement will be in place till June 2024.

Teresa Housel, senior tutor in communications at the Wellington campus is fortunate to have another source of income as her husband works as an engineer. However, she said if she were solely living on her tutor’s pay, she would have to go back to how she lived as a budgeting post grad student.

“I would go back to that and be really careful.”

“I do notice everyday costs and food has definitely increased.” She said a pay rise would make a difference, “we’ll probably just save it”.

Housel didn’t feel the pay dispute was an issue of staff being undervalued.

“I’m very happy in my role and I really love what I do.”

Housel attended the first of the protests and thought it helped get people’s voices out and brought awareness.

She said the protest had a celebratory tone of people coming together to protest for something they were concerned about.

Students forgotten as bus prices rise again

Tegan Jaggard (she/her)

“Students are materially far worse off these days than students 10 years ago”, says Chloe Swarbrick, so how would they ever be able to afford today’s public transport?

As of the 1st of April, bus prices across Wellington will be going up 6% and half-price fares will be gone.

Green MP Chloe Swarbrick said, “It’s definitely the case that students are disproportionately using public transport and therefore, will be disproportionately impacted by the hikes in cost.”

The Peoples Inquiry into Student Wellbeing last year showed that two thirds of students regularly can’t afford the basics.

“I don’t think students are being considered at all really by local or central government in any meaningful way.”

“Once again, we saw that the 400,000 odd students in this country were kicked to the curb because there was an assumption that they wouldn’t kick up a fuss or fight back.”

Swarbrick said, “there’s been a very systemic and intentional undermining of student power.”

“Students are materially far worse off these days than students 10 years ago when I was at uni, let alone 20 years ago when now

Prime Minister was the head of Victoria University of Wellington student association,” said Swarbrick.

“This is where the government actually really has to step in.”

Green MP Julie Anne Genter said “The reality is, public transport has been too expensive in New Zealand for a really long time.”

“Arguably central government should be putting in more money and they’re not,” said the transport and infrastructure deputy chairperson Genter.

Genter feels the government’s money should be going towards public transport instead of fossil fuel.

“They should be rolling out bus lanes and bus priority much faster.”

Students

this event could only be a good thing.”

Claudia O’Neill

Some students say International Women’s Day validates women, while others feel it does the opposite.

On Wednesday last week, International Women’s Day (IWD) went by at the Massey Wellington campus unnoticed with no events or decoration.

Remarkably few of the people it seeks to celebrate were aware of its existence.

All of the students Massive spoke to agreed that prejudice and discrimination remain at large for women and gender-diverse people.

Digital Art student Aaron described gender discrimination as “rampant”.

“Most dudes are still subconsciously slightly sexist so

With his amazing (and accurate) alliteration aside, Aaron made an important point about how IWD events could be valuable in making people feel more accepting towards others. However, others said the event could open the floor to hostility particularly directed towards gender diverse people.

Fine Arts student Lucy said, “With every feminist movement in history there has been room for transphobia.”

“You shouldn’t have to fight for your right to exist in a place where you definitely do belong.”

This message particularly resonates considering the International Women’s Day theme for this year of #EmbraceEquity. The IWD website said equity means creating a gender equal world that is free of bias, stereotyping and discrimination. Lucy said that to them, equity means building a sense of belonging for people and it fundamentally comes down to being kind.

“It’s thinking what we can do to change things – that’s embracing equity.”

Lucy had concerns that IWD could become an opportunity for people to “glorify themselves” in acting like advocates, while not fully absorbing the values they’re standing to represent.

Design student Greta said the event could easily become tokenistic, depending on the intentions of those behind it. She said, “It depends if there’s an organisation running it or if it’s a commercial thing. It depends where it comes from.”

However, Greta said that a day that raises awareness is important to have.

“[IWD] starts the conversation. It’s not like it harms it.”

There was a general feeling that while one day wouldn’t drastically change the world, it could at least pave the way forward for positive change.

A burger made by someone with diabetes, for diabetes

Sammy Carter (she/her)

Dirty Burger staff member Lee Congdon was diagnosed with type one diabetes two years ago, now he’s created a burger to raise money for Diabetes New Zealand. In February, Dirty Burger Wellington raised over $1000 for Diabetes NZ, a dollar of every Lee burger going towards it.

Two years ago, when Congdon was diagnosed with type one diabetes, he was taken aback.

“It was pretty overwhelming. I felt like my life was over but now that I’ve lived with it for a while and learnt to deal with it, it really doesn’t hold you back.

“Not a lot of people know but type one diabetes can occur at any time.”

With a love of spicy food, Congdon created a burger his friends could get a kick out of.

When he pitched the burger, his boss suggested they donate one dollar of every purchase to Diabetes NZ.

Congdon said, “I had no intention of making any money off of it.”

Staff from Diabetes NZ came to the Dirty Burger Cuba store to try the Lee burger and were stoked, but some couldn’t handle the spice.

Alex Henderson, owner of Dirty burger said Diabetes NZ were happy it brought awareness.

He said, “They’re not expecting hundreds of thousands of dollars to come back, but they were really happy that it brings more awareness to the issue.”

“I’m more than happy to do it, especially when it’s something so close to him [Lee].”

Henderson said staff are always coming up with “crazy creations” on their lunch and dinner breaks, so he invited them to pitch special burgers and they would get a dollar royalty for every sale. But when Congdon spoke about his diabetes at the pitch, Henderson said, “I just thought ‘well, might as well do another dollar for Diabetes NZ’ ”.

“I think it makes it feel even more special because he has that connection to it [Diabetes NZ].”

The Lee burger will be the first of many as Henderson wants to have more burger specials by staff, donating a dollar to a place of their choice.

“People have been really really into it and supported it,” Henderson said.

This March, the Dirty Burger Cuba Street location is doing a six-month pop-up for their sister company Karaage Kid, which sells Japanese fried chicken burgers and bowls.