For the common good

Dr Alison Barnes, National President

The impacts of insecure work ripple through our society, undermining economic security, health and safety, and dignity at work. These ripples are felt, not only by those who are employed precariously, but also by all those not cushioned by wealth, privilege and power.

In spite of the prevalence of insecure work across the tertiary sector, the Australian community by and large does not associate insecurity with tertiary education in the way it does with hospitality or retail work. This perception, however, is starting to shift. The report we released with the Centre for Future work, revealing the loss of 40,000 tertiary education jobs, reached 4.5 million people. The ongoing revelations of the wage theft endemic to our campuses increasingly draws public attention to employment conditions in universities and, by association, the learning conditions of students. The investigations of the Senate Select Committee on Job Security spotlighted casualisation in the tertiary sector and found that job insecurity works against the sustainability of universities. Rank and file NTEU members contributed in many ways to ensure their voices were heard by Senators Sheldon & Walsh (ALP), Canavan & Small (LNP) and Faruqi (Greens). Predictably, the Government members dissented from the Committee’s findings, sanctioning the employers’ spin and ignoring the mountain of evidence before them.

Despite this, our member were heard. Member experiences were detailed in our Inquiry submission; members also directly raised concerns at our insecure jobs forum with Senator Sheldon and Adam Bandt MP (a former NTEU delegate). Casually employed NTEU members also gave important evidence to the Inquiry by detailing their experiences. Recommendations of the interim report include: • A new National Higher Education Funding Strategy for the period 2021-2025.

• Temporary additional funding to universities to restore jobs and rectify the damage inflicted upon the sector as a result of the pandemic and funding cuts, until the new Higher Education Strategy has been developed.

• Design a system of casual and fixedterm conversion that would be appropriate for the higher education sector.

• Require all universities to provide a more detailed report of their staffing composition.

• In light of the widespread wage theft in the sector, legislate for improved rights of entry for all registered trade unions.

The findings of the inquiry were so damning that Campus Morning Mail wondered, 'Have university managements no friends in politics? Perhaps not.' Indeed, university managements are liable for much: over many years they have driven, with the tacit support of governments and employer associations, insecurity across tertiary education.

They have failed to support their workforce and, by extension, a strong university sector. In enshrining casual employment for academic and professional staff they undermine job security for all, creating unmanageable and unsafe workloads. They have overseen widespread wage theft and eroded good governance, while paying themselves obscene salaries. Although managements talk ad nauseam about the importance of quality research and teaching, they simultaneously undermine the very conditions that protect critical inquiry and academic freedom.

Whether through bargaining or talking about our collective experience, we’re working to raise public awareness (especially with current and future students and their families), of the impact of governments and university managements on learning conditions and accessibility. We all have a role to play in achieving our vision for higher education, starting with growing our union to build the power we need to protect and foster the interests of our staff, students, and the common good.

Alison Barnes, National President