How Secure Do You Feel?

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Contents INTRODUCTION 1 THE SECTOR

2

National – all academic staff employment

2

National – all general/professional staff employment 2 Gender & employment across the sector – all staff Gender & employment across the sector – Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff

3 4

4. JOB SECURITY

11

Overview of findings

11

Job security

11

Security of employment today

11

Members employed greater than 12 months

11

Members employed less than 12 months

11

Academic employment – Job security by academic classification

11

General/Professional employment – Job security by classification

11

Dispersion of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander higher education workforce into academic & general/professional staff roles

4

1. MEMBER RESPONSES – OVERVIEW

5

2. EMPLOYMENT

5

Overview of findings

13

Overview of findings

5

Further study and job security

13

Identified roles within the university

5

Highest level of education attained

13

Longevity of employment contracts & time fractions

Reasons for further study

13

5

Studying while employed

13

Classification of employment

6

Time allocated to further study

13

Further study and job security

13

Impact of job security on further study

14

Duties performed vs. duties in position description 6 Additional Duties

6

Hours of work

8

Compensation for additional hours worked

9

Employment security – today vs.12 months prior 12 The future for employment security

5. STUDY

6. COMMUNITY & CULTURE

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13

15

Overview of findings

15

Community/cultural responsibilities & job security

15

10

Impact of community & cultural business on employment & study

15

Overview of findings

10

Time allocated to community & cultural business 15

Change management – Staff morale, hours worked & duties performed

10

Impact of job security on community & cultural business

Employed in a similar role (rolling fixed-term employment) 9

3. CHANGE MANAGEMENT

16

RECOMMENDATIONS 17

How Secure Do You Feel? is published by the National Tertiary Education Union, Melbourne. © NTEU 2017. All rights reserved. ISBN 978-0-6482106-0-3 PO Box 1323, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Australia Ph +61 3 9254 1910 Email national@nteu.org.au Available online as a PDF and e-book at www.nteu.org.au/atsi/publications

INTRODUCTION “I change my work to ensure I can meet community obligations. This is what causes my employment insecurity. ”

Job security or lack thereof, is an ever-present concern for many staff employed in the Australian higher education sector. For Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff members, this insecurity is compounded.

Family, community and cultural business and further study, combined with employer expectations around up-skilling and obtaining additional/appropriate qualifications, along with contracts of employment that are project-based or fixed-term (12 months only) provide little incentive to the employee.

This member survey, undertaken in August 2016, show approximately 6 in 10 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic and general/professional staff are in a state of job insecurity with some Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members are employed on rolling casual or fixed-term contracts.

University management wanting ultimate management prerogative are not assisting the Governments, communities and unions push to increase the number of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic and general/professional staff employed; rather they continue to offer excuses as to why employment opportunities cannot be created, while railing against any suggestion that a numeric employment target be placed into the Collective Agreement rather than in policy documents alone.

Change management and its effects upon duties performed and hours worked has been shown to be detrimental to many Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members, with 7 in 10 responses stating they had been involved in a change management process and of this, 6 in 10 responses stated that the change management process had impacted negatively upon hours worked and duties performed.

Members who responded to state they were studying whilst working are not only insecure about their employment, but also state that the levels of hours of study along with the total number of hours employed, leaves little for family, culture and community responsibilities.

Community, culture and family are fundamental in the lives of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples, yet many are in some cases forced to make a choice between work and community and cultural obligations.

This report paints a picture of increasing employment insecurity for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander, both now and into the future.

While universities draft and implement Reconciliation Action Plan’s and other related policy, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples, their culture and community responsibilities are not being valued, therefore creating culturally unsafe workspaces and a culturally devoid working environments.

Issues of workload allocation and hours spent at work/working are of great concern. The span of hours worked is spreading up to and over 60 hours per week, with more Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff working longer hours just to keep ahead of their employment responsibilities.

1

THE SECTOR

At the turn of this century there were approximately 517 (487 full-time equivalent FTE) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic and general/professional employed, with the majority of those Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff occupying general/professional staff positions. In 2016, the reported Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staffing numbers were reported as 1,228 (1,114 FTE).

In 2016, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment in the Australian university sector hovers around 1.0% (1.1% FTE) of all staff employed and despite the stated ‘best endeavours’ of many universities, national Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment has, on average, only increased in real terms by 0.05% annually over the previous fifteen years.

National – all academic staff employment Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff employed in academic roles has been both problematic and an unexplored opportunity for universities across Australia. The employment of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff into academic roles has been sporadic, with many factors influencing employment attraction, retention and growth. Universities Australia has for many years acknowledged the issue of increasing the number of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic staff employed.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students remain relatively underrepresented both in enrolments and graduations, and staff – particularly academic and research staff – are few.”

2017, Universities Australia, Indigenous Strategy 2017-2020, Rationale, p.17, https://www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/ArticleDocuments/212/FINAL%20 Indigenous%20Strategy.pdf.aspx

“Employment opportunities within the higher education sector for Indigenous academics are urgently needed and require dedicated capacitybuilding programs and strategies.”

2011, Universities Australia and Indigenous Higher Education Advisory Council, National Indigenous Higher Education Workforce Strategy, https://docs.education.gov.au/system/files/doc/other/nihews.pdf

In 2016, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic staff nationally comprised 0.3% of all university staff employed, 0.7% of all academic staff employed and 32.5% of all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff employed. As seen in Figure 1, and when compared to all academic employment, year-on-year Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic employment growth over the previous fifteen years has increased by only 0.1% and this growth is simply not sufficient or sustainable.

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples have been compounded by limited opportunities to gain true ongoing employment, rather than casual appointments at limited 2

450

0.8% 0.6% 0.4% 0.2% 0.0%

350 250 150

20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15 20 16

The Australian university sector has in part, been somewhat amenable (at best) to increasing the number of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff employed at Australian universities.

A&TSI academic staff headcount A&TSI academic staff as a % of all academic staff Fig.1: National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic employment (headcount & %)

time-fractions. While this trend continues, universities will continue to experience difficulties appointing and maintaining the employment of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic teaching and research staff.

Over the past fifteen year period, total Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic employment has (on average) grown at around 4.5% (4.1% FTE), while non-Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic employment has had an average employment growth of 2.9% (2.3% FTE). While this may be viewed as a point of celebration by some, the reality is very different.

On average over the last fifteen years, the total number of academic positions filled nationally on a year-on-year basis equates to approximately 1,249 or 860 FTE. Of this, and in this same time period, academic positions offered to/filled

by Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples comprise only 1.0% (1.2% FTE).

It is therefore hardly surprising to find that in 2016 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic employment sits at 0.7% (0.8% FTE) of all university academic staff, with the average Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic employment trend over the past fifteen years holding at 0.7%.

National – all general/professional staff employment The employment of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples into general/professional roles has been the mainstay employment option for many Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples seeking employment in the Australian university sector.

On average over the previous fifteen year period, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander general/professional staff appointments have grown at approximately 6.6% (6.4% FTE), while non-Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment in general/professional staff roles have grown at approximately 3.0% (2.9% FTE) in the same period.

Figure 2 detail the overall trend growth in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander general/professional staff employment (headcount) and the trend of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander general/professional staff as a percentage of all general/professional staff over the past fifteen years.

While this average growth over the past decade and a half must be recognised, the employment growth nationally has occurred on a haphazard basis. Figure 3 details the national How secure do you feel?

2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0

20

20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15 20 16

3,000

00 20 2001 01 20 2002 02 20 2003 03 20 2004 04 20 2005 05 20 2006 06 20 2007 07 20 2008 08 20 2009 09 20 2010 10 20 2011 11 20 2012 12 20 2013 13 20 2014 14 20 2015 15 - 20 16

1.4% 1.2% 1.0% 0.8% 0.6% 0.4% 0.2% 0.0%

900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200

A&TSI general/professional staff headcount

General/professional staff employment growth/decline

A&TSI general/professional staff as a % of all general/professional staff Fig.2: National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander general/ professional employment trend (headcount & %)

year-on-year employment growth/decline for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander general/professional staff employment.

As evidenced in Figure 3 actual employment growth, not simply employment maintenance on year-on-year basis in the general/ professional staff roles has been sporadic, with periods of growth in-dispersed with troughs of decline. It must also be acknowledged that the actual numbers of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples employed in those roles are not great in quantity.

150 130 110 90 70 50 30 10 -10 -30 -50

Log

Fig.4: All staff - general/professional staff year-on-year employment growth/decline

When comparing the average year-on-year employment growth/decline of all general/professional staff and that of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander general/professional staff over the past fifteen years, it was of interest to note that Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples were on average only employed into 2.1% of all general/professional positions advertised.

Figure 4 shows there has been an average of 1,500 general/ professional staff roles offered nationally year-on-year over the past fifteen years, yet on average only 2.1% of those positions are being taken by Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples. Again, with a distinct lack of employment opportunities, it is therefore not surprising that the Australian higher education sector remains at 1.0% (1.1% FTE) total Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment in 2016.

A&TSI General/professional staff employment growth/decline

Log

Fig.3: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander general/professional staff employment year-on-year growth/decline

The period 2007-2008 saw the largest single growth period for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment into general/professional staff roles, with the numbers of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander general/professional staff increasing by 122 from the previous period.

Since that growth surge, the number of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff employed in general/professional staff roles has been in steady decline. While recognising the overall maintenance of many general/professional roles and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff employed in those roles; overall constant growth in the total number (headcount) of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander general/professional staff employed year-on-year is not evident.

Published by NTEU A&TSI Caucus

The total number of male and female staff employed in the Australian University sector has been progressively moving toward the employment of female staff in greater numbers.

Figure 5 details the national employment trend for all university staff from 2000 to 2016 by gender, and shows gradual yet constant growth over that period, particularly for female staff in academic and general/professional roles.

140,000 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0

20 00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15 20 16

20 00 20 2001 01 20 2002 02 20 2003 03 20 2004 04 20 2005 05 20 2006 06 20 2007 07 20 2008 08 20 2009 09 20 2010 10 20 2011 11 -20 20 12 12 20 2013 13 20 2014 14 20 2015 15 -20 16

Gender & employment across the sector – all staff

All Female (Headcount)

All Male (Headcount)

Fig.5: All staff employment trend by gender

3

Gender & employment across the sector – Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff In 2000 it was reported that the headcount of total Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander male staff as a percentage of all male staff was 0.5%, while for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander females as a percentage of all female staff was 0.9%.

In 2016 the percentage of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander male staff as a proportion of all male staff had grown 0.2% to 0.7%, while there was 0.3% growth in the number of female Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff to 1.2% of all female staff.

The growth in the numbers of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women employed may seem small, but this growth must also factor the overall growth in female staff employed in the Australian higher education sector over the past fifteen year period.

Figure 6 details the national Australian higher education workforce trend for male and female Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic and general/professional staff. It can be seen that there has been an overall trend increase in female Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff employed, while the employment of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander males has remained virtually constant.

When examining the distribution of male and female Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff in academic and general/ professional staff roles over the past fifteen years, it can be seen that a greater number of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander women continue to be employed in general/professional staff roles.

Until changes to reporting of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander higher education staffing data in 2013, (after this time the dispersion of male and female staff was not detailed) there has been average growth in the dispersion of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander female general/professional staff employed.

Overall growth from 2000 to 2013 was up 4% to 47%, while conversely there has been an overall decrease in the numbers of both male and female Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic staff.

Overall there has been a 3% reduction in the dispersion of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander female academic staff to 20% from 2000 to 2016 and male Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic employment saw a 5% decrease in the total dispersion of all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff to 11% from the year 2000.

20

00 20 01 20 02 20 03 20 04 20 05 20 06 20 07 20 08 20 09 20 10 20 11 20 12 20 13 20 14 20 15 20 16

1,400 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0

Dispersion of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander higher education workforce into academic & general/ professional staff roles

All Female (Headcount)

All Male (Headcount)

Fig.6: All Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff employment trend by gender

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How secure do you feel?

1. MEMBER RESPONSES – OVERVIEW A total of 183 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members kindly responded to the request to participate in the member survey. The survey was sent via email to all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members, with a link to the Survey Monkey website provided to enable completion of the survey.

The survey sought Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander member’s opinions on their current status of their employment, their role, duties and hours worked, internal change management and its impacts, overall job security, commitments to study while working and obligations to community and culture.

Member responses from general/professional staff were slightly higher than academic member responses, with 52.5% of general/professional staff members and 47.5% of academic staff members providing detailed information.

Figure 7 detail responses by academic and general/professional member and for academic members, the type of academic position they hold: e.g. Teaching Only, Research Only or Teaching & Research.

As a proportion of the NTEU Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members, the total member response rate equate to 39% of the target audience (NTEU membership data as at the 24 January 2017).

3.4% 10.3% 19.5%

Research Only Teaching & Research Only

66.7%

2. EMPLOYMENT Overview of findings Identified roles within the university 57.9% of respondents indicated they were employed in identified Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander positions at their institution and the duties they performed were related to the work of the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander unit/support centre (or so named) at that university.

This finding backs many anecdotal reports that the majority of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff employed in the Australian higher education sector are in culturally specific roles within the universities Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander support centre.

Longevity of employment contracts & time fractions Of the responses received, 64.5% of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members were employed in permanent/ongoing roles, with 32.2% stating their positions are fixed-term and a further 3.3% indicating they have been employed in project based positions.

A total of 82.5% of respondents state that they are employed in a full-time role, with 12.6% indicating part-time employment, with a further 4.9% of survey respondents stating they are employed on a casual basis While member survey data indicates that many Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members are employed in full-time, permanent/ongoing roles, unfortunately this is not the reality for all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic and general/ professional staff.

Member comments received show that the use of casual employment and fixed-term contracts is prevalent.

Member comments

Teaching Only

It’s permanent, BUT they are requiring relocation, so it’s likely not really permanent.

Not Identified

Employed as Project ‘other’- Various length contracts-my current contract expires in November, 2016.

Mixture

Fig.7: Member response - Type of Academic Employment

I have recently won a 3 year fixed term contract in another School. My current tenure however is currently under jeopardy with a likely refusal of a secondment for a 3 year period.

I am undertaking a PhD and have guest lectures I am enrolled in an intern academic position Yearly contract over the last 7 years Casual One year contracts for the past 7 years However we are currently going through another restructure

Published by NTEU A&TSI Caucus

5

Classification of employment Across the range of academic levels (levels A to E) the member responses received ranged from 47.1% at Level B to 4.6% at Level E. For General/Professional staff (HEO/HEW 1 to 10+) member responses ranged from 20.8% at HEO/HEW level 5 through to 1.0% at both HEO/HEW levels 2 and 9.

Duties performed vs. duties in position description Members were asked to consider their Position Description and their associated key responsibilities/duties/tasks as compared to the actual duties performed on a daily basis. 59.0% of member responses indicated the duties performed on a daily basis did accord to the duties listed in their Position Description; while worryingly a total of 41.0% were either unsure if their duties matched their Position Description or did not perform the specific duties as detailed in their Position Description.

Members were asked to elaborate further on the duties they perform on a daily basis and were invited to provide further comment on any disparity between their actual duties vs. those listed in their Position Description.

Responses received show that Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander academic and general/professional staff are being asked to perform duties that are not specified in their Position Description, particularly the roll-out of cultural competency training, welcome to country/acknowledgement of country through to Position Description duties that have not kept pace with numerous Change Management proposals.

Member comments Much greater than my position description Changing regularly though - because of others being promoted and leaving the workload has increased Employed as a Level A but get Higher Duties allowance The academic team is called upon to engage in projects.

Over and above the duties of level B Except expected to also provide cultural competency workshops which I do not agree with as there are specialist organisations/individuals who do this for a living. I do not agree that ATSI academics should be expected to provide these workshops as well as a full teaching load simply because they are Aboriginal people at the University!!

Yes it does but on top of the ‘normal’ academic role (teaching, research & service) I also do student support I get higher duties allowance but it isn’t clear what I’m supposed to do.

Don’t have a position description.

Standards/workloads for myself are much lower than nonIndigenous, duties tokenistic when asked to work in the Indigenous space.

Not really. The JD needs revisiting due to organisational restructures.

Have not received a formal job description 6

I don’t have a PD Some extra duties have been added and increased over time in the role. Some responsibilities taken away also My job title will be changing under yet another restructure and it’s not the job I applied for I have no formal position description and my role does fall within the existing workforce plan.

And more I do above and beyond my PD - including back up support for the Admin Assistant/Reception and support of other staff Yes and No - some gate keeping happening This also includes additional guidance specific to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander issues.

I am the Indigenous student counsellor but we are seeking to expand the role to the regions. We want to get the position reclassified.

However due to a shortage of Team members we go way above our PD’s Recently did a new PD (June 2015) as part of an application for reclassification (which was unsuccessful) Mostly Only partly and is currently changing.

Not necessarily. They tend to have a lot more variety.

Additional Duties Members were also asked to respond and indicate what additional tasks and duties they perform, over and above the tasks and duties listed in their Position Description.

Similar to member responses comparing actual duties to those detailed in Position Descriptions, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff members are being asked to perform a range of additional duties. Additional duties include (but are not limited to) cultural business (welcome/acknowledgement of country/cultural competency training/community relations and significant events NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week), membership and participation on committees and working groups, guest lectures and other responsibilities.

Member comments I do a lot of generic administration, fill in for the

(we frequently don’t have anyone running it), and do a range of other tasks. This would probably be about 20 hours a week on top of work.

Anything related to Aboriginal & TSI issues including research, teaching, cultural activities, community engagement, advocacy, etc.

Aboriginal Advisory across the university, Community Liaison and reference committees, University boards and reference groups PD is specific about curriculum writing and teaching and staff development and mentoring but role requires promotion skills, community liaison, inter faculty liaison, negotiation with academic committees and administrative managers as well.

I currently have 4 hours of teaching allocated with considerable managerial and research responsibility, How secure do you feel?

although I have bought out marking and teaching with research grants I have still been over allocated teaching and often teach 8 hours or more, as well as handle other managerial areas because others are not pulling their weight or not expected to. On top of that we have NAIDOC, Sorry Day, reconciliation events, etc. and community responsibility - it is exhausting In the past, I was expected to go above and beyond my duties.

For example, I was expected to undertake the teaching hours of other staff members, be the source of other team members’ cultural competency journey - this meant I spent more time making other staff feel okay than what I did on my own job. This was an expectation of the school and my inclusion dependent on it.

Student retention and student outreach Significant support of professional support.

Administration In addition to my workload, I am on several Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander committees, I also have developed and teaching/convening an Indigenous business course.

Curriculum development, guest lecturing (filling the black holes in curriculum for other programs, often outside my area of expertise) Provide advice and expertise above my level Way over teaching points no time for research Yes they do and then some more.

Tutoring and pastoral care for Aboriginal studentsdeveloping modules for specialist certificates

Possibly mixture between B and C levels. Member of any committee associated with black issues.

Administration that is not allowed in time allowance I deliver the Cert II in , this course requires two people to deliver because of the nature of the course. My cofacilitator’s contract has not been renewed but has been put back on as a casual just to finish of the workshops to the end of the year. She is only required to work in the workshops, so it left up to me to do everything else like preparation for workshop, while she was working with me we shared the work between us, preparation, assessing, networking the lot.

Lots of out of hours preparation.

Indigenous student support, curriculum development, without management knowing I am involved.

In the JD it says I am required to liaise and collaborate with a range of stakeholders including Faculties and Staff.

Under new management, now time and micro-managed. I am required to work only with Indigenous students in the capacity to support ATSI students. Liaising, networking and working collaboratively with a range of stakeholders is very limited and only with explicit permission by management.

There is some dispute as to what falls within our roles and what should be completed by other departments, or when to escalate student support to other teams Have not received a formal job description so unsure as to what falls within the scope of my role Not 100% sure, other than Scholarships 10% HEW/HEO 380% HEW/HEO 410% HEW/HEO 5

Major executive responsibility

Data entry cover reception so other staff can start earlier and leave earlier. Covers the operational hours of business. This can include extra work and unpaid overtime, which is hard to get back in time in lieu or as flexitime when needed

Community consultation, cultural advice and mentoring, supervision.

Increased focus on marketing, brand awareness and increasing postgraduate capabilities

Too much reliance on Administration

Member of management team; undertaking tasks that are the responsibility of “others”; responsibility of staff that are not part of my team;

Ethics committeeco-chair RAPIndigenous support for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander students in my discipline

I get 2-3 requests for additional things each week - doing guest lectures in other peoples’ courses, having chats with peoples’ research students about Indigenous research protocols, giving cultural awareness sessions for students about to go on placement in an Indigenous organisation, organising Welcomes to Country etc.

Besides the teaching and researching I am expected to participate in community engagement even though there is a dedicated position for this activity.

Educating staff about Indigenous Australia - this expectation does not apply to academics with expertise in other areas. It is the role of HR to make the organisation culturally competent to engage with Indigenous Australia and culturally safe for Indigenous students and staff who study/work at the University. I suspect there is a lot of work associated with community engagement on the one hand and simple administrative tasks that academics in wellestablished learning programs or research centres are not required to undertake on an ongoing basis.

Additional teaching and convening responsibilities beyond level A Last year I did part of a leadership role but was not paid higher duties for it.

I am not allowed to teach Aboriginal studies Published by NTEU A&TSI Caucus

Student Services - Community Engagement has been removed from my duties - this aspect attracted me to apply for the position Academic advice to students in regards to any Indigenous component within their research/studies Finding and allocating tutors to students.

They do but in mainstream team with little contact with Indigenous higher education units mainstream as doc director represents us at meetings and at state and national meetings of our unit. Mostly white people speak for me in particular in bigger meetings, Aboriginal people can sit mute unless you are favoured!! Good manager but interesting at subtleties I gave sat at national meetings shared my work and then for 2 days barely open mouth people speak over us or know more about the issues than we do at times we get their counsel - ignore it but have it foisted on us Currently on project which has no position description Too many to list.

Support and mentoring of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Students, complete academic duties such as course writing and development, assist academics with their duties.

7

Additional guidance specific to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander issues.

Hours of work

In the HR area, my position description is very generalised, I sometimes find myself doing jobs that should be handled at a higher level and by someone with more ‘clout’. I often do reporting which again should be handled at a higher level.

Respondents to the member survey show there is a stark differentiation between contracted hours of work and actual hours of work. When examining contracted hours of work, the majority Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander member responses 71.6% indicate they were contracted to work between 31 and 40 hours per week. Survey respondents were then asked to ascertain their actual hours worked per week and it was found that 84.2% of responses indicate actual hours of work span between 31 and 60+ hours per week.

Network management and maintenance Reports, inquiries, travel Administration Managing casual staff (for exhibition programs and cleaning artist flats / accommodation), coordinating and managing the exhibition program for the Gallery, assisting with pay issues for casual staff, recruiting casual staff Course maintenance- course coordination and developmentcultural competency work- admin work Supervising 8 staff and go to 4 other campuses weekly ITAS Pay claims Work in a call centre which wasn’t duties included in the original position I applied for My job description is nothing like the actual role I perform I currently support 5 discipline areas of Allied Health across 3 buildings, with purchasing, teaching support, exam invigilator, for the School of , maintaining equipment etc.

Current student admin Answering and providing advice upon a wide range of topics related to Aboriginal affairs Learning finance related skills in other areas.

Often advice to senior staff in lieu of no Aboriginal PVC. Many things outside the employment space.

HDA to complete additional and more complex duties I believe there are other duties I have been performing that are not in my position description, i. e. recruitment Cultural Liaison

Members were also asked to provide further detail as to the reasons why there is such a differentiation between contracted and actual hours worked. Not surprisingly Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members are being required to work longer hours to simply maintain their work responsibilities.

Tables fourteen through sixteen show contracted hours worked, actual hours worked and the total span of hours (contracted and actual) from 1 to 5 hours per week to 60+ hours per week.

Member comments All weekend, every evening, it never ends This changes to be more or less depending on key events and peak times in the semester.

I have my research work and part time at part time in Bachelor valuation

lectures and

Depends on the week - researching in remote communities means that most of my work occurs throughout weekends and it’s difficult to say where work ends sometimes as many of the people I work with are kin relations. I am so committed to assisting the communities with whom I work that I never bother raising issues of time in lieu or directly requesting the resources needs to conduct the engagements that I am committed to undertaking.

Instead I bought supplies necessary to undertake 5-7 day stays in remote communities where there are no visitor accommodations easily accessible for research academics. For example, for this academic year I (and my family) relocated to in order to conduct field research. I did this at my own expense and have set up a home office etc. at my own expense. Rather than request additional support from my University I prefer to utilise the taxation system to claim back considerable out of pocket Last semester I had 200 students, without any marking support, so I was easily working a 50 hour week. This semester I am supervising students but not teaching and working on the completion of my Masters/ upgrade to the PhD. Interestingly, my level classification (Teaching Focussed Level A) is not entitled to TOIL and must be priorapproved based on merit Always something to do as I now assist other staff in the section to do their roles At times of travel many more hours During busy times e. g. leading up and the start of session Depends on the situation Full time employee I am also doing my PhD full time.

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How secure do you feel?

Compensation for additional hours worked

Employed in a similar role (rolling fixed-term employment)

When asked to provide details of compensation for additional hours worked (over contracted hours) 51.9% of members responded to indicate they were unsure if they were entitled to compensation or worse, were entitled to no additional compensation at all.

To ascertain the extent of rolling fixed-term employment, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members were asked if they had been employed in a similar role to the position they currently hold.

Of those who indicated they were compensated for additional hours worked, 74.1% of members were given Time in Lieu/ TOIL or access to flex time rather than financial recompense.

In response 43.2% of members indicate they had been employed in a similar role, and of this only 27.9% of members stated that their current position had changed substantially in duties performed and hours worked.

Disturbingly 9.3% of members responding indicated they either received no compensation for additional hours worked or were actually reprimanded for seeking compensation.

Member comments I don’t work additional hours anymore.

It all works out- as over 55 I am able to work off Campus as I need to.

Sometimes it balances out.

If I have a heavy teaching semester I have a lower teaching workload in the next semester.

It’s something I need to check, as we travel remote and leave on a weekend and come back on a weekend so that the students get a full week of study.

Academics don’t have the rights to toil, overtime etc.

Occasionally we are required to work on weekends with main

events. Management has advised that attending these events are not entitled to TOIL Can take TIL but hours extra too many - took a break earlier in the year signed off by manager when I returned I was grilled hopefully just an oversight Can have time-in-lieu but then complain if I do To an extent with TOIL Done in good will on needs basis Sometimes I get TOIL but it’s not official or calculated properly I take some time-in lieu, but not all. n/a Don’t workadditional hours Sometimes Extra hours are absorbedwithin flexi system and taken over time In some cases yes but worker through the day with minimal break Sometimes, if I submit claim forms Most of the time Flexi time, etc.

Mostly yes, a good manager with great communication is key My PhD is not a paid role.

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3. CHANGE MANAGEMENT Overview of findings Change management – Staff morale, hours worked & duties performed Members were asked about their involvement with and experiences of change management processes and the impact these processes have had upon workplace morale, hours of work and duties performed.

Responses received indicated that almost three-quarters (74.3%) of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members had been involved in an internal change management process.

Of those responses only 8.1% of members indicated that the change management process had a positive impact upon hours of work and 14.7% of member responses indicate the change management process had positive impact upon duties performed.

Change management and continual workplace change has a detrimental effect upon duties performed and hours worked.

This unknown need for constant change in the workplace does not provide the ability for staff to establish and build examples of best practice, nor does constant change provide fundamental employment stability and security.

With less than 15% of survey respondents indicating positive outcomes for change management, constant cycles of workplace change do not equate to constant workplace improvements or consistency and stability in employment.

Member comments – Hours worked It happened around me as I arrived and then I got more work after people left and now I get called upon to help answer questions from people who have to do the work but don’t know much Always negative impacts Sole academic working with sessional (casual) staff.

Increased hours.

More administration duties in the academic/research roles than previous. Also greater teaching allocations due to a freeze on positions.

This research centre went through a change management process around the same time as I transferred from another research centre in 2007 Neutrally We are at the beginning of the restructure and end of reviewNot too sure where I fit in?

Still occurring I can adjust to situation in my employment, but it can take time and processes to get used to, not always positive.

I was forced to vacate my previous position and look for another position

Member comments – Duties performed More duties Not really sure yet- but does not look too good so far Depending on what changes are made as to how it impacts.

(NO IMPACT) as yet I realised that I had occupied my previous for too long, I had to re-skill and secure another position Lack of collegial support The wellbeing of all staff is affected when workload becomes unreasonable.

Apparently Senior Management of

breached the EBA through lack of consultation with NTEU and staff in their restructure. If it has been proven that a breach occurred, there should be some form of reprimand otherwise Senior Management will keep on doing it to serve their purposes.

Additionally, Senior Management delude themselves in thinking that they are following change management processes. When I state delude themselves, there was never a consultative approach taken. It was directives from top down approach and staff feel they did not have any voice in those changes.

No evident change management process and duties are constantly changing in alignment with decisions by and whim of management On one hand I lost my academic status, yet I now get to create projects outside of the confines of academia.

Staff cuts and less marking support offered.

No appreciation of dedication to job

Due to such negative impact I have been on Mental Health issues and now leaving university

(POSITIVE IMPACT) But work load is heavier

Change Management currently - have a number of concerns

Mixed impact - still trying to iron out the specific roles of our position

Our team is working more hours There is no evident change management process - things just change - the organisational chart changes constantly without notification Less flexibility of work hours For me it required more work

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How secure do you feel?

4. JOB SECURITY Overview of findings Job security Members were asked to respond to questions on the security of their employment, both now and into the future. Survey respondents were asked to rate the security of their employment on a scale from 1 to 4, where 1 is very insecure to 4 where respondents felt very secure in their current role.

Security of employment today When asked to rate the security of their current employment today, 57.9% of members indicated their current employment is either very insecure (25.1%) or insecure (32.8%).

With almost 6 in 10 Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members surveyed indicating they are in either very insecure or insecure employment, the need to ensure security of employment is fundamental, particularly if the sector is to ever achieve population parity.

Soft money or annual funding grants/supplemental funding grants that change from year-to-year, traineeships and cadetships that do not lead to ongoing employment and projectbased or casualised employment are the preferred option of many universities and higher education providers seeking to increase the number of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff employed in the sector.

Funding cuts to the sector, as was witnessed in the Federal Budget 2017/18, have seen approximately $23.2 million cut from the Indigenous Student Success Program (ISSP) and this cut will have a direct impact upon the ability for universities to offer additional employment opportunities to Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples.

While these external factors are an impediment to creating either further employment or ongoing employment opportunities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples, soft money and/or funding cuts cannot be used as a realistic or genuine excuse for not increasing employment.

Members employed greater than 12 months Almost 80% of survey respondents indicate they had been employed in their roles for greater than 12 months (79.2%) and of these responses 57.2% described their employment as being very insecure (26.2%) or insecure (31.0%).

While it may be seen as a positive outcome that approximately 80% of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members responding to the survey have been employed for a period greater than twelve months, employment insecurity amongst this group sits at almost 60%. While longer-term employment opportunities appear to be in the majority, those employed over twelve months do not have any greater employment security, with almost 3 in 10 respondents indicating they are in very insecure employment.

If the objective is to increase employment to population parity for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples, this objective must be matched by a greater number of full-time, ongoPublished by NTEU A&TSI Caucus

ing positions, matched by assured funding over a greater period than 12 months.

Members employed less than 12 months Of those Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members who have been employed for less than twelve months, a similar picture can be seen to that of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members working longer than twelve months.

For those survey respondents who have been employed less than twelve months (20.8%), 60.5% of members indicate their employment is either very insecure (21.1%) or insecure (39.5%). While members who have been employed less than twelve months may feel as though they have less secure employment, a similar pattern was found in that approximately 6 in 10 survey respondents feel their employment is either very insecure or insecure.

Those members who indicated they have been employed less than twelve months are more likely to be subjected to issues of soft money and project-based/casualised employment.

Academic employment – Job security by academic classification Academic members were asked to rate their level of job security or insecurity by their position classification. Academic members employed from Levels A to D were found to have high levels of job insecurity.

Members employed at Level D have shown the highest level of job insecurity by academic level (80.0%), while members employed at Level E (25.0%) showed the lowest level of job insecurity by academic level. Figure 8 details the levels of employment security by academic classification.

100% 80%

29.6%

41.5%

40%

20% 75%

60% 40%

70.4%

20% 0%

58.5%

60%

80% 25%

LEVEL A

LEVEL B Insecure

LEVEL C

LEVEL D

LEVEL E

Secure

Fig.8: Academic Staff - Level of Job Insecurity by Academic Level

General/Professional employment – Job security by classification General/Professional members were also asked to rate their levels of job security by their position classification. Members employed at HEW/HEO Level 3 were found to have the greatest levels of job insecurity (75.0%) while those members employed at HEW/HEO Level 6 were found to have the lowest level of job insecurity (41.2%).

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Employment security – today vs. 12 months prior Members who have been employed for longer than 12 months were then asked to rate the security of their employment, comparing the security of their role today as opposed to twelve months earlier.

Respondents were asked to rate the security of their employment on a scale from 1 to 3, where 1 is less secure and 3 is more secure. Of this, only 24.1% of member responses indicate they will feel more secure in their employment as opposed to twelve months prior.

Over 3 in 10 members responding to this question indicate their employment is less secure today than twelve months ago and this is problematic when seeking to not only achieve population parity, but to instil employment confidence and security for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples and their communities seeking employment in the Australian higher education sector.

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The future for employment security Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members were then asked to predict if their current employment security would increase, decrease or stay stable over the coming twelve month period.

Almost 61% (60.7%) of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members indicated that their employment will become less secure, while conversely only 8.7% of respondents indicated they will be more secure in their roles into the future.

Again, the lack of employment security in the Australian higher education sector will not work as a positive influence to increase employment opportunities. While employment costs may be reduced and management prerogative increased as a result of attempting to do more with less, this strategy is limiting at best.

This strategy also disregards calls by Universities Australia, through the National Indigenous Higher Education Workforce Strategy and the Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people to increase the number of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people employed in the Australian higher education sector.

How secure do you feel?

5. STUDY Overview of findings

5.3% 4.0%

Further study and job security

Highest level of education attained Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members were asked to indicate their highest level of education attained at the time of completing the member survey.

Over a quarter (27.3%) of members responded to indicate they have attained a Degree or Higher Degree, while 15.3% of members indicated they had attained a PhD. Figure 9 details member responses to highest level of education attained.

PhD Graduate Diploma Graduate Certificate

15.3% 24.0% 3.8% 1.6%

Degree/Higher Degree

27.3%

Diploma/Adv Diploma

10.9%

Certificate Level I to IV

10.4%

Year 12 or equivalence N/A 0%

4.9% 1.6% 5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Fig.9: Highest Level of Education Attained

Reasons for further study When asked their reason for undertaking additional study the majority of respondents (50.7%) indicated they were studying for advancement and further knowledge in their area of speciality, while 36.0% of respondents were undertaking further study for personal professional development.

Studying while employed For those members who responded to state they are studying while employed in their current role, 41.0% of members indicated they are undertaking further study while simultaneously employed.

Of those members who responded to indicate they are studying while employed, 46.7% have indicated they are seeking to attain a PhD, while 4.0% were studying at the Diploma/ Advanced Diploma levels.

Figure 10 details member responses to what further studies are being undertaken by members and at what level (i. e.

PhD, Masters etc. ).

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Degree/Higher Degree

14.7%

The impact of external factors, particularly additional study and community and cultural responsibilities, hold great influence over the ability for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff/members to undertake those additional responsibilities, and if the additional study responsibilities are to have detrimental impact upon their current employment and ongoing employment.

Masters

Diploma/Advanced Diploma Graduate Certificate

9.3%

46.7%

Masters

20.0%

PhD Not identified

Fig.10: If you are currently studying, what level of qualification are you seeking to obtain?

Time allocated to further study To ascertain the number of hours allocated to further study while employed, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members responded to state that in the majority (25.3%) allocated 1 to 5 hours per week to further study, while the bulk of further study hours undertaken spanned 1 to 25 hours per week.

When examining the total hours available in a working week (120 hours), with approximately 80 hours taken up with sleep and work and at worse-case 25 hours per week allocated to further study, those Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff would have approximately 15 hours per week left over for community and cultural responsibilities and relaxation, or 3 hours per day.

To encourage greater numbers of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander to embark upon further study or an academic career, additional study time allowance should be provided by universities managers for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff members in their workload allocation. Figure 11 details member responses to the span of hours for further study. > 40 hr

2.7% 2.7%

36–40 hr

5.3% 5.3%

31–35 hr 26–30 hr 21–25 hr

10.7% 16.0% 14.7% 17.3%

16–20 hr 10–45 hr 6–10 hr 1–5 hr

25.3% 0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Fig.11: How many hours per week do you allocate to study obligations?

Further study and job security Of those members who are undertaking further studies while employed, 63.4% of member responses indicated that issues of job security and ongoing employment did factor as a strong consideration prior to enrolling.

To encourage greater numbers of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people to undertake further study while working in the sector, and to reduce the stress placed upon those staff members, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff must be enabled to implement appropriate workload allocations that provide time for a suitable study allocation.

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Member comments It does not matter if you hold a bachelor’s degree as team leaders can be paid at a higher rate & still not hold degrees Being able to pay for study is more of the issues as we are not supported in the school I am currently looking into a Bachelor of Social Work to assist in my current role Contract involves completion of PhD status I am actually at the very end of my PhD and was much more certain of my future in academia when I first enrolled. A PhD is a requirement of the job, however if I was enrolling today I would be very hesitant for a number of reasons: my fixed-contract, the current Federal political climate, the lack of implementation of the Indigenous employment strategy at this university, and the restructuring/change management which has meant a freeze on contracts and new positions.

I am doing some management courses to improve my understandings of management, HR and finance issues. We don’t just get these through osmosis and many academics lack skills in these areas and still move up to management. I want to have more knowledge in management, which is why I have sought out more training & education.

Impact of job security on further study Members were also asked to indicate if they had stopped studying as a result of needing to maintain their employment. Worryingly, 35.5% of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members responded to indicate that they had reduced hours of study or stopped studying entirely.

Comment from members was also sought on the issues pertaining to undertaking further study while maintaining their employment responsibilities. Members detailed the difficulties associated with applying for and undertaking additional study, including the need to obtain study approval, the time allowed for study during hours of employment and outside pressures impacting upon the members ability to undertake study.

Still unsure whether I will complete this course this semester because my current workload I love the nature of the work I am doing. When I was employed in government I still studied, I still wrote, I still attended conferences and forums (I just did in my own time and during periods of leave). My family has always called me scholar and an intellectual and said our people always had intellectuals, always had thinkers and they talk about me in this way. I kind of like that rather than them discounting what I do and offer like I see in some families and communities.

If required to travel Only provided 2 hours per week - and must be approved!

I would love to take next year off to complete my PhD, but I would have to self-fund to achieve this. A number of my Indigenous peers in the uni sector have not yet completed their PhDs due to teaching commitments Not presently, but in my last full time job I was unable to pursue higher degree research in order to manage job related demands.

Yes, take leave from the PhD - but only for health and well-being reasons (depression), not about maintaining my employment.

(YES) - In a roundabout way.

I had considered dropping back to part time study due to stress levels associated with the job insecurity. I may submit my thesis late as a result.

I have applied for leave from the PhD twice due to work commitments being the priority at the time. The Indigenous centre I currently work in is exceptionally supportive of allocating research days to academic staff who are studying or engaged in research, which is critical to publication and completion, and is highly valued by all staff.

Member comments Unable to take any leave/sick or stress- because of fear of contract renewal and delay in completing PhD on time.

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How secure do you feel?

6. COMMUNITY & CULTURE Overview of findings

Member comments

Community/cultural responsibilities & job security Community and cultural responsibilities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members and staff are of the highest importance and have impact upon all aspects of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people’s lives and lived experiences.

72.1% of all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members responding to the member survey indicated they have community and cultural responsibilities that must be undertaken, alongside employment and study responsibilities.

Impact of community & cultural business on employment & study Of those members who indicate they have community and cultural responsibilities that must be undertaken alongside employment and study, those members were asked to rate the impact of community and cultural business from having no impact to having great impact.

While the majority of member responses (62.9%) indicated that community and cultural business has manageable impact upon employment and study responsibilities, 25.8% of members state that community and cultural responsibilities has great impact upon employment and study responsibilities.

To enable Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff to undertake cultural and community responsibilities, workload allocations must provide flexibility and must also recognise the importance of attendance at community and cultural business to both the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff and the university as a whole.

Figure 12 details member responses to questions on the impact of community and cultural business.

Members were also asked to provide comment on the impact of community and cultural business. Comments from members show the difficulties experienced by Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members in attending community and cultural business.

11.4% 25.8%

Has no impact Has manageable impact Has great impact

62.9%

Fig.12: How does community and cultural business impact on your employment and/or study responsibilities?

It is part of my work related duties (HAS GREAT IMPACT) - because I am located so far from my own community.

I negotiate everything I have to do culturally and community way with my work area. Sometimes I am also able to make it all work and this is fantastic when it all comes together! At times I have to look at the bigger picture and see what I am working for, fighting for and then I make my decisions about things. I look at the longer term, bigger picture impacts for me, community and the generations ahead.

Some of my Aboriginal family members are constantly in crisis, however I have to spend all my energy focusing on work.

Time allocated to community & cultural business Questions pertaining to time allocated to community and cultural business were asked of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander members, with the aggregated majority of respondents (46.2%) indicating they spend between 6 to 15 hours per week, with 45.5% of respondents stating they spend approximately 1 to 5 hours per week on their community and cultural responsibilities.

Time allocated to community and cultural business is of great importance, not only to the staff member and their community members, but to the university and the goal of reconciliation. Many universities have Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) that detail the importance of community and cultural business; although for some non-Indigenous managers the importance of community and cultural business can be seen as of little relevance to the day-to-day business of the university.

To ensure Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff can attend to community and cultural business, the importance of cultural competency training and understanding, implementing and living the goals of the universities Reconciliation Action Plan will provide a greater understanding of culture and the importance of cultural business to non-Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff.

Figure 13 details the span of hours undertaken for community and cultural business. > 40 hr 0.8% 36–40 hr 0% 31–35 hr 1.5% 26–30 hr 0% 1.5% 21–25 hr 3.8% 16–20 hr 10–45 hr 15.9% 6–10 hr 30.3% 45.5% 1–5 hr N/A 0.8% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% Fig.13: On average, how many hours per week would you spend attending to community & cultural business?

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Impact of job security on community & cultural business The impact of community and cultural business on job security factors highly for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples. When members were asked if issues of job security factor as a consideration prior to undertaking community and cultural business, 64.4% of members responded to state that ongoing employment and job security do factor highly for consideration.

This response is very concerning as over 6 in 10 members have indicated they are very concern about seeking permission to undertake community and cultural business. When members were asked if they had reduced the number of hours or stop community and cultural business all-together almost 40% of responses (39.9%) indicate that members have had to reduce or stop community and cultural business.

In round 6 bargaining, specific cultural and ceremonial leave provisions were negotiated in 64% of University Collective Agreements. A further 25% of University Collective Agreements make reference to cultural and ceremonial leave; yet incorporate those leave provisions as part of wider annual and other leave.

If Australian universities were to negotiate and implement minimum cultural and ceremonial leave provisions in their University Collective Agreements, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff nationally would have access to an additional five days paid leave and ten days unpaid leave provisions.

This leave allocation has and continues to prove a pivotal industrial mechanism; one that ensures Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples and their communities can continue to hold cultural and community responsibilities while having those responsibilities recognised by their employer as being of vital importance.

Finally, members were then asked to elaborate further on how job security impacts upon community and cultural business.

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Member comments Community activities is part of my role Community/family has priority – always.

Do not take time off for culture or rarely Sometimes – very occasionally job demands mean I am unable to negotiate time for community and cultural business.

(YES) – Absolutely Yes and No. This question of how many hours per week and what is undertaken is a difficult one to answer, as we are Aboriginal and this cannot be quantified into timeframes.

Perhaps if I wasn’t working in an Indigenous centre I would answer differently, as our whole workplace and work agenda is centred in community and cultural business.

I change my work to ensure I can meet community obligations. This is what causes my employment insecurity.

No, because the cultural and community business is an expectation of employment (YES) – I usually take personal leave.

It depends when, and what it is and this varies. I could go to a cultural event every day if I wanted to and some Elders do. This doesn’t mean that I should be going to every event.

I look at what is on, what cultural obligations I have and must do and that’s the starting point for me. From here I scaffold upwards to the likes and want to go to, rather than have to go to. I see some Indigenous colleagues at my uni wanting to go to whatever they want and saying it is cultural when sometimes it is not. It is like non-Indigenous people do the same thing with some of their needs, wants and commitments too. e. g. religion, community, kids, parents, culturally connections to country of origin etc.

When travel this is not so serious I now have to pick between Funeral attendance because of the impact on work It is not a question of ‘maintaining’ my employment, as cultural business is central to my work, as explained above.

I am fortunate that community/cultural business is central to our teaching, research and service to Indigenous students.

However, I don’t attend as many community events as I’d like to given the full-time work commitments.

How secure do you feel?

RECOMMENDATIONS 1. That Australian universities and higher education providers put in place strategies that will ensure a 3% Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment population parity target, converted to a number (as detailed by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet) is achieved within the next five years, with employment targets for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples detailed in the Aboriginal employment clause of University Collective Agreements.

2. That all universities and higher education providers ensure they have numeric Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander employment targets in their current and future University Collective Agreements.

3. That university management ensures and budgets for all Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander position funding commitments to overcome the soft money excuse and create ongoing positions.

4. That university management and human resources work to provide greater employment stability and security for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples through career development planning.

5. That all non-Indigenous university staff and line managers undertake cultural competency training as a matter of highest priority.

6. That university line manager’s work with their Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander staff members to develop appropriate workload allocations for both academic and general/professional staff, that account for further study obligations and cultural and ceremonial business.

7. That cultural and ceremonial leave provisions are implemented into all Australian university and higher education provider Collective Agreements.

8. That university manager’s properly consider the need for any change management agenda and take into account the detrimental impact of change management agendas.

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