Professional staff take a stand against uni funding squeeze
15 April 2013
The Federal Government鈥檚 budget cuts to universities announced over the weekend will hit services to students and exacerbate an epidemic of low morale among university staff, the NSW Community and Public Sector Union said today.
鈥淯niversities are already engaging in cost-cutting leading to jobs, resources and valuable experience being slashed from departments,鈥 said CPSU Senior Industrial Officer Andrew Holland.
鈥淭his is often a false economy, leading to costly and inefficient outsourcing arrangements.
鈥淭he effects of these cuts 鈥 in particular the efficiency dividend 鈥 will put the jobs of university professional staff at risk and increase the already high workloads of remaining staff to intolerable levels, reducing services and support to students.
鈥淲hile proud of the work they do, there is an epidemic of low morale among university professional staff as they come under increasing pressure to do more with less.
鈥淭he CPSU will vigorously oppose any cuts that cut jobs or degrade the educational support and services our members deliver.
鈥淥n-going cost-cutting in universities and TAFEs has driven the rise of precarious and insecure employment to record highs within the sector.
鈥淯niversity professional staff refuse to be made the scapegoat for the Gillard government鈥檚 public policy failure to properly fund and resource education in Australia.
鈥淲e will be consulting with our members state-wide to identify the areas of greatest risk to jobs and services and develop a plan to protect university education in NSW.鈥
Contact: Andrew Holland 0418 236 867 / Jackie Woods 0414 241 483