Best wishes for the festive season

From the NTEU Victorian Division

The officers and members of the Victorian Division of the National Tertiary Education Union hope that you and your loved ones enjoy a safe and happy festive season, and share a fruitful 2010.

Like many in our community, we at the NTEU will take some time to contemplate what we can do to help the disadvantaged in the community and around the world.

NTEU Victorian State Secretary Matthew McGowan has recorded a short statement about the National Day of Action on 16 September. In Victoria, RMIT and Melbourne University are going on strike on Wednesday 16 September to try to get university senior management to conclude collective bargaining.

You can find out what is happening at Melbourne and RMIT here.

Matthew McGowan’s statement has been uploaded to the ABC Contribute website, as part of their Soap Box program.

The rally on Thursday 20 November received media coverage in print media (The Age, The Australian and the Herald Sun), and well as ABC and commercial radio. Only two articles are available online. Comment below if you have links to other news coverage of the rally.

University standards in decline, admit teachers, The Age, 20 November 2008

Months before Education Minister Julia Gillard announces sweeping changes to the nation’s universities, a new survey of more than 3000 staff has painted a bleak picture of education quality and morale.

More than half of staff surveyed did not believe their university offered a better level of education than it did five years ago, with the majority blaming the decline on limited government funding.

And almost 60% said funding concerns had become such a problem that their institution had become more focused on gaining an income, especially through course fees, than on getting results for students.

Protest over more Victorian university job cuts, The Australian, 20 November, 2008

INDUSTRIAL unrest at Victorian universities is set to worsen after La Trobe University warned staff that voluntary job cuts weren’t meeting targets, raising the prospect of compulsory layoffs.

In response the National Tertiary Education Union has accused the university of accelerating the pace of previously announced savings targets.

Today hundreds of university staff across the Victorian sector will hold a public protest in Melbourne. The NTEU has accused vice-chancellors of acting prematurely in seeking to cut jobs when a funding boost from Canberra is expected following the release of the Bradley Review next month.