Hello everyone,
My apologies for cross-posting.
I thought people on left-geog, geogfem, and the critical geography forum
might be interested to know that Massey University staff have voted
overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action. Here's our most
recent press release.
5 June 1998
MASSEY UNIVERSITY STAFF PLAN TO STRIKE
Members of the Association of University Staff, Public Service Association
and Association of Staff in Tertiary Education at the various Massey
University sites are to begin industrial action on Monday 8 June in
support
of their 1998 collective contract claims. The campaign of escalating
industrial action begins with the withdrawal of good will and includes a
'March to the Registry' (18 June) and a one-day strike (7 July). The three
Associations have more than 1000 members at Massey University.
Contract negotiations broke down last week when members' meetings voted
overwhelmingly to reject the employer's contract offer. AUS spokesperson,
Dr
Brennon Wood, said that there were numerous points of disagreement but
that
the central concern was the employer's unwillingness to recognise the
contribution of staff to Massey's growth.
Massey University is New Zealand's fastest growing tertiary institution.
It
has merged with the Palmerston North College of Education and has further
mergers underway with the Auckland College of Education and Wellington
Polytechnic. Staff productivity has increased dramatically. Massey now has
more than 33,000 students, more doctoral students than any other NZ
university, and staff research output is also growing by more than 15% per
year. In the last financial year Massey returned an operating surplus of
more than $13 million.
Dr Wood said that these 'impressive achievements' were produced by staff
working with cut budgets and soaring responsibilities. The employer,
however, has refused the Associations' call for a committee to monitor
workloads and has offered 'a $400 one-off lump sum along with what is
effectively a 1% pay rise for 1998'.
Dr Wood said that 'staff feel insulted. They are increasingly isolated
from
a management that spends too much time looking outwards for growth
opportunities and not enough time looking inwards at the people
responsible
for the quality of this University'.
For further information: contact Dr Brennon Wood (AUS spokesperson).
Phone: 06-350-4978. Fax: 06-350-5627. Email: [log in to unmask]
This decision to take industrial action comes on the same day that
general staff at the University of Auckland undertook a 24 hour strike in
support of their contract negotiations.
I would be pleased to pass on any messages of support for faculty and
staff at Massey University or the staff at Auckland.
Best wishes,
Lawrence Berg
AUS Negotiation Team
AUS Industrial Action Team
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