Higher Education

Working families worst hit by higher ed

A delegate from the union covering all non-academic staff in universities, the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), Ms Lorraine Fordham, today urged the four Independent Senators to reject the Federal Government's proposed Higher Education Bill when it is debated in the senate this week.

Ms Fordham said she was increasingly worried that as the single income earner of her family, she would eventually be forced into accepting a casual job at the university she has worked at for more than 12 years.

Federal Secretary David Carey said the Bill attacks job security, by requiring the removal of all limits on the use of casual and short-term contracts at our university, Nelson's package will destroy job security for residents of the Western Suburbs.

Although the government has made almost 30 amendments to the bill, none address the linking of industrial relations reforms to $404 million in funding. This includes the requirement that employers not restrict the number of casual staff that are employed.

"Australian working families will be the big losers if Dr Nelson gets his way and the Bill is passed through the Senate. This sort of industrial blackmail has been unheard of in Australia and sets a dangerous precedent for all Australian workers, " said CPSU Federal Secretary David Carey.

Mr Carey said the Bill attacks job security, by requiring the removal of all limits on the use of casual and short-term contracts at our university, Nelson's package will destroy job security for residents of the Western Suburbs.

"It's Australia's working families that will hurt the most if this bill gets through,
this could be the last year at UWS that many staff are employed over the Christmas period," said Ms Fordham.

"Not only that, but if this bill is passed as it is, our ability to get a fair day's pay for the work we do will be seriously undermined," she said.

Ms Fordham said the Bill was a direct attack on employees' right to bargain collectively. "Its an ideologically driven agenda, these reforms have nothing to do with improving higher education in western sydney, it's about driving down conditions of employment for our communities."

© 2001 Community & Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation (CPSU-SPSF) - National Office

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/higher_ed/20031125_education.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005