Higher Education

CPSU applauds Fed Govt's backdown

By David Carey
Federal Secretary (SPSF Group) - CPSU Joint National Secretary

The Community and Public Sector Union, today (Fri Dec 5) welcomed the senates rejection of the higher education workplace relations requirements but is disappointed in the decision to allow student fee increases and the removal of student and staff representation on university councils.

CPSU National Secretary David Carey said non-teaching university staff had fought hard against the Government's efforts to remove restrictions on the employment of casuals and remove hard won staff benefits and conditions.

Mr Carey said the union would now call on all State Government's to reject any legislative changes to remove student and staff representation on university councils and call on Vice Chancellors to resist increasing student fees.

" The amended higher education package shows the federal government was never serious about improving our universities," said Mr Carey.

" Dr Nelson's rhetoric of higher quality education for our communities was just a smoke screen for increasing student fees and attacking staffs conditions of employment," he said.

The amended package stops the federal governments from forcing universities to offer staff secret individual contracts or Australian Workplace Agreements in exchange for funding. Requirements that universities cannot place restrictions on the employment of casuals and the reduction of staff conditions to 'minimum community standards' were also removed.

Mr Carey said the Federal Government's backdown was a sign that the Federal Government could not 'stand over' union members who were determined to stand up for their rights.

"The CPSU commends the efforts of general staff members across the country, who took industrial action on October 16 followed up by intense lobbying to put pressure on the four independent senators to reject the governments industrial blackmail," said Mr Carey.

"While the independent senators have seen through the governments ideological driven industrial agenda, they have failed to see the impact that increased student fees will have on working families.

"Students and staff have also been silenced on the governing councils that run their universities," said Mr Carey.

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

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/higher_ed/20031205_government.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005