We're going on strike tomorrow.
We're going on strike because we, as staff and union members, voted to take industrial action. We're going on strike because the Vice-Chancellor and her senior executives aren't listening to staff concerns.
We want secure jobs, safe workloads and a decent pay rise to cope with the cost of living crisis. Most of all, we want a better university -- a place that lives up to its marketing spiel about "changing it".
As staff, we have a stake in this university. This is a public institution dedicated to research and education. And yet time and again, it feels like a large, profit-driven corporation.
We've put detailed proposals to Monash HR about better pay and conditions, but their response has consistently been either "no" or "we'll get back to you". We can't afford to wait any longer -- we need a new Agreement now.
Yesterday, the Chief of Human Resources, Phil Vaughan, sent a communication to all staff regarding our upcoming strike tomorrow. We thought the content of the email was regrettable -- we have taken issue with a few points in the email, and asked for amendments to be made.
1. Informing the Employer of Your Union Membership
The form directs staff to disclose whether or not they are union members. This is inappropriate and an invasion of privacy. Only union members enjoy legal protections of protected industrial action, and this is something that we as the NTEU have been open about. Monash should not be requiring staff to inform them of their union membership status. Whether or not you are union member or not is none of the employer's business. We have requested that Monash remove this question from their form, and that any data already gathered from it deleted from their systems.
2. Informing the Employer You Struck
You are not required to let your manager know you are taking strike action before you take it. Industrial action is meant to be disruptive. It should cause the employer to feel your absence and recall your value. Strike action is intended to remind management who does the work and who holds ultimate power in the workplace: the people who do the work. This is the power required to move management at the bargaining table to agree to widely and deeply-felt claims. If you tell the University your intention to strike in advance, it means they can take steps to minimise the effectiveness of our industrial action, which we don't want!
Our strike begins at 12.01am and concludes at 11.59pm on Wednesday 3 May. When you return to work, given that Monash University can't pay you under law for the period you were on strike (and you can't accept payment), you will have 3 days to complete the form sent by HR on Monday to advise you stopped work and for how long. You need to answer truthfully, but can only be required to answer after the event.
As a final check-off, be sure to check your relevant pay slip to make sure that your salary or wage etc., was deducted by the relevant amount (i.e. four hours or however long you struck).
3. A University needs to consult its staff, not issue orders to them
Have you noticed how often we all get emails from the Vice-Chancellor to announce the appointment of some senior executive? It seems like every week we hear about this or that Pro-Vice-Chancellor being appointed. Wouldn’t it be nice if a long-serving librarian or laboratory technician got the same treatment?
The constant emails about senior executives on hundreds of thousands a year tell you something about the world our Vice-Chancellor moves in. Low-ranking staff don’t rate a mention – they seem to barely exist in the VC’s imagination. The people who matter are the highly-paid executives who turn up to the Chancellery building.
A long time ago, universities used to be places where people wanted to work. Institutions like Monash were considered attractive, because they offered decent pay and good conditions. Long-serving staff members tell us that decades ago, Monash University managers were collegial in their decision making, consulting staff on decisions and involving staff in the way things were run.
It's been a long time since this university took its staff seriously. It's time for secure jobs, fair pay and reasonable workloads. For a better university.
That’s why we’re taking action tomorrow – to remind the Vice-Chancellor that every staff member counts, and that all staff contribute to the mission of this University.
See you at the strike - 12pm @ Trades Hall tomorrow!
In union,
NTEU Monash Branch