Well over 500 NTEU members and other staff from universities in Victoria came together online, pledging to protect jobs and the future of higher education, at the big statewide meeting for university staff held by NTEU Victorian Division on Wednesday 27 November. With higher education shrouded in chaos and uncertainty following the demise of the government's international student caps policy, and university leaders across Australia still committed to rolling out damaging restructures that threaten jobs and workloads for staff, while jeopardising student learning, it's time to take a stand and prepare for action in 2025. To that end, the meeting voted overwhelmingly in support of a motion that decried the systematic federal underfunding and chronic mismanagement of our universities and committed to a statewide campaign in 2025, including actions early in the year, with delegate training and capacity building alongside. Chaired by NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Sarah Roberts, the meeting showcased successful campaigns to save jobs and face down mismanagement at La Trobe University, Federation University and Australian National University, while Monash Branch President Ben Eltham unpacked the unfolding crisis in higher education and what it means for Victorian universities, with insights from NTEU's policy and strategic research unit. If you missed the meeting watch the recording and view the presentation slides. If further evidence were needed of what collective action can achieve, the announcement this week by Federal Minister of Education, Jason Clare, of new curbs on Vice-Chancellor pay and moves to eradicate the plague of wage theft from higher education comes after last week's latest NTEU report on governance in the sector, which included feedback and testimonies from members and followed two years of campaigning and lobbying by the National Tertiary Education Union.
Taxation statements for membership fees paid directly to the NTEU during the 2025–26 financial year are now available. This includes payments made via Direct Debit, Credit Card, Invoice (BPAY), Cash, and Cheque.
Deakin University withdrew its widely criticised restructure plans after a campaign led by NTEU, ending workplace uncertainty and saving jobs.
The National Tertiary Education Union has saved more than 140 jobs at Deakin University after successfully pressuring management to scrap its damaging plan.