Industrial action on agenda at the University of Sydney and the University of New England over enterprise bargaining

By Jeannie Rea. Staff at the University of Sydney and the University of New England will vote in the next month over industrial action on enterprise bargaining, following successful applications to Fair Work Australia this morning by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
Neither university contested the union’s applications for protected industrial action ballots.
Michael Thomson, the NTEU Branch president at the University of Sydney, said that the ballot would most likely be held in early February with members voting on different forms of industrial action: one hour stoppages, 24 hour stoppages, and indefinite stoppages.
“University of Sydney management is offering less job security and wants to reduce sick leave entitlements and cut academic workload provisions. Management is refusing to limit the numbers of academic casuals and is trying to wind back provisions for fixed-term staff to convert to ongoing positions,” he said. Read more...