Campus Review Vol 32. Issue 03 - June - July 2022 | Page 27

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ON CAMPUS

‘ Abysmal record ’

USyd staff take strike action in support of First Nations colleagues .
By Emilie Lauer

Sydney University staff fronted the picket lines on 24 May in an historic strike to advance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff rights . It was the third staff strike in two weeks .

According to National Tertiary Education Union ( NTEU ) Sydney University branch president Nick Riemer , the union picked May 24 to strike as it comes just before National Sorry Day and National Reconciliation Week .
“ These are important events on the Indigenous justice calendar ,” Riemer said .
Staff are still striking for better working conditions and a pay rise , but this time have “ an additional focus on the specific claims that have been made in enterprise bargaining for First Nations staff ”.
Speaking to Campus Review , Riemer said this was the first time in any Australian university that a strike focused specifically on First Nations ’ justice .
“ It ’ s a turning point in industrial relations for First Nations staff in Australian higher education , and our branch could not be prouder of taking the lead on that issue .”
Riemer said the NTEU is bargaining with management to employ 300 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff .
“ But management isn ’ t agreeing to that , they are rejecting the precise numerical target .
“ University of Sydney has an abysmal record in the employment of First Nations
staff , and the number hasn ’ t grown for 10 years .
“ And the university just told us that it wishes to basically continue its existing strategy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment .”
According to Riemer , this is “ simply not good enough ” and the university as a major social institution has a “ duty to be an exemplary employer when it comes to repairing historic injustices that are at the forefront of Australian society ”.
“ There ’ s no excuse for half measures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice at work ,” Riemer added .
He also believes that Sydney University is not only “ bad at employing ” First Nation Staff , it is also “ bad at retaining them and keeping them on the job ”.
Last year , the NTEU branch committee had three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members , while this year only one member remained .
“ The others have left the university . One has then had a short-term contract which wasn ’ t renewed .
“ The other found that the environment at the university wasn ’ t conducive to ongoing employment ,” Riemer said .
In their bargaining meeting the NTEU is trying to “ fix ” job security , controls on overwork and respect at work .
“ These things matter to First Nation staff , probably more than they do to ordinary staff ,” Riemer said .
WHAT ’ S NEXT ? After their previous 48 hour strike , the NTEU and management met again but according to Riemer , management did not
There ’ s no excuse for half measures on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice at work .
acknowledge the strike and refused to talk about it .
“ It ’ s an unacceptable expression of their contempt , quite frankly , for their own staff . If their own staff are this upset , that should be at the top of their agenda .
“ They shouldn ’ t be sticking their head in the sand and pretending that nothing has happened .”
In a previous statement to Campus
Review , a university spokesperson said that “ management ’ s position will not be shifted by industrial action , but by good-faith negotiation at the bargaining table ”.
Even if management did not acknowledge the strike , Riemer said that small progress had been made around the bargaining table .
“ We did manage to reach an agreement on some new leave provisions , which will make some improvements ,” Riemer said .
“ We didn ’ t get everything we wanted , but we did introduce some genuine improvements for leave , and we welcome that .”
However , Riemer believes that progress has not been made on core priorities .
“ Given the extent to which management wants to take our conditions backwards , throwing us a few scraps with some concessions on leave is really not good enough .” ■
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