
Issue No 91		06 April 2001

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

News

Extra $1.37 Billion Needed for Unis

The Community and Public Sector Union is urging the Federal Government to restore $1.37 billion in funding to Australian universities.

The Union wants the funds put back to meet chronic staff shortfalls and equipment updates.

"This is the amount of money that the Federal government has stripped from Universities. Universities need this funding to restore staffing and resource levels to an adequate level," said David Carey, Federal Secretary of the Union.

The Union told the Senate Inquiry that the University sector was surviving on thousands of hours of unpaid work by University General Staff. "We think that we have uncovered the tip of the iceberg. If this problem is not fixed, Education quality will go nowhere but downhill."

In its submission to the Senate inquiry, on the capacity of Universities to meet Australia's higher education needs, the CPSU also recommends that the Federal Government conduct audits into the infrastructure and human resource needs of universities.

"The government needs to examine the full extent of the problem", said David Carey. "Conducting audits will give us important and comprehensive information not only about the needs of universities, but also about how resources are currently being allocated".

The CPSU conducted a pilot survey of university general staff to get data for its submission. Results include:

� reduced levels of funding have resulted in fewer staff working longer hours for no extra pay. Two-thirds of respondents reported working unpaid overtime, and of these nearly half work more than 20 unpaid hours per month;

� women are not only working longer hours for no extra remuneration, but are also undertaking the vast majority of all types of unpaid work, and

� staff are also increasingly undertaking duties not originally assigned to them, and in many cases are doing work which should be undertaken by more junior staff who have left and not been replaced.

The Union represents thousands of non-teaching "General Staff" in Universities across Australia.

For copies of the submission or for further information please contact CPSU federal office on ((02) 9299 5655 or [email protected]

   Visit the CPSU

  View entire issue - print all of the articles!

  Issue 91 contents

Interview: Costa on Compo
Labor Council�s secretary gives his take on the Big Stink over Della�s workers compensation package.

Politics: Della's List
All Labor members of Parliament were this week asked to indicate whether they would support injured workers. More than half said 'yes'. Here they are.

Unions: Picketing Joy
Rowan Cahill chronicled the definitive dispute of 2000 for Workers Online. He looks back on the battle and the lessons to be drawn from the workers at Joy.

History: Vale Tony Mulvihill
The environment, migrant workers and the hairy nosed wombat have reason to be thankful for the active citizenship of Tony Mulvihill.

Economics: Stopping the Rot
A national campaign is underway to persuade politicians from both the major parties that they need to be addressing the issue of poverty within Australia.

International: East Timor � Beyond the Headlines
It�s now more than 18 months since the violence and bloodshed following the popular consultation on the future of East Timor was front page news in Australia.

Technology: Online Breathing Space
The global collapse of faith in new technology has given journalists a chance to prepare themselves for the real revolution, writes David Higgins

Satire: Howard Cuts Beer Price to Get Voters Drunk
Prime Minister John Howard has agreed to cut the excise on beer, in the hope cheaper drinks will help get the country drunk enough to vote for him.

Review: The Battle for 96.9Fm is Over
What would you get if you crossed 2DAY FM, 2MMM, JJJ and MIX 106.5 FM? A fairly commercial radio station that wouldn�t know the difference between throwing up, stuffing up, growing up or breaking up.

» Compo Wars: Week Two to the Workers!

» Doctors Don�t Want to be Judges

» Cops Eye Ball Compo Changes

» Armoured Car Drivers To Consider Stop Work

» IT Workers � We Need You!

» Banks Workers Show They�re No Bunnies

» English Teachers Ripped Off

» Beazley Gives Boost To Bakery Workers

» Employment, Environment Vital to US-Australia Trade Deal

» Extra $1.37 Billion Needed for Unis

» Campaigning Workshop Establishes Local Campaign Initiative

» Activist Notebook