   |
||
| Issue No 95 |  |
11 May 2001 |
|
|
|
NewsAcademic Sacking Sparks Global RowBy Sarah Roberts
The NTEU is mounting a national and international campaign on workers' rights and academic freedom in response to the summary dismissal of a senior academic. On 26 February this year Dr Ted Steele was summarily dismissed from his position as Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong. The letter of dismissal was delivered by hand to Steele at home at 5.15pm that day, along with a letter from the Head of Human Resources asking him to make arrangements to collect his `material' from the university as soon as possible. The reason given by the University for taking this action was Steele's public criticism of honours assessment procedures adopted at the University, and his refusal to withdraw his statement that he had been instructed to alter marks, which was published in the Sydney Morning Herald. Dr Steele was dismissed without notice and in breach of the procedures for investigating allegations of serious misconduct outlined in the Enterprise agreement, itself agreed on after lengthy and at times difficult negotiation with the University. The clause that was breached sets out agreed procedures for hearing allegations of serious misconduct by members of staff at the University. Essentially, it ensures that staff engaging in academic debate, public or private, are accorded due process, regardless of the nature or the content of their comments. Similar clauses appear in most University agreements. The NTEU's position is that regardless of whether Steele's actions were justified or not, he had a right to due process. Steele was accused of serious misconduct without a proper investigation being mounted, and the Vice-Chancellor appointed himself judge, jury and executioner. The case raises important issues for all workers and for the public interest. In sacking a tenured academic without reference to the agreed disciplinary procedures in the Enterprise Agreement, the Wollongong Vice-Chancellor not only denied Steele natural justice, but also showed a blatant disregard for the employment security of all staff. The public is also entitled to know that public comment by academic staff is free from the threat of intimidation or dismissal, especially where unpopular or controversial opinions are being expressed. If the Vice-Chancellor's actions are not challenged and overturned, a dangerous precedent is established: if employers believe they can get away with breaching Enterprise Agreements in this way, they will try it at every turn. Please sign the on-line petition at http://www.datalink.net.au/nteu/ or follow the links from http://www.nteu.org.au/ - and publicise the issues at your workplace.
|
   Interview: Geek GuysTwo of the union movement�s pioneers in new technology, Peter Ross and Mark McGrath, chew the fat about wired unionism and virtual politics. Compo: Costa�s Angels Behind the spotlight of the workers comp campaign four women trade union officials have been burning the midnight oil to protect injured workers. Legal: View from the BenchCompensation Court judge and former Attorney-General, Frank Walker, argues the Della Bosca workers comp reforms are a threat to judicial independence. International: Timor: Time for the TruthHT Lee was in Dili when the militas ran rampage. Now he wants the truth to come out. History: True BelieversFrank Bongiorno looks at the origins of the Australian Labor Party, which celebrated its centenary of Caucus this week. Corporate: Trust Me, I�m a Multi-National!BHP unions have united across the factions to urge �No� vote on the planned Billiton merger. Unions: AWAs � A Doomed Future?ACTU Assistant Secretary Richard Marles plays clairvoyant and predicts a dismal future for AWAs. Satire: Bush Defends One China Policy - Then Another China Policy, Then Another ....President Bush today announced a major change to the United States� policy of �strategic ambiguity� towards the status of Taiwan and its One China policy. Review: Surviving SurvivorWorkers Online's Reality TV correspondent Mark Morey rakes over the coals of the Survivor II result.
Notice Board View entire latest issue
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
![[ Home ]](/images/nv_home.gif){kind=small} ![[ Notice Board ]](/images/nv_board.gif){kind=small} ![[ Search ]](/images/nv_search.gif){kind=small} ![[ Previous Issues ]](/images/nv_previous.gif){kind=small} ![[ Latest Issue ]](/images/nv_latest.gif){kind=small} |
|
|
|
|
© 1999-2000 Labor Council of NSW LaborNET is a resource for the labour movement provided by the Labor Council of NSW URL: http://workers.labor.net.au/95/news42_academic.htmlLast Modified: 15 Nov 2005 [ Privacy Statement | Disclaimer | Credits ] LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW |
|
![[Workers Online]](/images/logo_small.gif){kind=logo}
![[Social Change Online]](/images/sco_logo.gif){kind=logo}