Union members at the Australian National University have voted to go on strike in the first week of semester two as negotiations on pay and conditions stall.
Members on Thursday voted to hold a half-day strike on July 27, with another branch committee meeting scheduled for July 20 to assess any progress made against the union's claims on salary and job security.
National Tertiary Education Union ANU branch president Millan Pintos-Lopez said it would be the first time the university staff had walked off the job since 1999.
"We're so used to hearing up in the chancelry, in the copper-topped tower now, that we're the national university. We're the best in Australia. We're leaders," Mr Pintos-Lopez said.
"Yet when it comes to salary and conditions for staff, we're comfortable being some of the worst and it doesn't add up."
The last offer from the university included a pay increase of 16 per cent over the five years of the agreement to June 30, 2026, plus a sign-on bonus of up to $1250.
It was broken down into a 3.5 per cent administrative pay rise given to staff in February this year, followed by an increase of 0.5 per cent, 5 per cent, 4 per cent and 3 per cent in successive years to June 2026.
Communication from the university has described the pay offer as a 17 per cent pay rise over four years, referencing the cumulative pay increase and not including the whole time since the previous agreement elapsed on June 30, 2021.
The union called for a 15 per cent pay rise over three years or the consumer price index plus 1.5 per cent, whichever was greater, in its log of claims.
A university spokesperson said the ANU had some of the best working conditions in Australia.
"We recognise the NTEU's right to take industrial action," the spokesperson said.
"We have just put forward a very competitive pay offer of a 17 per cent increase over four years. Negotiations continue to be positive and respectful and we are making good progress."
Mr Pintos-Lopez said the university would need to put forward a higher pay offer and further measures regarding job security, especially for casual staff, in order for the strike to be called off.
"I think Brian [Schmidt] and the members of his executive realise that it's a reflection on them, that staff are so upset and pissed off and are willing to strike. And I think they're taking it incredibly seriously," he said.
"I hope they are and I look forward to having further conversations with them in the next couple of weeks as this progresses."
Dr Lina Koleilat has been a casual staff member of the ANU for the last decade and said the proportion of casual staff members at the university was increasing.
"Job security is terrible and it's very hard to plan your life. It's very hard to plan a family. It's very hard to pay your rent or even have a mortgage if you can afford it," Dr Koleilat said.
"We don't have long service leave, we don't have sick leave, we don't have any form of leave."
Dr Koleilat said the union wanted better conditions for casual staff members and an overall reduction of reliance on the casual workforce.
Senior lecturer and demographer Dr Liz Allen said bargaining had been frustrating because staff voted during the pandemic to defer pay rises to help the university's financial situation.
"Staff, especially those on more precarious employment contracts or on lower salaries, really got hit hard by that. But they did it to ensure the survival of the university in the belief that the university would come back and in better times repay that effort, and it doesn't appear the university really wishes to recognise that," Dr Allen said.
"We work hard with our students, we value our role as mentors and as change-makers really for the nation, particularly as we help shape policy and the like. So to have the university not recognise our work and our effort is disappointing."
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
