Honking horns beeped in support as hundreds of Newcastle University staff formed a sea of purple and performed the Nutbush as part of a 24 hour strike for fair pay and safer workloads, on Thursday morning, June 1.
The rally from Civic Park to NUspace followed a decision by university management in May to refer the dispute, which has been running for almost two years, to the Fair Work Commission for resolution under the Fair Work Act.
Protesters were spotted waving around a copy of the Newcastle Herald's front page story today, as they participated in an "incredible rendition" of Tina Turner's Nutbush to get the adrenaline pumping.
National Tertiary Education Union NSW division secretary Vince Caughley said their demand today was a simple one.
"It is, that the vice chancellor and the university management listen to staff. If they want a deal, they need to listen to staff and they can have a deal," he said.
University of Newcastle, Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky said while they recognise the right of their staff who are union members to strike, it was "regrettable" to see.
"It is regrettable that the NTEU and its members have taken this step to coincide with efforts to finalise enterprise bargaining with the assistance of the Fair Work Commission this week," he said.
"As we have said throughout the NTEU's industrial action campaign, work stoppages won't help us finalise our agreements.
"Given we are now working with the Fair Work Commission to help us resolve this matter, I remain hopeful that we can finalise this round of negotiations with their assistance," he said.
Mr Caughley said people were worried their fate was being taken out of their own hands despite trying to remain optimistic.
"They're [university management] just bypassing the voices of staff input ... that's why we're on strike."
"We want fair pay, we want secure work, we want safe workloads, and we want equity for casual staff," he said.
He also acknowledged the support of the broader community who joined in to support their strike.
"I think that just in the broader community we know we're not asking for too much," he said.
"Particularly when it comes to really important things in people's lives like job security, workloads that are manageable that just don't put extra stresses on you and your family and just to know that you're being valued - it's so fundamental.
"And if a university, can't do it - if a public institution receiving hundreds of millions of dollars of public money for the public good - can't do that, then we got a real problem."
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