Academic staff at Griffith University have rejected a non-union enterprise agreement despite aggressive promotional efforts by university management.
The National Tertiary Education Union has congratulated academic staff for their decision and will now shift focus to negotiating for improved pay and conditions on their behalf.
“The unnecessarily hostile approach taken by Griffith University management was out of step with other Queensland universities and I’m glad to see it rejected,” said NTEU Queensland Division Secretary Michael McNally.
“Taking advantage of tough times by trying to shove a substandard offer down the throats of academic staff just before Christmas is wrong. This move deserved to go down in flames.
“Universities are meant to be bastions of critical thinking and free debate and yet management has sought to silence the union’s voice at every turn.
“Despite this the NTEU will now seek to engage constructively with management to negotiate a fair and reasonable union deal for academics at Griffith University.”
Mr McNally noted that a separate non-union agreement presented to professional staff was successful.
“While I’m deeply disappointed the non-union agreement presented to professional staff was accepted, I also understand the extreme financial pressure many lower-paid professional staff are facing due to inflation. Management forced them into a very difficult position,” Mr McNally noted.
“Many of these staff have been watching their real wages plummet as inflation rises and they are desperate to at least tap the brakes on that decline. For management to take advantage of this situation just before Christmas is deeply unethical.
“The NTEU will continue to support professional staff and we look forward to improving conditions in the enterprise bargaining negotiations in 2025.”
NTEU Griffith University Vice-President for Professional staff, Adam Stodden, who works in student administration at the university, said he was appalled at the way management conducted its campaign.
“Management has totally controlled the narrative and attempted to silence dissent. They’ve even intimidated NTEU members who emailed the union’s position to their colleagues,” Mr Stodden said.
“The professional staff at Griffith University work here because they love this institution and they want to help the students. I think management have taken advantage of this goodwill to short-change staff on their entitlements. This will be to Griffith University’s detriment in the long run.”
NTEU National President Alison Barnes urged Griffith University to rethink its workplace relations approach.
“When you seek to divide staff and force them into subpar options through fear you do enormous damage to campus morale,” Dr Barnes said.
“In an effort to pinch a few pennies, Griffith University management have done very real and lasting damage to the goodwill that existed among staff.
“I urge other VCs to take note of the unnecessary discord created by Griffith University management through this approach and to instead negotiate in good faith with the union.”
