Western Sydney University staff to strike on Tuesday June 7

About 1000 staff at a major university will go on strike after rejecting a “pitiful” pay rise, potentially impacting 50,000 students — many who are sitting exams.

About a third of the Western Sydney University’s staff of 3000 will strike on Tuesday after their request for a fair pay rise and secure jobs have failed to be met.

The staff from six campuses will descend outside the South Parramatta (Rydalmere) university’s chancellery building from 9am to 1pm.

The strike, which is the first since 2019 and to impact about 50,000 students, follows almost 12 months of the National Tertiary Education Union negotiating with university management for a new enterprise agreement.

The union’s WSU president Dr David Burchell said university management had offered a “pitiful two per cent per annum pay rise and stalled on a program to convert large amounts of casual work into secure academic jobs”.

“Despite negotiating for nearly 12 months, university management has not shifted from a low-ball pay offer,’’ Dr Burchell said.

“In the context of rising costs of living, this offer is clearly unacceptable.

“We had been negotiating for what would be a sector-leading casual conversion scheme, but management has taken this hostage to the pay negotiations.’’

He said after the university had just posted a $143 million surplus so it could afford a fair pay rise for staff.

Staff are demanding a pay rise above 2 per cent.

The union’s NSW secretary Dr Damien Cahill said staff’s demands were warranted following their dedication during the pandemic.

“During the last two years, staff at WSU turned themselves inside out to keep the university afloat during the pandemic,’’ he said.

“When this is set alongside skyrocketing inflation, and a massive university surplus, management’s 2 per cent pay offer is hard to take seriously.”

“Insecure employment is out of control in the university sector.’’

He said the university was on the cusp of an agreement that would convert a mass number of casual work into 150 secure, full time jobs with good conditions.

But management has said it could only be delivered with a pay rise “well below inflation”.

“It is time for university management to get serious about investing in secure jobs and a proper pay rise for hardworking staff,” Dr Cahill said.

A Western Sydney University spokeswoman said all its campuses would remain open and it was “business as usual at the university”.

“All libraries and student support services will also be available,’’ the spokeswoman said.

“The university has not been made aware of any cancellation of classes or activities at this stage.’’

Only staff who are union members can lawfully participate in the action.

The spokeswoman said the university recently implemented a 2 per cent increase in salaries for staff outside of its agreements.

“It continues to work collegially with the unions to reach agreement on the remaining clauses, including possible further salary increases,’’ she said.

There are 50,000 students at Western Sydney University’s six campuses.

Western Sydney University’s residential representative of the Student Representative Council, Jordan Brett, supported teachers’ stop work action.

“For far too long Western Sydney University have mistreated and taken advantage of some of the hardest working and professional staff in the country and I’m proud to be part of a cohort that will unconditionally stand up for the rights of staff who have given us so much,’’ he said.

Mr Brett, who is a first-year advanced medical science and creative leadership student, said many students were sitting exams this week and next week.

“It’s incredibly distressing, especially so close to the exam period, and that blame falls on the university for not being able to resolve that without the NTEU.’’

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