University of Newcastle union members protest 60th birthday bash at NSW Parliament

Teachers and researchers from the University of Newcastle gathered outside the NSW Parliament for a 24-hour strike while their bosses partied inside.

Almost 50 people, primarily staff and some students, along with Greens MPs Abigail Boyd, Jenny Leong, and Labor’s Sarah Kaine joined the protest outside NSW Parliament.

Teachers and researchers from the University of Newcastle have replaced black neo-Nazi banners with the bright purple flags of the National Tertiary Education Union, protesting outside the NSW Parliament while their bosses partied inside.

Approximately 50 Newcastle Uni staff and their student allies turned up for the 24-hour rolling strike over months-long enterprising bargaining that has been referred to the Fair Work Commission.

The rally lasted just under two hours.

The union is calling for a 20 per cent salary increase and workload reduction measures, while protesting the uni’s plans to save more than $20 million through job cuts and restructuring.

The timing of the rally coincides with a lunch event inside Parliament House celebrating the uni’s 60th anniversary, with Vice-Chancellor Alex Zelinsky speaking along with Skills and Tertiary Education Minister Steve Whan.

Greens MPs Abigail Boyd and Jenny Leong boycotted the event along with Labor’s Sarah Kaine, who is chairing a parliamentary inquiry into the university sector.

NTEU Newcastle Uni branch president Terry Summers accused the university administration of “stonewalling" attempts at negotiation.

“Our governance is just atrocious, it’s like a secret society – there’s no accountability,” he said.

“We’re here … because things are not going good at the university while at the same time, our executive – the fat cats – are celebrating.

“If things aren’t going good at the university for its staff, they’re not good … for its students.

“All we’re asking for is some job security, so you’re not always looking over your shoulder for your next job … (and) enough pay to keep up with inflation so we’re not constantly going backwards.”

Illustrating his remarks was a union member dressed as a ‘cash cow’ giving the thumbs down or thumbs down, while others stood nearby dressed in inflatable frog costumes.

The ‘cash cow’ was on hand to punctuate the speakers’ comments with hand gestures.

The union’s casual staff representative Sharon Cooper also addressed the crowd, and claimed the uni was hiding the true number of job losses by not factoring in casual and fixed-term contracts that are not being renewed.

Cooper, a sessional academic who has worked at the University of Newcastle for 25 years, is among those whose contracts haven’t been renewed for next year, a decision which she said would contribute to increased workloads on the remaining staff.

“Unfortunately (the university) have an aversion to conversion,” she said.

“It’s really sad seeing your colleagues so stressed and so anxious about their overwork.”

Originally published as University of Newcastle union members protest 60th birthday bash at NSW Parliament