2024 – A year in review.
Dec. 10, 2024
Hau Taki Haere | Tertiary Update Vol 28, No 22
With Christmas almost upon us, it’s time for the final edition of Tertiary Update for the year. This is an opportunity to look back at some of the things we said and did over the past twelve months that resonated strongly with you.
We traditionally do this by recapping our ten most read stories of the year.
2024’s top ten stories reflect a lot of the familiar themes we have come to expect. The majority of our Collective Employment Agreements were up for renewal, there were job cuts to fight back against, there was racism to call out and, most importantly, there were some wins to celebrate.
Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union remains incredibly active at the forefront of all the important debates and struggles we have faced and continue to face as a sector. In addition to all the things highlighted below, we have made our voices heard on issues such as the funding of our sector, government defunding of Humanities and Social Sciences via the Marsden Fund, Academic Freedom, workers’ rights and broader public service cuts, the gender and ethnic pay gaps, the University and Science Advisory Groups, the Budget, the Fast Track Approvals Bill, safe spaces on campuses, and Pay Equity.
You can look forward to more of the same in 2025!
1 – Racism in the tertiary education sector
In March, our latest State of the Sector report, by Dr Charles Sedgwick and Eliza de Waal, outlined the impact of sustained institutional racism and discrimination across Aotearoa New Zealand’s tertiary education sector.
When asked if they experienced racism in their institutions, 11 percent of Māori general staff and 27% of academic staff in universities, and 14% of Māori general staff and 22% of academics in polytechnics, experienced discrimination because they are Māori.
A participant said “we have taken a hollow ritualistic approach to cultural issues. Lots of nice emails with Māori greetings, but no real cultural changes to a more participative and collectivist way of running the university. The language stuff is easy, but the culture change stuff is much harder.”
2 – Bye bye PBRF
In April the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) announced an advisory group had been created to review the overall university system in Aotearoa and as a result, the looming Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) round was cancelled.
Dr John P Egan, a TEU member at University of Auckland wrote “as the national union of academic and professional staff in the tertiary sector we applaud this decision. Our position has long been that the workload burden generated by the PBRF process impedes (rather than enhanced) the sector’s research productivity.”
“A better way to increase the quality of research in Aotearoa would be to broaden and deepen research funding—which is already quality assured through peer review of both grants and research outputs—in particular, addressing some of the striking gaps in our current range of funding agencies.”
3 – TEU members to strike at University of Waikato
TEU members at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato | The University of Waikato went on strike for 3.5 hours in May, following eight months of negotiations, and a mediation session, that have yielded little movement from the employer.
Kaiwhakahaere | Organiser Shane Vugler said negotiations had “hit a wall.”
“The university has budgeted for a $24 million increase in revenue in 2024, of which only $4 million is allocated to salary improvement. Since the budget was set, between $6-7 million is being cut from personnel costs through restructuring, redundancy, enhanced retirement and a hiring freeze.”
“Our 5% claim fits within their $4 million budget for salary increases if they also agree to a three-month delay before they pass the increase on to non-members, who do not do any of the mahi or pay the union fees that enable us to negotiate.”
“Our members are rightly very angry, and they call on the Vice Chancellor to send his team back to the table with a mandate to increase their offer.”
4 – Meeting with Minister Simmonds
In August, Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union met with Minister Penny Simmonds for the first time since she was made Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills. The half-hour meeting focused on the next steps for polytechnics and the rest of vocational education.
Kaiwhakahaere | Organiser Drew Mayhem, who was in attendance, said “we wanted to know more detail about what the government is proposing.”
“The Minister’s reasons for change appear to be anecdotal: “The Minister noted that she had recently visited a polytechnic classroom that only had eight learners according to her, “That’s just not financially viable.” So, the Minister’s vision is to take away from in-class provision towards an online or blended model that does not work for everybody.”
“Students won’t get the same learning as they do now. They’ll move from having campus-based learning with subject matter experts, to mainly online modules distant from advice and support. This will work for some learners, but not in all industries, communities, or for all learning styles.”
5 – Six unis to stop work and talk action
Staff at six of Aotearoa’s eight universities stopped work for two hours at the end of August to discuss progress with collective agreement negotiations. At the meetings, members decided to open strike ballots.
Kaiwhakahaere | Organiser Ben Schmidt said things were coming to a head once again. “TEU members are not going to accept low, or no pay offers, and higher paid staff have been telling us they are ready and willing to fight for their low paid colleagues.”
“It’s not acceptable for anyone in the university sector to be paid below the Living Wage. The very least we expect of all public institutions is that they pay all employees enough to live on, and we will continue to stand up for that principle.”
6 – Vote in your strike ballot
In September we announced that strike ballots were open at six universities and encouraged all eligible members to cast their vote.
Tumu Whakarae – Tiriti | National President – Tiriti, Dr Julie Douglas said “any strike vote is a collective democratic decision that will affect everyone, and participation is an obligation all members have to one another. Please make your voice heard whether you support the potential strikes or not.”
“When the votes are in, it will be absolutely critical that we all respect and honour whatever decision we collectively make.”
7 – Four universities to strike on Thursday
Later in September, 4,000 TEU members across four universities went on strike for four hours.
Members at Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of Auckland, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa | Massey University, Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | The University of Canterbury and Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki | Lincoln University took action in response to inadequate pay offers and employer refusals to ensure all staff are paid above the Living Wage.
Te Awatea Ward, Branch President at Massey University, said she was striking because “we don’t feel heard by our employer. They aren’t prioritising us – their staff. We want a pay offer that reflects our importance and the role we play in delivering education. Without us there is no university.”
8 – Te Pūkenga members win 4% + 4% in new pay deal
In October, Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union members at Te Pūkenga ratified a groundbreaking new collective employment agreement.
It featured a 4% pay increase backdated to 1 January 2024, and another 4% on 1 January 2025. All allied staff achieved collective agreement coverage, a common salary scale from next year and common provisions in a range of areas including leave and overtime. All kaimahi also benefit from improved salary allowance provisions and a new tikanga clause to recognise the skills and expertise of kaimahi Māori.
Robyn Tucker, a member of the TEU bargaining team from Toi Ohomai, said “I’m pleased with the 4% in the current climate and the expanded coverage will be of great benefit, especially to allied staff who have been fighting for this a long time. A lot of work went into this new agreement, hundreds of hours were put in by the negotiating team, advocates and staff. We all worked meticulously to come away with the best possible deal for members.”
9 – Weak leadership by a weak minister
In November, we estimated that nearly 200 staff across the Te Pūkenga network – including Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki, Toi Ohomai, Wintec, Otago Polytechnic, and Southland Institute of Technology – were impacted by ongoing restructuring.
90 to 100 jobs were proposed to be lost, affecting over 70 programmes of study. Essential courses in forestry, wood manufacturing, social work, and beauty and health were at risk.
TEU’s Assistant National Secretary – Industrial, Daniel Benson-Guiu, expressed his dismay: “This is devastating for the communities where these cuts are taking place. It will mean even fewer study options for young people, lost career pathways, and fewer trained workers in the local economies concerned. This is particularly harmful in regions with high unemployment, where courses like these are needed most of all.”
“This austerity drive stems from Minister of Tertiary Education and Skill Penny Simmons, who is once again demonstrating weak leadership by a weak Minister. It’s got to stop.”
10 – Wins for TEU members at Otago and Victoria
And finally, a fortnight ago, TEU successfully concluded collective agreement negotiations at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka | The University of Otago and Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University.
The new deals included significant steps forward, particularly for lower-paid union members.
At the University of Otago, a 3.5% pay increase this year, and another next year were secured along with an additional 10 days’ sick leave available to primary carers as defined by the university’s Parental Leave Policy. The deal also extended collective agreement coverage to Tutor Demonstrators – a win that benefits some of the most vulnerable and precarious members of the tertiary education workforce.
The settlement at Victoria University was a big deal for the university’s tutors, whose minimum hourly pay rate jumps from $23.30 to $27.90 – a 20% increase – and approximately 500 tutors earning below $27.90 per hour see an average increase of 10%. There is also an average 3.94% increase for Research Assistants and a 6.4% increase for general staff on the lowest pay bands.
Hannah Jenkin, TEU Branch President at Victoria University, said “Our members at VUW sent a clear message to university leadership that the mana of our staff must be uplifted by achieving a living wage. I am so proud of the kotahitanga and manaakitanga shown by members, many of whom have seen a loss of wages in real terms over the last few years. Their commitment to a fairer workplace has led to a historic settlement for our lowest-paid staff.”
Other stories
Funding research for economic return sounds good – but that's not how science really works – RNZ
Govt cuts humanities and social science funding – Expert Reaction – Science Media Centre
Statement on cuts to Marsden Funds for Humanities and Social Sciences – Universities NZ
Retain your scepticism of AI: academic – ODT