Media release: University of Canterbury staff begin partial strike action over pay and insecure work.

Tertiary Education Union (TEU) members at the University of Canterbury (UC) will begin partial strike action from 9am Tuesday 10 November.

Members are taking action because the latest pay offer from their employer fails to keep pace with the cost of living or recognise increased work pressures with the increase in student numbers.

The industrial action involves a partial withdrawal of labour, with staff continuing to carry out their normal work but they will not confirm, enter, process or release student grades and exam results.

Annick Masselot, a Professor of Law and member of the TEU UC bargaining team says the action is needed after months of bargaining.

"We do not want to take action that affects students, but we have reached this point because the Vice Chancellor’s pay offer is terrible. It’s the worst offer given by any of the universities in bargaining which is shocking given we’re the university doing the best.

"The issue is that staff are being asked to do more work for a pay offer that goes backwards in real terms while the pressures in our jobs go up. Staff at UC have been working tirelessly towards a student experience that’s the best in Aotearoa, and management are refusing to invest in us. Students learning conditions are our working conditions. Our VC is offering the staff crumbs."

The university's current offer is 2 percent in the first year and 2 percent in the second year, alongside a one-off payment of $3,000 spread over two years.

The strike action comes at a time when UC is experiencing record-high student enrolments.

Professor Masselot says that staff regularly work beyond their normally contracted hours to get grading done.

"Even working to rule we can’t meet deadlines for grading because of the volume of students. If management keep undervaluing staff, then both staff and students suffer. It really comes down to exploitation by management of their staff."

Āwhina Green, a lecturer in te reo Māori, says that TEU members also have serious concerns about the university's workforce model, noting that a significant proportion of staff are employed on fixed-term or otherwise insecure arrangements.

"UC has the highest proportion of insecurely employed staff in the university sector. Around 62 percent of our staff are on fixed-term or other insecure employment arrangements."

Ms Green says members are also concerned about a proposal to remove retirement provisions for future staff, reducing long-standing employment conditions that recognise years of service.

"For those who have worked at UC over a longer period of time, they feel disrespected, overlooked and undervalued as their service is not being recognised adequately."

TEU says the partial strike action is aimed at securing a settlement that recognises staff contributions and helps the university attract and retain the people students rely on.

"We want the university to return to the bargaining table with an offer that reflects the value of its staff. Investing in staff is investing in students."