University staff need secure work and pay to meet the cost-of-living crisis.

TEU Media Release

As university staff at six of Aotearoa New Zealand’s eight universities initiate collective bargaining, the Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union (TEU) says that members are asking for secure jobs and pay increases that allow members’ standard of living to improve.

Bargaining has been initiated at the University of Waikato, Massey University, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Canterbury, and the University of Otago. The University of Auckland will be initiating bargaining in July.

Dadon Rowell, a librarian at Waikato University says that members are calling for investment in the people that train and support students.

"We’re asking for pay increases that do not get eaten up by the surging cost of living that everyone’s struggling with right now."

Ms Rowell said that too many members are on casual and fixed-term agreements, with many of these staff members performing critical roles across universities.

"We’ve got hundreds of members on short-term agreements across the country re-employed year after year that are a core part of our workforce. Our collective agreement negotiations are the way we can make real improvements in the lives of our most vulnerable staff. If the role is ongoing, it should be permanent".

Te Awatea Ward, a Māori student support kaimahi at Massey University, says that the insecurity experienced by some staff was shocking.

"It’s beyond belief that we have people paid less than a Living Wage, people who are critical to keeping our universities going, being hired on fixed term agreements or casually. We want to uplift the mana of our people, so they’re able to do things that people who have job security can do like get a mortgage and support their families.

"Vice-Chancellors must choose to value the staff."

Ms Ward says that student demand for places was high across most universities. The government indicated earlier this year that it would not fund institutions for greater than forecast student numbers.

"The government has chosen to underfund student numbers - this affects all staff who support and teach students in every campus. It makes sense to properly invest in well-trained doctors, teachers and civil engineers, it makes sense to invest in quality public tertiary education because a thriving university sits at the heart of a thriving, democratic society."

For more information contact:

Kirsten McDougall | Communications Specialist, Tertiary Education Union

Email: kirsten.mcdougall@teu.ac.nz, Tel: +64 (0)21 1658 250