Pay settlement at Victoria University
General (non-academic) staff at Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) today voted to accept a new pay offer from the
University. Acceptance of the offer, which was for a 3 percent salary increase from 1 May 2004, brings to an end a six
week dispute which saw VUW general staff take strike action and threaten a University-wide shut-down during the first
week of second semester enrolments.
General staff have been claiming a 4 percent pay rise, in line with their academic colleagues.
Association of University Staff (AUS) general staff spokesperson, Tony Quinn, said that the improvements in salary offer
came as a direct result of industrial action. “The strike on Monday 31 May resulted in the employer’s offer being
increased from 2.2 percent to 2.5 percent, and the threat of a “first-week shutdown” raised that offer further to the
current 3 percent.”
“While union members remain unhappy about the disparity with their academic colleagues, they are delighted with their
success in improving the offer,” said Mr Quinn. “Union participation is at an all-time high, and staff have the
confidence that if need be they can repeat an effective industrial action campaign in the future if salary claims are
not addressed in a satisfactory manner.”
Ends
Tony Quinn, AUS Victoria University Branch
Phone (04) 477 0539 (home)
(04) 463 6187 (work)
Email tony.quinn@vuw.ac.nz
Jeff Rowe, Industrial Officer AUS
Phone (04) 380 9212 (home)
(04) 915 6692 (work)
021 375 670 (mobile)
Email: jeff.rowe@aus.ac.nz