12 July 2005
Vice-chancellors have opportunity to resolve pay dispute say staff unions
University vice-chancellors have been urged by unions to show leadership in an effort to avoid strike action planned by
staff during the fortnight between 20 July and 4 August.
Speaking on behalf of the combined university staff unions, Professor Nigel Haworth said that the Government's
establishment of a University Salaries Group (USG) provided both a welcome and ideal opportunity for the parties to work
in a tripartite process to consider and resolve the salary issues facing the sector, rather than becoming embroiled in
an industrial confrontation.
Professor Haworth said that, in response to the establishment of the USG, the vice-chancellors had indicated their
intention to try to have the group's terms of reference broadened to funding-in-general, including for infrastructure
and other facilities. "In other words, they are willing to squander the first real chance to get real engagement with
government on salary issues, despite their consistent assertion that realistic salary levels are not affordable at
current funding levels," said Professor Haworth. "As a result, we are concerned that vice-chancellors stand to undermine
the first opportunity in fifteen years to find real solutions to the most serious problem facing the sector, that of
paying competitive salaries and ensuring the recruitment and retention of high-quality staff."
"From the Minister's perspective, this must be disturbing, if only because the vice-chancellors' position is so clearly
at odds with government's industrial relations and tertiary education policies," said Professor Haworth. "Staff and
students will look askance at this because, for most, their world is not the competitive one promoted by the
vice-chancellors."
Professor Haworth said that vice-chancellors had become isolated from the mainstream of thinking about the university
sector in New Zealand, and their participation in the USG would provide an opportunity for them to reassert a position
as innovative leaders in the sector.
The university unions today completed a round of meetings at seven universities which reaffirmed a decision to take
sustained strike action in protect at the vice-chancellors refusal to agree to national collective employment agreements
for staff and inadequate salary offers of between 2 and 4.5 percent.
The Government's University Salaries Group will hold its first meeting tomorrow (13 July) to discuss its membership and
terms of reference.
ENDS