Combined University Unions
Media Release
21 March 2005
Otago staff make progress in university bargaining dispute
University staff have called on other New Zealand vice-chancellors to follow the lead of their Otago counterpart and
work towards a national settlement of the current university bargaining dispute.
A meeting of more than six hundred staff yesterday afternoon voted overwhelmingly to accept an offer from the
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Otago to increase salaries by 5 percent, backdated to 1 May, and to continue
discussions on multi-employer bargaining. The parties will meet no later than 8 August to deal with outstanding matters.
Speaking on behalf of the combined unions, Professor Nigel Haworth, said the settlement has created an opportunity for
all vice-chancellors to settle the current dispute, allowing the parties to work constructively towards the resolution
of long-term salary and workforce issues facing the sector.
Otago's Vice-Chancellor, Professor David Skegg, had told staff he has an open mind about multi-employer collective
employment agreements (MECAs), saying it carries potential benefits and risks. The potential benefit would arise if
settling a MECA could persuade the Government deal with the serious under-resourcing of New Zealand universities.
Professor Haworth said that Professor Skegg had shown the leadership and vision necessary to break the impasse in the
current dispute, and it illustrated that other vice-chancellors had the capability to reach similar settlements. "Some
vice chancellors refusal to move is based on a competitive model of university management, one which is outdated and
inconsistent with the Government's tertiary education strategy," he said. "It is time for them to set aside their
competitive ideology and end this dispute. Not to do so will be an injustice to both staff and students."
Ends