8 April 2005
Greens support academics' industrial action
The Greens today put their support behind the Association of University Staff's bid for a national employment agreement.
"University staff in New Zealand lag way behind their Australian counterparts in terms of pay," Green Tertiary Education
Spokesperson Nandor Tanczos said. "Part of the problem is their inability to collectively bargain across universities."
"Auckland University Vice-Chancellor Stuart McCutcheon has refused to even discuss the prospect of taking part in
multi-employer bargaining. We do not believe this shows good faith, especially when put alongside the 4.5 pay increase
offered non-union staff.
"Auckland University needs to take a less aggressive approach to its relationship with AUS. Professor McCutcheon has
said he will not negotiate alongside his competitors, the other New Zealand universities. He seems to have forgotten
that we have left the 1990s, and that the competitive model no longer drives tertiary education."
ENDS