Casualised staff at UNSW may be compensated for potentially massive underpayments after an independent audit in the Annual Report of the University of New South…
Wage theft of casual staff just ‘the tip of the iceberg,’ report finds
90% of participants performed unpaid work during Semester 2, 2020.
May 18, 2021
Further evidence has come to light regarding systemic wage theft and underpayment of casual staff at the University of Sydney.
The USyd Casuals Network and the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) have released a report titled ‘The Tip of the Iceberg,’ revealing that 90% of participants performed unpaid work during Semester 2, 2020. The mean underpayment of the 29 casual staff who participated in the audit was $4,130, with one reporting stolen wages of $19,065.
The report confirmed that the amount of hours casuals work is not reflected in their pay, indicating that the University’s use of the ‘piece rate’ model results in systemic wage theft. While staff are allocated a set amount of hours for each task, the report showed that these allotments don’t cover the amount of time needed to complete them to an accepta
Denied access to paid sick leave, casual academic staff on precarious incomes at universities across the country are often faced with the choice to forfeit…
SLAM faces axe; two departments likely to be cut with job losses expected
The Departments of Studies in Religion and Theatre and Performance Studies are likely to be closed entirely.
April 29, 2021
In a meeting this afternoon, about 90 staff in the School of Literature, Art and Media (SLAM) were informed that their School could be abolished under a scheme codenamed ‘Operation Bluestar.’
SLAM faces extinction despite posting a surplus last year.
‘Operation Bluestar’ involves the complete disbanding of SLAM, reducing the number of FASS schools from six to five, while the Departments of Studies in Religion and Theatre and Performance Studies are likely to be closed entirely.
University considers ‘mitigating’ 12 week semesters with alternative proposal
Student representatives and casual staff say they have not been consulted about the new proposal.
April 22, 2021
Professor Pip Pattison, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education) has proposed that the University retain 13 contact weeks a semester, but that Week 13 become a revision week and that non-examination assessments be due during Stuvac.
Pattison will recommend to the Academic Board that for the 2022-2026 academic calendar, they choose between the new proposal (Option B) and the 12 week semester one (Option A), which has been met with overwhelming opposition from students and staff. An option to keep the existing structure is not included.