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To: Faculty Deans and Heads of Schools at the University of Melbourne

No Cuts! - Ditch the Unimelb EA Variation

We are extremely concerned over the proposed variation to the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement that University Executives, Faculty Deans and Heads of Schools are asking staff to take.

The variation asks staff to refuse a pay rise, and allow the University to offer staff smaller, targeted redundancy packages with less notice.

However, the University has not articulated a financial situation that would justify these cuts. The 2019 Annual Financial Report shows over $4 billion in reserves, and over $800 million in cash reserves alone.

I am urging you to vote no to the variations, and encourage your colleagues to do the same.

Why is this important?

A pay cut is a slap in the face to staff who have doubled or tripled their workloads to deliver online learning and services to students. The changes to redundancy packages, however, are disturbing.

Job losses would become easier and cheaper to make, incentivising the University to lay off more staff. With workers already laid off in student services, libraries, schools and galleries, we cannot afford more cuts. As more of these redundancies take place, our quality of education will lessen.

This would mean fewer students, less funding, and the devaluation of University of Melbourne degrees. Those who need University support the most, and benefit the most from tertiary education, would be hit the hardest. Worst of all, hundreds of thousands of workers could be left without a livelihood, all because the university refuses to dig a little deeper.

With your help these jobs can be saved, but only by encouraging staff to vote No.

Students and staff are counting on your support.

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Updates

2020-06-08 11:28:43 +1000

100 signatures reached

2020-06-05 20:09:27 +1000

50 signatures reached

2020-06-05 08:29:40 +1000

25 signatures reached

2020-06-04 11:53:50 +1000

10 signatures reached