Forum

 
  Back to OzPolitic.com   Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
  Forum Home Album HelpSearch Recent Rules LoginRegister  
 

Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print
Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground. (Read 2958 times)
imcrookonit
Ex Member
*



Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Aug 17th, 2010 at 3:57pm
 

Universities could again be at the frontline of Liberals’ industrial relations agenda

Australia’s universities should never again be used as a testing ground for a radical Liberal workplace agenda.

Unions are determined to prevent a repeat of the abuse of Commonwealth funding by the Coalition to pursue individual contracts in the tertiary education sector.

ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence said unions were concerned that a Coalition Government could seek to blackmail universities into using individual contracts with the threat of with-holding funding. Mr Lawrence said the last time the Coalition was in power, it used Commonwealth funding to drive an extremist industrial relations agenda in the tertiary sector.

Mr Lawrence will today address a stopwork meeting by University of Queensland academic and general staff who are seeking a new collective agreement.

Staff are today beginning a series of rolling stoppages in pursuit of an improved pay offer from the university, which had a surplus of $128 million in 2009. Average pay for senior lecturers and for general staff at the University of Queensland are the second lowest of 17 tertiary institutions, despite the university’s status as one of Australia’s Group of Eight.

“Staff are using the Fair Work Act to attempt to claw back pay they lost under the Coalition Government,” Mr Lawrence said.

“After refusing to meet with staff and their union for many months, the university began negotiations last year shortly before the Fair Work Act began operation. The Act encourages collective bargaining which is the best way to secure good pay and conditions for workers.

“This is in contrast with the last Coalition Government’s Higher Education Workplace Relations Requirements, which made increased funding for universities conditional on institutions rolling out Australian Workplace Agreements to their staff.

“Tony Abbott wants to reintroduce individual contracts in Australian workplaces. He has also failed to rule out again using Government funding to implement his radical IR agenda.”

Last decade, $458 million of Commonwealth funding to universities was subject to the HEWRRs. The Coalition also used its funding powers to drive its IR agenda in other industries, including tender processes for government-funded construction projects.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
...
Gold Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 23673
WA
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #1 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 4:05pm
 
It might add soem balance to the Ultra-left wing PC nonsense that is drummed into our uni studentsthese days.
Back to top
 

In the fullness of time...
 
IP Logged
 
adelcrow
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 20133
everywhere
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #2 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 4:10pm
 
Having spent a bit of time at Uni and having a son who is still studying at uni I must admit some uni lecturers are amongst the laziest people I have ever had the misfortune to meet.
I would never want to submit anyone to Abbotts looming draconian workplace laws but something has to be done so students get value for the money they pay for uni courses.
Back to top
 

Go the Bunnies
 
IP Logged
 
Andrei.Hicks
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 23818
Carlsbad, CA
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #3 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 4:50pm
 
University lecturers laziness is only matched by their arrogance.

Sitting in a cosy office half the time thinking up mad-cap social policies and issues knowing full well they don't have to live in the real world in which the rest of us work.

I had little time for them and my university was described as the most right wing in Britain.
Back to top
 

Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination - Oscar Wilde
 
IP Logged
 
mellie
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 8142
Sydney
Gender: female
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #4 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:01pm
 
adelcrow wrote on Aug 17th, 2010 at 4:10pm:
Having spent a bit of time at Uni and having a son who is still studying at uni I must admit some uni lecturers are amongst the laziest people I have ever had the misfortune to meet.
I would never want to submit anyone to Abbotts looming draconian workplace laws but something has to be done so students get value for the money they pay for uni courses.



Why are you crying work-choices victim mouth, when Tony Abbott has already pledged he would not reintroduce this reform?

Does it feel good to wallow, or do you truly think this Jurassic policy will return?

Furthermore, Labor have their own draconian impositions they plan to assault university students with as soon as they get re-elected.

Such as compulsory student union fees which are currently voluntary thanks to an Abbott Government who opposed this last time they tried to pass it.


When we talk about experimenting on universities with draconian workplace reforms, do we bare a thought for students being forced to pay compulsory union fees?

If this isn't draconian, then I don't know what is.i

Back to top
 

All together now Labor voters.......&&&&lap-tops, pink-bats refugees and Clunker-cars&&&&insurance.AES256
 
IP Logged
 
Ex Dame Pansi
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 24168
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #5 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:10pm
 
Abbott said the phrase work choices is dead. He also said it was Howard's greatest achievement. It was the one agenda that he based his political career around. He also said he can't give a guarantee on all workplace relations.

If anyone really thinks workchoices is dead and buried, they're kidding themselves.

Remember the famous footage of Howard declaring that Australia will never have a GST.

Liberal=workchoices, by any other name they might like to call it.
Back to top
 

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." Hendrix
andrei said: Great isn't it? Seeing boatloads of what is nothing more than human garbage turn up.....
 
IP Logged
 
...
Gold Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 23673
WA
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #6 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:12pm
 
Quote:
Abbott said the phrase work choices is dead. He also said it was Howard's greatest achievement. It was the one agenda that he based his political career around. He also said he can't give a guarantee on all workplace relations.




Would you prefer an empty guarantee a la labor?
Back to top
 

In the fullness of time...
 
IP Logged
 
adelcrow
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 20133
everywhere
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #7 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:19pm
 
If you read my post Mellie you will find I do not mention workchoices  Smiley
Back to top
 

Go the Bunnies
 
IP Logged
 
mellie
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 8142
Sydney
Gender: female
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #8 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:27pm
 
I agree it's disgusting how a gillard government plans to further burden students with compulsory student union fees in a democratic country which has a shameful youth (18 to 25) unemployment rate of 18% that's soared under a Labor government in recent years.

Disgraceful.


Sad





Back to top
 

All together now Labor voters.......&&&&lap-tops, pink-bats refugees and Clunker-cars&&&&insurance.AES256
 
IP Logged
 
adelcrow
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 20133
everywhere
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #9 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:38pm
 
A $250 service fee is hardly an outrage, most students would spend more than that on chips and coke in a year.
Lets face it, as a cost towards keeping uni activities and uni bar prices low its a bargain  Smiley
Back to top
 

Go the Bunnies
 
IP Logged
 
longweekend58
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 45675
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #10 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 8:17pm
 
adelcrow wrote on Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:38pm:
A $250 service fee is hardly an outrage, most students would spend more than that on chips and coke in a year.
Lets face it, as a cost towards keeping uni activities and uni bar prices low its a bargain  Smiley


But the chips and coke are theri CHOICE. and frankly a great deal more value than union fees.
Back to top
 

AUSSIE: "Speaking for myself, I could not care less about 298 human beings having their life snuffed out in a nano-second, or what impact that loss has on Members of their family, their parents..."
 
IP Logged
 
Soren
Gold Member
*****
Offline



Posts: 25654
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #11 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 11:02pm
 
Some academics are incredibly hard working, others are coasting. Professional staff are almot always highly competent, dedicated and professional. On the whole, universities are quite diffferent, nothing like any other workplace - not like private industry and not like government departments.
It is typical of union hamfisteness and dogmatics that they would insist on the same sort of IR at universities as they would want on factory floors. Non-unionised staff actually vote down union proposals when it comes to enterprise agreements.


Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Dnarever
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 58299
Here
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #12 - Aug 17th, 2010 at 11:33pm
 
mellie wrote on Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:01pm:
Why are you crying work-choices victim mouth, when Tony Abbott has already pledged he would not reintroduce this reform?

Does it feel good to wallow, or do you truly think this Jurassic policy will return?



Go have a look at economic policy on the Liberal web site and see that they are still talking in support of individual contracts etc. that is still current today. You can believe them if you like



mellie wrote on Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:01pm:
Furthermore, Labor have their own draconian impositions they plan to assault university students with as soon as they get re-elected.
Such as compulsory student union fees which are currently voluntary thanks to an Abbott Government who opposed this last time they tried to pass it.


When we talk about experimenting on universities with draconian workplace reforms, do we bare a thought for students being forced to pay compulsory union fees?

If this isn't draconian, then I don't know what is.





When the Howard government took office a HECKS debt meant a few thousand dollars, When the Liberals were finished with the education system there were about 20 degrees costing over $100,000

Do you really think students would be outraged by a few hundred dollars towards facilities and services but have no problem at all with the huge debts left thanks to the Howard government.
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
John S
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Fascist Party = Liberal
Party

Posts: 3691
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #13 - Aug 18th, 2010 at 9:50am
 
mellie wrote on Aug 17th, 2010 at 5:01pm:
adelcrow wrote on Aug 17th, 2010 at 4:10pm:
Having spent a bit of time at Uni and having a son who is still studying at uni I must admit some uni lecturers are amongst the laziest people I have ever had the misfortune to meet.
I would never want to submit anyone to Abbotts looming draconian workplace laws but something has to be done so students get value for the money they pay for uni courses.



Why are you crying work-choices victim mouth, when Tony Abbott has already pledged he would not reintroduce this reform?

Does it feel good to wallow, or do you truly think this Jurassic policy will return?

Furthermore, Labor have their own draconian impositions they plan to assault university students with as soon as they get re-elected.

Such as compulsory student union fees which are currently voluntary thanks to an Abbott Government who opposed this last time they tried to pass it.


When we talk about experimenting on universities with draconian workplace reforms, do we bare a thought for students being forced to pay compulsory union fees?

If this isn't draconian, then I don't know what is.





Have I been asleep or something? When was the Abbott Goverment elected.

Last time I looked it was a Labor Goverment in power.
Back to top
 

'The worst Labor Government is always better then the best Liberal government for Australians workers'
WWW  
IP Logged
 
Andrei.Hicks
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 23818
Carlsbad, CA
Gender: male
Re:  Dont Use Our Universities As A Testing Ground.
Reply #14 - Aug 18th, 2010 at 1:02pm
 
John S wrote on Aug 18th, 2010 at 9:50am:
Last time I looked it was a Labor Goverment in power.


You can usually tell by the state of the finances.

We're in debt now and we handed out cash to lower class bogans, there's your answer to the colour of the Government.
Back to top
 

Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination - Oscar Wilde
 
IP Logged
 
Pages: 1 2 
Send Topic Print