Universities have exploited the limitations of both casual and fixed term employment classifications while denying the slim benefits of either type of contract to workers - creating a potent mix of insecurity and wage theft

The PhD stipend in Australia is $32k. This is $15,580 less than minimum wage, and universities around Australia are taking action to ensure that gaining teaching work to supplement our income is even harder.

The cognitive dissonance of being a "casual academic" (set to become even more extreme under the announced changes).

Contracts are not ongoing, have no end date, but a secret, more complex third thing

Sydney Uni has already implemented an effective hiring freeze and gestured toward job cuts in 2025. Now they're planning to manipulate casual hiring arrangements to circumvent Closing Loopholes. We'll be moving the following motion in the NTEU members' meeting 1pm Tues 27 Aug.

Yaegan Doran USyd Casuals Network Looks like the VCs cabal all got the same legal advice on avoiding the effect of the laws while claiming to adhere to the letter of the law. United to rip off casualised academics.

University HR departments:

It is outrageous that around 80% of First Nations staff at University of Sydney are in casual and fixed-term roles. The University is significantly underperforming in its First Nations targets, with only 0.6% representation compared to the 3.8% target. These targets must be enforced.

Solidarity with Macquarie casuals who face being sacked en masse at the end of semester, with their work redistributed to permanent academic staff and graduate fellows on exploitative contracts (doing the same work for less pay). Sign the petition: betteruniversities.work/mq-casuals-pet…

"The three maths tutors have alleged indirect discrimination on the basis of gender or parenting responsibilities." Solidarity to tutors at UniMelb fighting for secure jobs and equitable treatment. abc.net.au/news/2024-08-3…

Victoria University management continue stand down of staff taking protected industrial action in push for new enterprise agreement. It's over two years since their last deal expired. Read the media release: nteu.au/News_Articles/… #VUStandDown #HigherEducation #UnionStrong