It’s never been more expensive to complete a qualification at an Australian University. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult, stressful, and financially punishing to work at one.
Australia’s tertiary education system has become obsessed with revenue streams, and at the heart of that strategy is making sure they keep the cost of staffing to a minimum. That has resulted in academic and professional staff being stuck in endless cycles of insecure and casual work for years on end.
Whilst University management rakes in huge executive fees and bonuses, staff are dependent on seasonal work that may disappear at any time.
Alison Barnes is the President of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU). David Harris is a career academic at Swinburne University and the University of New South Wales. Both of them are busing campaigning to restore permanent work and decent conditions for workers on Australian Uni campuses.
They are our guests on today’s pod.
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About the hosts
Sally Rugg – @sallyrugg
Francis Leach, ACTU – @SaintFrankly
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Australian universities high distinction in worker exploitation