Michaela Meade
Calls to save hundreds of jobs at La Trobe University have fallen on “deaf ears”, according to the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).
The university announced last month that 200 full time-financial equivalent (FTE) jobs could be lost under its new change proposal, which aims to secure the university’s financial position following the COVID-19 pandemic.
A three-week staff consultation period was completed earlier this month.
President of the NTEU La Trobe branch, Alysia Rex, said morale amongst staff was at an “all time low”.
“We are concerned that the university has not shown due diligence in planning these changes,” Ms Rex said.
“We have been advised that no workplace mapping was undertaken to ensure that there is enough staff to complete the work that will remain without excessive and generally unpaid and unacknowledged overtime.
“The NTEU called for the university to explore other options including job sharing and voluntary separation prior to making these cuts. Unfortunately those calls fell on deaf ears.”
Ms Rex said staff have been “let down”.
“The change proposal put forward by [the] university executive and approved by council is deeply flawed and will see significant cuts across the university,” Ms Rex said.
A La Trobe University spokesperson said the change proposal was developed to ensure the university was in a “strong position for future growth”.
“The change proposal includes significant changes to the way the university is structured,” the spokesperson said.
“This will result in new opportunities as well as redundancies.
“Current modelling estimates a [job loss that is] less than previously forecast and communicated with staff.
“The proposed changes will mean a greater breadth and depth of subject and elective offerings in some areas, and significantly more majors and subjects available online for regional students.”
La Trobe said the implementation of the new structure will commence in January 2022.
