Union calls for accountability among executives, vice-chancellors
Wage theft at Australian universities is projected to exceed $382 million, according to the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), which called for accountability among vice-chancellors and executives.
In NTEU's latest report, it revealed that the total amount of money so far in identified wage theft in Australian universities has reached $382,048,628.
Alison Barnes, NTEU national president, said wage theft at universities has "spiralled beyond a crisis into a national disgrace."
"Vice-chancellors and senior executives must be held to account for the industrial-scale wage theft that has become the shameful hallmark of Australian universities," Barnes said in a statement.
Underpayments breakdown
According to the NTEU report, confirmed staff underpayments at 30 Australian universities has reached $203 million.
Another $168 million has also been set aside by nine universities for repayments on suspected underpayments.
An estimated $10 million of underpayments is also reported across three universities, which the NTEU said is refusing to reveal the full extent of underpayments.
Two other institutions have also confirmed systemic underpayments but have yet to disclose the amount of underpayment committed, according to the union.
"This extraordinary figure is a damning indictment of the way university staff are being ripped off by their employers," Barnes said.
Source: NTEU's Public Universities Wage Theft Report
Government action needed
Barnes called on political parties to back an urgent parliamentary inquiry into "out-of-control" university wage theft.
"Australian taxpayers are being taken for a ride by unaccountable vice-chancellors and senior executives committing wage theft at proportions that would make the private sector blush," the NTEU president said.
Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Australian Greens deputy leader and Higher Education Spokesperson, also called for an end to the "broken business model of the neoliberal university."
"The government must take immediate and decisive action by requiring universities to set publicly available targets for increasing permanent employment," Faruqi said in a statement.
"There should also be clearer reporting requirements with respect to employment statistics and improved rights of entry for trade unions."
Funding should also be increased for universities, as well as an overhaul on university governance, according to the senator.
