Staff and students at Monash University rallied on October 7 to protect casual staff from management’s job cuts.
Despite bad weather, about 100 people joined the rally demanding secure jobs, class sizes of 20:1 and genuine consultation.
After the new Closing the Loopholes laws, which, along with other changes, gives casual workers the option to convert to permanent employment, management announced that some departments would no longer be able to hire casuals, and that entire departments would be closed.
Some departments are being forced to shift from tutorials to workshops, with student-to-staff ratios of 75:1. Others have received no information.
Staff and students are confused and stressed about the impact of these changes. Many are concerned about the impact this will have on the quality of their education.
Speakers at the rally included National Tertiary Education Union Monash branch casuals representative Tony Williams, branch committee member Blair Williams, Monash Student Association president Chloe, two international PhD student teaching fellows, among other staff and students.
Casual academics highlighted the challenges of being a casual with no job security, particularly in a cost-of-living crisis, as well as their concerns about the impact on their students.
“Staff working conditions are student learning conditions,” they said.
Staff and students then marched through the campus past a graduate study expo to the Chancellery.
After the rally, students asked organisers how they could join the campaign to support their teachers, and there was a great feeling of solidarity.
It is clear that the university management does not care about its students or staff — they only care about profit.
[Brenna Dempsey is a member of the Monash University Branch of the National Tertiary Education Union.]
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