University of Melbourne staff will be on strike from 12-5pm this Thursday 27 August. National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) members across the University will walk off the job at 12pm to join a mass meeting under the John Medley Building, followed by a gathering on South Lawn from 1.30pm.

 The University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU) stands in solidarity with NTEU members taking industrial action to demand better working conditions.

 NTEU members voted to take protected industrial action to because University of Melbourne management was not agreeing to take action on staff’s key bargaining demands, including:

• Paid sick leave for casuals
• Safer workloads for academic staff

Many of UMSU’s student members are also NTEU members employed at the University of Melbourne, particularly graduate students in sessional teaching roles. UMSU stands with you.

UMSU recognises that improving staff working conditions improves student learning environments, and that solidarity between staff and students is a powerful tool for making change at our University. We encourage all students to understand the NTEU’s demands and support the strike.

If you have any issues relating to your attendance or assessment due to the impacts of NTEU action, or want to know what your responsibilities as a student might be at this time, then you can contact UMSU Advocacy to get independent advice.