Massey on Strike

Media Release for immediate release
31 August 2000

Massey on Strike

Both general and academic staff at Massey University are striking on Friday 1 September. Last minute informal talks between management and representatives of the combined unions this morning clarified issues between the two groups but drew them no closer to an agreement.

"Our staff are deeply angered by management's attempts to clawback certain conditions in the recently expired collective contract, such as our retirement clauses and our ability to include department heads in our collective," said joint union industrial campaign speaker Dr Karen Rhodes.

It does not help us reach agreement when our members hear the management touting claims about the great deal they have offered us. Much of their 'offer' means relatively little to our members, while our real concerns – like the clawbacks – are ignored or denied," said Dr Rhodes.

"We are very concerned about our rising workloads, for instance, and with the threat of redundancies looming, those of us left will face even heavier burdens. A working party composed of management and union representatives to establish workload guidelines was a provision of the contract we ratified two years ago. Those guidelines were finalised only yesterday. We still have no guarantee that they will be acceptable to the Vice-Chancellor, however. He has failed for a year to act on a similar document from a similar working party on academic promotions," said Dr Rhodes.

Friday's strike action affects Massey's three main campuses in Palmerston North, Albany and Wellington. Staff will be picketing campus entrances at various times throughout the morning. "We expect orderly and responsible pamphletting of all people wishing to enter campus, with organisers and safety officers at all locales," said Dr Rhodes.

Contact: Dr Karen Rhodes h(06) 356-1100, w(06) 356-9099 extn 7296 ;
on Friday 1 Sept only: 021-262-6705

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