Allied Staff Stop Work And Protest At NMIT

02 September 2008

Allied Staff Stop Work And Protest At NMIT

Media Release

Allied staff stopped work at Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) today to protest at the meeting of the Institutes Governing body (Council) over the current impasse with their collective agreement negotiations.

The staff, who are members of the Tertiary Institutes Allied Staff Association (TIASA) have taken action out of sheer frustration and anger at NMIT’s approach to the collective agreement negotiations.

“Our members do not accept NMIT’S assertion that a 4% salary increase is not affordable” said TIASA Chief Executive, Peter Joseph.

“During the last negotiations, our members, and their academic colleagues, accepted NMIT management’s statements that anything above 3% was not affordable and could jeopardise the institute’s financial future, only to find that, NMIT then went ahead and provided those allied staff on individual agreements, with a 3.8% increase,” he said.

TIASA members also view as “over the top” the fact that NMIT has approached these negotiations with a list of more than 80 claims.

“The 4% increase that our members are seeking is both reasonable and affordable, and is line with recent TIASA settlements in the ITP sector, of 4% to 4.5%” said Peter Joseph. “NMIT’s 3.6% offer, with strings attached, is not acceptable” he said.

TIASA members crowded into today’s Council meeting, armed with placards and banners, demanding to be treated fairly, and to have their contribution acknowledged and valued by NMIT.

Allied staff will be meeting over the next few days to consider what further action may be required to progress a settlement.

ENDS

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