RSS Feed
April 4th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda About one thousand students and staff have rallied at Sydney University in the latest protest over staff job cuts.
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) says 360 employees are set to lose their jobs, despite university claims that the figure is much lower.
“Today’s rally was an important part of the campaign against the proposed job cuts,” said Michael Thomson, NTEU University of Sydney branch president.
“I was really pleased with the crowd, there were people there from smaller faculties and off-campus faculties.”
Students and staff marched to the vice-chancellor’s office in the main quadrangle of the university, where they chanted and “made noise”.
“It was very loud, very clear,” Mr Thomson told AAP.
Police were called to halt a group of 30 people who reportedly occupied the dean of arts’ office and students were noticeably angry, Mr Thomson said.
“We are very pleased the rally is so large,” he said.
“It is worth emphasising that the anger against the vice-chancellor was clearly visible across the rally.”
Sydney University said the protest was peaceful.
“There was no violence, there were speeches and chants and a bit of noise,” a spokesman told AAP.
Sydney University maintains the 360 figure of cut jobs is inaccurate.
“The figures are very, very simple, the university has offered voluntary redundancy to 100 staff, and has offered a changed role to another 64,” the spokesman said.
Last month the NTEU took its case against the university to Fair Work Australia, who ruled that a consultation process must be undertaken by Sydney University.
The decision was hailed as a win for both parties with the NTEU predicting that some job losses would be reconsidered in the consultation process.
But the latest protests have come about because the union believes the university is going ahead with the cuts despite the ruling.
“They (Sydney University) are wanting to push through with the job cuts,” Mr Thomson said.
“They haven’t backed away from that and we’re going to ensure they do the proper consultation at a local level.”
The Sydney University spokesman said the ruling by Fair Work did not halt the decision to offer voluntary redundancies to 100 staff but simply added another step into the process.
“It certainly didn’t overturn the process, or freeze it,” he said.
Posted in 
Tags: 
