Attention
Education and Industrial Reporters 4 October 2002
OTAGO UNIVERSITY STAFF SUSPEND ACTIONS IN HOPE OF IMPROVED OFFER AFTER TUESDAY’S COUNCIL
Academic and General Staff at the University of Otago have agreed to suspend rolling stoppages and the imposition of work to rule until after the University Council meets on Tuesday afternoon, 8 October.
The Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Graeme Fogelberg, has signalled that he is not prepared to negotiate further until after that meeting. As a gesture of goodwill and as an assurance to Council members that the unions wish to continue talks, all actions except the withholding of financial reports have been suspended through to Tuesday evening.
Dr. Shef Rogers, the combined unions’ spokesperson, indicated that rolling stoppages over the past two weeks had clearly caused difficulties for the university management. “We have no desire to harm the university’s reputation or its functions, and wish to return to meaningful discussions as soon as possible.”
Union members will be asked to join Council members for a brown bag lunch on the Registry lawn at 1 pm on Tuesday, and to attend the public section of the Council meeting starting at 2:15.
“We think,” reported Dr. Rogers, “that both sides understand the issues and recognise that this dispute needs to move toward settlement. We hope that the Council and the Vice-Chancellor can agree on a new offer that will see all of us back in discussions quickly, in line with the Senate resolutions passed last week.”
END
Contact Details:
Dr. Shef Rogers, Combined Unions’ spokeperson 479-8892; home 473-0527
Mark Ryan, co-advocate, 474-7400 or 025-915-138