Students join TEU in calling for fair pay at Auckland Uni

Media release
Tertiary Education Union - Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa
14 March 2017

STUDENTS JOIN THE TEU IN CALLING FOR FAIR PAY AT AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY

Responding to Auckland University Students’ Association’s statement [1] in support of Thursday’s fair pay strike [2], John Egan, Academic co-president of the TEU at Auckland University, said:

“We are delighted the AUSA is joining us in calling on the Vice-Chancellor to agree to an equal pay increase for all of our members and to pay the lowest paid staff the Living Wage. Academic and professional staff at the university work tirelessly to support students and give them the best possible learning experience. This includes the lowest paid, who the Vice-Chancellor is refusing to support by lifting their pay by an amount equal to everybody else.

“Knowing that their strike action on Thursday is supported by the students’ association will mean a great deal to our members. Union members and students alike recognise how much work we have put in over the last seven months to reach an agreement with the Vice-Chancellor that benefits our lowest paid colleagues. That he still refuses to offer an equal increase in pay speaks volumes about how little he appreciates the contribution our lowest paid members make to the student-staff relationship the AUSA says it values so highly.

“We urge the Vice-Chancellor to take the advice given to him by students and return to negotiations and agree to our claim for a fair and equal increase in pay for all of our members.”

--ENDS--