[TEU-academic] ] TEU update
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Fri Mar 08 2024 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
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International Women’s Day breakfast event. We thank our branch committee members Rachel Simon-Kumar, Christiane Rupp, Jennifer Frost and Callie Vandewiele for being the prime movers for this standing room only, energising event this morning. Attendees heard from ProVC (Equity) Cathy Stinear who explained the process by which the University has committed to analysis of gender pay gaps. Today, International Women’s Day, is the day on which a snapshot of the relevant data is officially taken, university-wide. The results will be analysed for this year’s report in September. The audience also heard powerful messages from TEU members. Sereana Naepi reminded us of the power of personal stories that make the statistics more human, and drive change. Nicola Gaston insisted that despite official disclaimers that getting the pay gap to zero is “not the target”, it must be the target. Suzanne Acharya shared some sickening reports of the verbal violence and micro-aggressions to which women staff of colour are subjected, not by random members of the public but by their managers and colleagues, and not in the past but now. We will be building on this event to craft a bargaining claim related to gender pay equity this year with meeting to follow (see below also). Photos from the event can be found at International Women's Day at UoA | Flickrhttps://www.flickr.com/photos/195692416@N04/albums/72177720315293022, courtesy of Enzo Giordani.
Professional Staff Reminder: Pay Equity claim meetings. Claims for low-paid university library, clerical, and administrative staff are underway, and your views are needed. The claims can only be assessed accurately if the real nature of your work is well understood. Job descriptions and process documents are not substitutes. Only you and your colleagues can describe in detail the actual work you do.
The TEU is running a series of meetings for members and non-members under the claim to:
- discuss what happens next with the pay equity claims;
- get key information about the real nature of your work;
- talk about the way your roles will be assessed;
- give advice on how to talk about your work in a way that communicates your responsibilities.
The following meetings will be held in March. Attend the meeting that works best for you. We have spread the meetings across campuses to make it more convenient, but feel free to attend whichever meeting you wish.
Wednesday 13 March 2024 1230 – 1330 Owen Glen Rm 260-223 City Campus Thursday 14 March 2024 1230 – 1330 ClockTower Rm 105-101 City Campus Monday 18 March 2024 1230 – 1330 Science Rm 303-257 City Campus Tuesday 19 March 2024 1230 – 1330 Engineering Rm 401-1202 City Campus Monday 25 March 2024 1230 – 1330 FMHS Bldg Rm 507-LG045 Grafton Campus Tuesday 26 March 2024 1230 – 1330 Northey – Law Rm 801-204 City Campus
TEU Bargaining Claims: member survey. Bargaining for our collective agreement begins again later this year. The Branch Committee would like to hear what you think our claims should be. Please take a couple of minutes to fill out the survey herehttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8mX0uXCb7tzgf3uQBd7RuXH817Kz7fq2hkhuFP-D460nHdA/viewform over the next week.
TEU Yoga, taught by Reha Kumar, continues in the Maclaurin Chapel on Thursday mornings from 8-8:55 am during the first half the semester (March 14, 21, 28, April 18). Please feel free to join us! The class is limited to 20 participants, and while drop-ins are welcome, but you can secure a place by filling out this form.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAGMLCu6x0uthpLEEvV2tl_SbBfTzwu4tSUhWjhfEvIlfGKg/viewform?usp=sf_link During the second half of the semester the class will move to the Grafton Campus.
Start buying your own antiviral software. Without explanation as to why, it has been announced [ESET NOD32 antivirus for Windows and Macintosh - The University of Aucklandhttps://www.staff.auckland.ac.nz/en/central-services/digital-services/digital-strategy-architecture/itprocurement-services/software/Site-licences/antivirus-nod-32-windows.html] that from 29 March, free access to ESET antivirus, for installation on non-university machines (the ones you might do your work on when at home or travelling) will end and you will be on your own. We are seeking to find out why but are yet to hear back.
TEU member Joanna Kidman, co-director of the Centre of Research Excellence for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism based at VUW has stirred up the government by wondering (on social media) what it has against young people. Coalition government might be a ‘death cult’, David Seymour calls for resignation of anti-extremism centre director msn.com and Free speech advocate on professor's social media posts | RNZhttps://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018929074/free-speech-advocate-on-professors-social-media-posts.
How some rich parents rort the tertiary student allowance scheme. Calls for a universal student allowance: Students gaming the allowance system | RNZhttps://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/checkpoint/audio/2018928968/calls-for-a-universal-student-allowance-students-gaming-the-allowance-system. See also Government hints it could review student allowance criteria msn.com
Alan Sokal reviews Umut Özkırımlı’s new book, Cancelled: The Left Way Back from Wokehttps://www.wiley.com/en-gb/Cancelled:+The+Left+Way+Back+from+Woke-p-9781509550937. The left-wing defence of free speech | Alan Sokal | The Critic Magazinehttps://thecritic.co.uk/the-left-wing-defence-of-free-speech/.
Folklore as philosophy. Abigail Tulenko (Harvard) writes: “Folklore is openly historical, and openly in flux. Tales evolve with the contributions of successive tellers, and yet, in what persists, we are able to witness thought processes that approach timeless resonance.” Folktales startle us into rethinking our values | Aeon Essayshttps://aeon.co/essays/folktales-startle-us-into-rethinking-our-values
Elisabeth Bik, science sleuth. Bik tackles the widespread issue of research misconduct statnews.com
Other reminders.
- The Branch committee is seeking members to complete several portfolios. We would love to hear from members interested in the following representational roles: Te Uepū (Māori reps; one academic, one professional), Women, Recruitment, Professional Staff, Pasifika, PTFs. Of particular importance are the Te Uepū reps (one academic, one professional). If you are interested, or have any questions about the roles, email please email me, Noel, or Nicole.
- Office hours on campus. We have a TEU office on campus, Room 417 in the Fisher Building on Waterloo Quadrant. TEU Organisers Nicole and Andy have walk-in office hours every Friday between 10am and 2pm. They can be contacted otherwise by email: nicole.wallace@teu.ac.nz or andy.hipkiss@teu.ac.nz
Please consider sharing this and subsequent Updates (electronically or print) with colleagues who may benefit from knowing what we are doing.
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Barry Hughes, PhD School of Psychology Phone: +64 9 923 5265 Extension: 85265
