Union Reports 35,000 Tertiary Education Jobs Lost in Australia Due to COVID-19
According to the NTEU President, “We hear the most distressing stories about the impact of overwork, and that has an impact … on our students who are also struggling.”
A tertiary education union has disclosed that the sector suffered a loss of approximately 35,000 jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a recent parliamentary inquiry hearing, Alison Barnes, president of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), expressed concerns about a “well-being crisis” in the sector due to the recent wave of job losses.
“We also lost between 30,000 and 35,000 jobs during COVID. This has had a terrible impact on our universities,” she informed the Education and Employment Legislation Committee.
“We see staff who are stretched and at breaking point.”
“Anecdotally, we hear the most distressing stories about the impact of overwork, and that has an impact … on our students who are also struggling.”
The president also highlighted that the job cuts led to the elimination of support services for students, causing various issues related to teaching, learning, and well-being.
“We need those people in our universities teaching our students, [and] providing that pastoral care,” Barnes emphasized.
Meanwhile, Sarah Roberts, the Victorian Division Secretary of the NTEU, mentioned a significant increase in student numbers over the last 25 years. Although staffing levels at universities grew, it did not keep pace with the rise in student numbers.
Moreover, with diminishing federal funding for tertiary education in recent years, university staff members have been overwhelmed with their workloads.
Enrolment Numbers
Government data shows that total Australian university enrolments reached one million in 2007. By 2020, total university enrolments peaked at 1.62 million, and despite a drop during the COVID-19 pandemic, numbers rebounded to 1.6 million in 2023 after the reopening of borders.
Overseas students accounted for nearly one-third of total university enrolments in 2023, increasing from the previous year.
Wage Theft
Barnes raised concerns about over two-thirds of university staff being employed on an insecure basis, leading to instances of wage theft totaling $271 million. She also questioned the disparity in salaries between university management, including vice-chancellors, and the rest of the university staff.
Furthermore, the Office of Fair Work Ombudsman reported recovering $180.9 million in stolen salaries for 99,000 employees, mostly concerning casual academic staff.
The Fair Work Ombudsman highlighted factors contributing to wage theft trends in universities, such as high engagement of casual academic staff, poor governance practices, and inadequate human resource functions.
