Skip to content
Education Training, Union

Union scores major win for secure jobs at the University of Melbourne

National Tertiary Education Union 2 mins read

Casual and fixed-term contract staff at the University of Melbourne will be prioritised for permanent jobs ahead of external applicants in a major win for workers.

 

The National Tertiary Education Union's recent win in the Fair Work Commission will force the university to overhaul its hiring practices and meet its obligations to create real pathways to secure jobs for precariously employed staff.

 

The Commission has found that the university breached its enterprise agreement, negotiated by NTEU and voted up by staff last year,by forcing internal candidates on casual and fixed-term contracts to directly compete against external applicants for permanent roles.

 

The university was running combined recruitment rounds where priority candidates were given no meaningful advantage, apart from submitting their applications first.

 

In siding with the union, the Commission ruled the university must conduct a separate and standalone internal recruitment round for eligible staff before advertising positions externally. 

 

This round must include shortlisting, interviews, and referee checks before external applicants are considered.

 

NTEU Victorian Division Secretary Sarah Roberts said:

 

“This sends an unequivocal message to all employers in our sector: when you make an agreement, the NTEU will hold you to account. 

 

“Casual and fixed-term staff have a right to a fair shot at permanent jobs. This win helps ensure those rights are real, not just words on paper.”

 

NTEU University of Melbourne Branch President David Gonzalez said:

 

“This decision is a game changer for workers at the University of Melbourne. 

 

“For too long, talented and dedicated staff were kept in limbo – semester after semester – while permanent jobs were quietly handed to external hires. 

 

“This ruling means staff will finally get the hard-won opportunity to secure stable, ongoing work.”

 

NTEU National President Dr Alison Barnes said:

 

“This case highlights the rampant insecure work crisis gripping Australian universities. 

 

“Two-thirds of university staff nationwide are in insecure jobs and desperately need the pathways to be permanent that the NTEU fights for. 

 

“We need urgent governance reform to ensure university management is accountable to staff, students, and the public – not just corporate-style decision-makers.”


Contact details:

Matt Coughlan 0400 561 480 / [email protected]

More from this category

  • Agriculture Farming Rural, Education Training
  • 18/07/2025
  • 09:58
Rabobank

Opportunities to commence career in agri offered with opening of 2026 Rabobank Australian graduate program

Applications for Rabobank’s 2026 graduate program are now open, providing university graduates interested in agriculture and agribusiness the chance to start their careers with…

  • Contains:
  • Education Training
  • 17/07/2025
  • 13:20
Plenty Training

Educators Evolve: Childcare Professionals Finding Purpose in Adult Learning

Gold Coast, Australia– A growing number of early childhood educators are making the shift from childcare to adult education, with Plenty Training, a leading…

  • Contains:
  • Education Training, Information Technology
  • 16/07/2025
  • 14:24
Edelman on behalf of Infosys ANZ

Infosys Collaborates with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools to drive Network-Wide Digital Transformation

Infosys Collaborates with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools to drive Network-Wide Digital Transformation Empowering one of Australia’s largest education networks with SAP S/4HANA to improve efficiency, enhance user experience, and streamline data management Melbourne, Australia – July 16, 2025 – Infosys(NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY), a global leader in digital services and consulting, has announced a collaboration with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS)to drive an ambitious digital transformation initiative. This engagement showcases Infosys' strong capabilities in implementing managed services in the education sector. As part of the initiative, Infosys will deploy a suite of enterprise platforms, including SAP S/4HANA Cloud, SAP SuccessFactors,…

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.