Unitec needs stability not cuts

Media release
11 February 2015
Tertiary Education Union - Te Hautū Kahurangi o Aotearoa

Unitec needs stability not cuts

Unitec’s plans for yet another major restructuring - before the last two have had time to bed in - are foolhardy, says TEU national president Sandra Grey.

“Constant change and uncertainty is bad for students trying to learn”, says Grey. “Students aren't sure if their course will still exist, and staff aren't sure if their job will still exist.”

“What Unitec really needs is time to recover and rebuild from its previous failed reorganisations.”

This Unitec reorganisation is yet to be formally announced, but TV3 revealed last night that it could affect up to 80 staff and could lead to more casualisation and job losses.

“This Unitec proposal is similar to reorganisations going on in tertiary institutions all around New Zealand. At any one time there are normally at least 30 restructures underway in New Zealand’s tertiary institutions,” said Grey.

“Just last week over fifty staff walked out of their offices for the last time at Manukau Institute of Technology for no better reason than MIT decided it needed to undertake its third major restructure in three years.”

“This is bad for students and its bad for staff. We think it is time government stepped in to give tertiary education providers more stability and certainty, so they can stop the constant cuts and short term changes in direction.”

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