Underpayments – Feb 2021 (PDF version)
Professional Staff maybe aware the University of Sydney has advised it has underpaid a range of Professional Staff for years.
In particular, it has been revealed that library workers have been systematically underpaid as a result of staff being incorrectly classified as shift workers rather than day workers. This means decades of unpaid overtime for many library workers.
CPSU NSW Sydney University Branch President, Grant Wheeler argued for years that library workers have been misclassified. It is unfortunate he was not listened to earlier, but a good reminder about how important unions are in protecting pay and conditions.
Many of the university’s 265 library staff and others who have left the university could be owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in missed overtime.
The CPSU NSW takes this seriously, with Assistant Secretary Troy Wright issuing the following statement:
The union is weighing all of its options, including legal avenues, to make sure that those who were underpaid can get their lost wages.
The university must not drag its feet in repaying staff and (must) fairly recognise all of those long-term staff who are owed. The inclusion of a cap on repayment seems deeply unfair, given many of the staff have been working in the library for decades.
CPSU NSW delegates and officials have been in negotiations with the university to establish a system to ensure that all workers are able to claim what is owing to them. At the time of writing, the union has been advised that staff can make a claim to Payroll for ALL monies they believe are owing to them by calling the shared service number on 9351 2000.
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Higher Education editor, Anna Patty reported on the systematic underpayment of library workers at Sydney University. Her story features a prominent photo of Sydney Uni CPSU NSW Branch President Grant Wheeler (looking defiant in our new shirts) who is directly affected. Assistant Secretary Troy Wright is also extensively quoted. The article can be read HERE.
Ask them to join the CPSU NSW HERE.
Follow the CPSU NSW on Facebook HERE.
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