Nick Everett: crisis in the university sector and the need to fight back

Following a huge collapse in revenue, particularly from international students, Universities across the country find themselves at a historical crossroads. Up to 21 000 jobs may be lost in the coming months. A potential showdown looms between the boards of management and academic staff. Also looming is a possible civil war within the National Tertiary Education Union. The leadership is proposing sacrifices be made, in order to save workers from potentially even greater sacrifices. A Jobs Protection Framework is soon to be voted on by the union membership. It will entail wage cuts of between 5 and 15% but, according to the union, that will mean thousands of jobs will be saved. Indymedia's Raymond Grenfell spoke to Nick Everett, a member of the Murdoch University NTEU branch committee.