Message from the Vice-Chancellor

Hi everyone,

As the Chief People Officer advised in her email to all staff last Friday, further information on the proposed variation to the ANU Enterprise Agreement is now available to you. I encourage everyone to review the information over the coming week to inform your decision.

It is proposed that staff forgo the upcoming 2.5 per cent salary increase scheduled for 19 December 2024, an action which would save the University up to $15 million in ongoing salary costs. This is a significant step, and one that could make a real difference. This sacrifice will save jobs at ANU.  

Under this proposal, ANU staff will still receive a 16 per cent salary increase over the life of the Enterprise Agreement, compared to the current 18.5 per cent.  

As I committed to in townhall meetings over recent weeks, we are putting all options on the table for finding the savings needed to return ANU to financial sustainability. This proposal is just one, but an important one, of several measures we are seeking to take to address our financial position.

We have established a Recruitment Approval Committee to focus staff hiring and are also working hard to reduce the accrued staff leave liability we must provide for.  I have also asked senior staff on Performance Based Employment Contracts to forgo the upcoming pay increase, and I have also reduced my salary by ten per cent in recognition of the sacrifice I am asking you to make for the future of our University.  

I know this is not the first time our staff have been asked to consider an Enterprise Agreement variation.  The deferral of the 2 per cent salary increase in 2020 reduced University spending by approximately $6.75 million in that year and a further $13.5 million in 2021, which helped save jobs —  by lessening the scale of staff reductions that would have been required without the deferral.

By voluntarily forgoing the scheduled salary increase this December, you are supporting our targeted reduction of $100 million in salary costs. Your contribution, together with that of your colleagues, plays a vital role in maintaining a sustainable and resilient work environment across the University, helping us to prioritise essential services and protect our shared future.

More information on the proposed variation is available on our website here, including:  

• The proposed variation to the Enterprise Agreement
• Explanatory documents and resources  
• Information session links  
• Staff ballot information  
• Frequently Asked Questions  

I encourage you to carefully consider the information available on this webpage over this week.  You can also ask questions and provide feedback on this proposal through ea.comments@anu.edu.au.  

Eligible staff will be able to vote on this proposal through a confidential electronic vote from 9am on Monday 18 November 2024 until 4pm on Wednesday 20 November 2024. An email will be sent to all eligible staff with a link to the voting page.

I know that asking you to forgo a salary increase you were expecting to receive is a significant decision, particularly in the current broader economic context.  But I hope you’ll reflect on what this could mean for our broader community, and for the future of the University.

Genevieve

*As published via all-staff email on 13 November 2024.