Support Academic Freedom - Sign the NTEU Petition Online Today! The NTEU is mounting a national and international campaign on workers' rights and academic freedom in response to the summary dismissal of a senior academic. On 26 February this year, Dr Ted Steele was summarily dismissed from his position as Associate Professor at the University of Wollongong. The letter of dismissal was delivered by hand to Steele at home at 5.15pm that day, along with a letter from the Head of Human Resources asking him to make arrangements to collect his `material=92 from the university as soon as possible. The reason given by the University for taking this action was Steele's public criticism of honours assessment procedures adopted at the University, and his refusal to withdraw his statement that he had been instructed to alter marks, which was published in the Sydney Morning Herald. Dr Steele was dismissed without notice and in breach of the procedures for investigating allegations of serious misconduct outlined in the Enterprise Agreement, itself agreed on after lengthy and at times difficult negotiation with the University. The clause that was breached sets out agreed procedures for hearing allegations of serious misconduct by members of staff at the University. Essentially, it ensures that staff engaging in academic debate, public or private, are accorded due process, regardless of the nature or the content of their comments. Similar clauses appear in most University agreements. The NTEU's position is that regardless of whether Steele's actions were justified or not, he had a right to due process. Steele was accused of serious misconduct without a proper investigation being mounted, and the Vice-Chancellor appointed himself judge, jury and executioner. The case raises important issues for all workers and for the public interest. In sacking a tenured academic without reference to the agreed disciplinary procedures in the Enterprise Agreement, the Wollongong Vice-Chancellor not only denied Steele natural justice, but also showed a blatant disregard for the employment security of all staff. The public is also entitled to know that public comment by academic staff is free from the threat of intimidation or dismissal, especially where unpopular or controversial opinions are being expressed. If the Vice-Chancellor=92s actions are not challenged and overturned, a dangerous precedent is established: if employers believe they can get away with breaching Enterprise Agreements in this way, they will try it at every turn. The NTEU has constructed an on-line petition and will be presenting it to the Council of the University of Wollongong this Friday 8 June. If you haven't already done so, please sign the on-line petition at http://www.datalink.net.au/nteu/ or follow the links from http://www.nteu.org.au/ - and publicise the issues at your workplace. National Tertiary Education Union PO Box 1323 South Melbourne 3205 Tel: 03 9254 1910 Fax:03 9254 1915 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: www.nteu.org.au -- Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Archived at http://www.cat.org.au/lists/leftlink/ Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
