Many casuals are reluctant to join the union. Many of us are on low wages and all of us are on insecure contracts.
But union membership is worthwhile even and especially in these conditions. It pays for itself, and more importantly is the only chance we have of changing our conditions of work. This page compares casual fees with union-won pay increases, details some wins we have already had, and why we should fight for more.
Current casual fees are:
| Earning <20k | $3.99 per fortnight |
| Earning 20-30k | $5.98 per fortnight |
| Earning 30-50k | $7.97 per fortnight |
| Earning 50k+ | $9.97 per fortnight |
Remember these are also tax deductible. These fees are the lowest union fees in the country: lower than those paid by McDonalds workers in RAFFWU or aged care workers in the HSU.
How do fees compare to union-won pay rises?
The NTEU USYD branch won 4.6% a year ago and 3.75% this year.
If you were on a wage of $15,000 per annum, then this means you are on average $50 per fortnight better off in 2024-25 than the status quo.
If you were on $30,000 per annum, then this $100 per fortnight better off for 2024-25.
The latest ABS data tell the same story: union membership pays for itself.
Other wins
Union members sacrificed their pay and efforts during the EA to win improvements to casual conversion rights, 5 days per annum of casual sick pay, and 330 new academic jobs, as well as standing up for the rights of First Nations and transgender workers. Many casuals don’t even know about the 4 hours of admin hours you get per year for familiarising yourself with policy, which you can claim with the comment “GEN-EA CLAUSE 68”.
What do you do when you experience wage theft or have your contract terminated?
When casuals run into issues, such as not getting rehired, it’s important they are already members so that the union can represent them. Union policy is that non-members cannot join and immediately request help about pre-existing issues, as this runs against the collective purpose of being in a union.
Political and Ethical Reasons:
There’s a strong argument for being a part of the collective organisation that represents you. Workers’ only strength is when we stand together and demand change. Divided it is easy to feel powerless against management, but combined we can really change how the university, education, and research operates! Beyond that, unions like the NTEU have also contributed to wider struggles in solidarity with First Nations peoples in Australia and Palestinians, which can only be meaningful when undertaken collectively!
It is also not an ethical option to accept the benefits of union membership in terms of pay and conditions which can only be won when union members pay dues and sacrifice their wages in strike action, whilst not contributing to that yourself! Union membership and dues is something we can feel proud of, representing our membership of a cause bigger than ourselves.
We need a just university
Ultimately, these wins are small in comparison to the problems at the modern university: wage theft, job insecurity, overwork, and the degradation to education and research which should be the centre of these institutions. Union membership is the only way to fight back and change it. The upcoming enterprise negotiations are our opportunity to push back against the managerial agenda, and in the mean time, there are active campaigns over marking rates of pay, conversion, and freedom on campus that you can be a part of right now.
Rank-And-File Action USYD 