Covid19 update: Workforce capacity reduction at the USU

Emily Graetz reports. 

University of Sydney Union staff are currently working at reduced hours. Whilst there is no universal reduction in workforce capacity, staff who opt-in will reduce their hours and apply for COVID-19 disaster relief payments.

A media statement from the USU President, Prudence Wilkins-Wheat, cited a ‘turndown in USU business activity’ as reason for the reduction and has advised staff to claim the disaster payments in lieu of any lost work from their reduction. The reduction is optional with the Board stating that they have “not stood down staff or enforced a capacity reduction”.  

In the July Board meeting, Finance Director Rebecca Sahni commented that trading was “really, really poor”, although the full extent of the financial impact of the lockdown remains unclear. Last year, the USU reported a surplus of $786,399. 

The decision to implement the optional reductions was made by a working group of department heads and the President and was not voted on by the Board. The move is markedly different to last year’s reduction in workforce capacity, where staff were largely not consulted on changes and the Board universally reduced the working capacity of the entire workforce to a low of 40%. 

The Board acknowledged the ongoing work of staff, stating their intentions to improve on last year’s processes. 

“This situation is constantly evolving but myself and the Board really appreciate the creativity and dedication that our staff have shown during this time. We hope to learn from our experience last year”. 

Read the full media statement below: 

As to be expected, the lockdown has had a huge impact on the USU across all of our operations. The Board has been working with staff to navigate the USU through this difficult time and consulting them in whatever course we take. With the launch of the Government’s 2021 COVID-19 Disaster Payment, and in response to a turndown in USU business activity, we’ve advised staff who opt-in to a reduction of their hours to claim this payment. The Government support is specifically for those who have had their working hours reduced, unlike Jobkeeper. The Board has not stood down staff or enforced a capacity reduction. Any permanent staff who do elect to reduce their hours do so voluntarily. This situation is constantly evolving but myself and the Board really appreciates the creativity and dedication that our staff have shown during this time. We hope to learn from our experience last year and will update the media if our situation changes.