Organising, Campaigns & Communications National Organiser (Media & Engagement): Michael Evans National Organiser (Digital): Jake Wishart National Organiser (Publications): Paul Clifton Admin Officer (Membership & Campaigns): Julie Ann Veal
Images (this page & opposite page): Social media graphics from the NTEU’s #FundUniFairly campaign.
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It has been an intensive year for campaigns, communications & organising in the NTEU national office, with a series of crises affecting Australia, our sector and our union.
focus to ensure we can recruit, organise and build power into the future. As new tech tools come online to support our organising and campaigning efforts, there will need to be a programme of training and new practices developed to ensure staff and workplace leaders are supported to get the best out of the tools available.
Bushfires in summer were followed by the COVID-19 pandemic-recession, followed by an ideological Government attack on fairness and funding for higher education. These rolling events have created an unprecedented challenge to some of our traditional methods.
The below timeline and attachments are a short summary of some of our work this year. Much of our front-facing communications work is also publicly available for review on our social media channels.
Despite these challenges, the campaigns, comms and organising team in the national office has played an important role in pioneering new ways of working together, campaigning, communicating and organising in an often-hostile environment. Based on Melbourne, we have worked remotely and relied on our ability to experiment with new forms of digital strategy, tactics and co-ordination. We are proud of the role we have played in advocating for our sector, our members and our union in which has truly an annus horribilis for many people. It is encouraging to see a growth in union membership and activity, and we believe some of this can be linked to the work we have undertaken.
2020 Running Timeline
In addition to our front-facing campaign work to defend our union from major attacks, behind the scenes we have been working to improve our digital capacity, including the development of a range of new tech tools to track, communicate with and organise our members, potential members and community supporters. This work will be an ongoing
NTEU holds live TV cross at Monash University to advocate for staff, those in insecure work and international students.
January 2020
9th Members were emailed about the NTEU Emergency Grants scheme of up to $1,000 for members affected by the fires, OHS information about hazardous air quality and their workplace rights about accessing leave and other entitlements. February 2020
10th NTEU writes to all Vice-Chancellors raising concerns about workplace health and safety, workloads, maintaining work for casual staff, and racism on campuses. 14th NTEU writes to Education Minister calling for a support package.
27th Australian Government declares that COVID-19 will become a global pandemic. During this time, universities were scrambling to get as many courses as possible ready for online delivery.
NTEU ANNUAL REPORT 2020 â—† Organising, Campaigns & Communications
