Kangan jobs, pay rise in doubt

STAFF at the Kangan Institute in Broadmeadows hold grave fears for their jobs following $100 million of TAFE funding cuts announced in last week's state budget.

They also want to know whether their enterprise bargaining agreement of a 5.2 per cent pay rise will come to fruition.

The Kangan management successfully reached a new EBA with its professional and administrative staff in August last year, but since then has not heard a word from the state government on whether it endorses the agreement.

In the wake of the massive funding cuts, National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) state secretary Colin Long told the Weekly many staff were now worried about job security and the EBA.

"I think the institute has announced 150 jobs will go, but we're not sure from which campuses," he said.

"We don't really know what's going on. The government had given us a commitment to let us know what was happening with the agreement by Anzac Day and we still don't have any idea if they've approved the agreement or not.

"It leaves staff still trying to get a pay rise. They're unsure if it will be approved and unsure where Kangan will find the money to pay staff."

Kangan chief executive Ray Griffiths said the institute was shocked by the severity of the state budget cuts to TAFE funding.

"Our funding as a full service provider has been removed and hard decisions now need to be made about what we can and can't do in future."

Mr Griffiths has informed staff by emails that there will be "profound changes" and job losses as the new policy is implemented.

"We owe it to our students and our loyal and hard-working staff that they hear the facts first from us," he said.

Mr Griffiths said senior management was analysing the impact of the cuts on programs, students and staff. No public announcement of the extent of course closures and job losses would be made until all options were analysed.

NTEU staff-elected delegate Gani Ozturk said he hoped the cuts would not affect the agreement, but he felt his job was at risk.

"We as union delegates are standing targets because we're representing staff who are unable to have a voice," he said.

"We could possibly be made redundant."

While Higher Education and Skills Minister Peter Hall did not respond to the Weekly's request for comment, a letter he sent to Victorian TAFE providers was leaked to the media last Thursday.

In the letter, Mr Hall stated: "We all acknowledge that the journey ahead is going to be a very tough one. The easy thing to do would be to give up, to throw in the towel. Believe me I have thought of doing that on many occasions in recent months [because of the funding cuts]."

TAFE staff are being urged to take part in a rally outside State Parliament from 12.30-1.30pm on Thursday.

In other budget announcements:

* $10.4 million has been allocated for a youth foyer in Broadmeadows.

* $14.7 million funding marked for a government services building in Broadmeadows has been withdrawn.