Nil wage order upsets academics

Press, 22 December 1978, Page 4

Nil wage order upsets academics

P A Wellington The president of the Association of University 1 eachers (Dr B. S. Gustafson) said yesterday he was gravely disappointed about the determination by the Higher Salaries Commission, which had given twothirds of all academic staff in universities a nil wage order.

The last salary review was in 1976,

Dr Gustafson said the present review had given increases of 2.3 per cent at the professorial maximum, 5.5 per cent at the professorial average and 3.8 per cent at the professorial minimum, 2 per cent to associate professors, 1.6 per cent at the top point of the senior lecturer scale and less than 1 per cent at the top point of the lecturer scale. All other senior lecturers and lecturers received nothing, and the association’s attempt to remove the bar in the senior lecturer scale was also unsuccessful.

The highest salary increases were awarded by the commission to university professors in dentistry, associate professors, readers and senior lecturers in the dental faculty.

The minimum salary for professors of dentistry increased by S3llB to $27,000, with maximum salary increasing by $1441 to $31,500.

But the minimum salary for assistant dental lecturers was decreased by $53 to $11,476 from $11,529, although maximum salary for

that grade was increased by 5673 to $14,673. In medical salaries scale were awarded only to associate professors, readers, and professors. The highest increase of $1044 was registered by the maximum salary for professors which rose to $33,500.

University teacher salaries, excluding medical and dental categories, showed increases from $285 for senior lecturers on the maximum salary of $18,300, to $853 for professors on the now minimum salary of $23,500. The maximum salary for professors increased by $677 to $29,500, while the salaries of associate professors and readers rose from $20,794 to $21,200.

The salary scales for hospital medical officers remained unchanged from those which came into effect on October 10. 1977. except for the highest graded specialists, whose maximum salary was increased from $32,456 to $33,500 and whose minimum rose from $26,661 to $27,000. The association said it regarded the rejection of its claim for increased salaries fdr lecturers and senior

I lecturers as particularly serious in light of the evidence that universities were having problems recruiting and retaining able younger staff. There were 400 vacant university positions. In the professional schools, such as law and accountancy, vacancies in established positions were almost one in four.

The decision of the Higher Salaries Commission not to increase university salaries, except for token increases at the top points, would lead to an increased exodus into private practice and overseas posts, the association said. “This will also be true in the medical schools, were no increases have been given by the Higher Salaries Commission. except at the professorial level.” “The effect "on the New Zealand university system and on the New Zealand economy, which has come to depend heavily on the services provided by higher education, Can only be adverse.” the association said. The ■ association said it would have to .consider taking a further case to the Higher - Salaries Commission in 1979, under the Higher Salaries Commission Act.