“It’s insulting”: Students not impressed with staff’s pay rise

Staff from across universities protested for an 8% raise last year. Photo / Stuff  

“It’s insulting”: Students not impressed with staff’s pay rise  

Sammy Carter (she/her)  

Students say Massey staff’s pay rise of 4.25% is stingy, especially compared to other universities.  

Last year, staff across all universities had multiple protests and strikes fighting for an 8% pay rise to match inflation.  

After negotiating for eight months, two weeks ago Massey staff voted to ratify an offer of 4.25%. 

In comparison, University of Canterbury staff secured pay increases as high as 17.9% and the University of Auckland had offered 9%.  

Fresher students at Massey were not impressed to hear this news.  

Jessica Kennington, Communications student, said, “If other unis can do it then there's no reason why Massey can’t raise the bar.” 

However, AUT was only offering a 2.45% raise, the University of Waikato had previously offered 2%, and Victoria University said those at the lower end of the pay spectrum had a 6% increase.  

Kennington said, “If you want lecturers to put in their best work then they should feel heard and looked after.”  

She said Massey staff put so much time and effort into students and deserved a higher pay rise. 

Communications student Grace Richards said, “They should be getting the pay rise they deserve … It’s insulting.”  

Richards felt it was fair for staff to ask for a pay rise that matched the cost of living, “It’s ridiculous it was even debated over.”  

She said it undermined the achievements of all the successful teachers and students that came from Massey.  

“People will assume that Massey isn’t as good because their teachers aren’t paid as well.”  

Richards said lecturers and tutors were just as important as doctors or lawyers, “the work that they’re doing is shaping us.”  

Fashion student Jetta Burton-Brown thought the pay rise was disappointing after all the protests and strikes.  

Burton-Brown said it doesn’t make Massey look good, “definitely doesn’t look as if we’re valuing them [staff]”.  

Communications student Leonie Sheehan said staff “weren’t asking for much”.  

Sheehan said, “It's not their fault that things go up, but employers have to match that.” 

She described the 4.25% pay rise as “pretty shit”. 

A Fine Arts student, who wished to remain anonymous, thought it made Massey look stingy. 

It made them question “whether or not they [Massey] support staff as much as other universities”.