Massey staff pay negotiation ends in a disappointedly low pay rise

Massey Manawatu staff protesting in October last year. Photo / Stuff  

Massey staff have finished their pay dispute, landing a low rise of 4.25% instead of the 8% they bargained for.  

As Massey’s Collective Agreement expired in July last year, the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) were negotiating an 8% pay rise across universities to match inflation.  

Staff took action last year, with multiple protests and strikes pushing for a pay rise over the eight long months of bargaining.  

The offer of 4.25% was ratified last Monday.  

 Ben Schmidt, TEU organiser said, “It is disappointing for some, however the settlement and the increase that has been ratified by members has improved significantly from when bargaining started and that is because of the action members have taken.” 

The pay rise will come into effect on the 20th of April, when union members will be paid backdated to the 9th of January.  

 A further 3% pay increase will be effective on the 8th of January 2024.  

 The settlement also included a graduate assistant pay increase from minimum wage to just above living wage.  

Schmidt said, “While we acknowledge the pay increase is not the 8% that we went into bargaining for, the settlement that members have ratified is significantly improved from the initial pay offer because of the action and the hard work and commitment of union members.” 

 Other universities, such as the University of Canterbury, secured pay increases as high as 17.9%.  

 The new collective agreement will be in place till June 2024.  

 Teresa Housel, senior tutor in communications at the Wellington campus is fortunate to have another source of income as her husband works as an engineer.  

However, she said if she were solely living on her tutor’s pay, she would have to go back to how she lived as a budgeting post grad student.  

“I would go back to that and be really careful.” 

“I do notice everyday costs and food has definitely increased.”  

She said a pay rise would make a difference, “we’ll probably just save it”.  

Housel didn’t feel the pay dispute was an issue of staff being undervalued.  

“I’m very happy in my role and I really love what I do.” 

Housel attended the first of the protests and thought it helped get people's voices out and brought awareness.  

She said the protest had a celebratory tone of people coming together to protest for something they were concerned about.