WHAT WE STAND FOR
Better workplaces.
Better universities.
That’s not just a slogan – it’s a truth that defines our work as a union.
As a union, our core mission is to defend and improve the rights and conditions of university staff. We fight for secure jobs, fair workloads, safe workplaces, and respect at work – because staff deserve nothing less.
But these aren’t just workplace issues. The conditions under which staff work have a direct and material impact on students and the quality of education our universities provide.
When staff are overloaded, underpaid, or precariously employed, students lose access to the support, feedback, and care they need to succeed. When university decision-making is driven by cost-cutting and corporatisation, it harms not just workers, it erodes the public purpose of higher education.
That’s why the NTEU NSW Division fights for more than individual rights. We’re building a movement for public universities that are inclusive, democratic, and properly funded, where both staff and students can thrive.
Better workplaces
Fair pay
Everyone deserves pay that reflects the value of their work. Staff should be able to build a secure life from secure work.
Secure, decent work
Every university worker deserves job security. We fight casualisation and fixed-term churn.
Fair, manageable workloads
Workloads must be safe, fair, and sustainable. We support enforceable caps and protections.
Justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
We support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members and broader campaigns for justice.
Work-life balance
We believe in the right to disconnect. Work should fit into life, not the other way around.
Inclusive workplaces
Fundamental to a just university is a workplace that is welcoming, fair and safe.
Better universities
Inclusive and free education
Universities should be open to everyone, regardless of background or income. Education is a public good – not a commodity.
Democratic governance
Staff and students are the heart of our institutions and deserve a meaningful say in how they’re run. We campaign for real transparency and participation.
Climate and social justice
Higher ed must confront the big challenges of our time. We campaign for ethical investment, fair research practices, and an end to university complicity in climate breakdown and inequality.
This vision isn’t abstract.
It’s the foundation of every campaign we run, every agreement we negotiate, and every collective action we take –  because building better universities means improving the lives of everyone in them.
NTEU policy manual
The NTEU Policy Manual contains the Union’s policy position on a broad range of topics. If you want to know what the Union thinks about an issue you will find it on this page. Each policy is determined by the Union’s National Council, a body of over 100 members with representatives from every Branch, which meets once a year.
