Casual Humans of Higher Education

A space for casualized and fixed-term workers to share stories of working in higher education in Australia in order to build better working conditions for all.

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

Hi everyone! Are you a precarious uni worker in Aus? Ready to share yr experiences (anonymously or not) teaching on the frontline, trying to get research done, dealing with uni management, tenured staff, and how it all affects your students? Share it with us by DM or Facebook!

[Caroline Yarnell - Wearer of many hats @yarnellcj]

@CasualHigher if there are any ACU casual lecturers and tutors out there who are experiencing or have experienced wage theft, can you privately message me. I'm acting!

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

"Pictured are me and my boys. Like previous posters, what makes casual academia attractive to me, also leaves me vulnerable. I like the flexibility to be present with my kids while they are young but am also stressed about insecure and irregular income." 7/7

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

Another Casual Human of Higher Education tells their story: Sarah Barter

"Running a business has afforded me the flexibility to take on casual university teaching, which I thoroughly enjoy. 1/7

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

"This is not a critique of the University I work for, as I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity and have had a good teaching experience, but it is a huge problem for the sector and the future of tertiary education. I hope we can find a solution. 6/7

[Dr Kate Dempsey @katedempseycom]

That’s happened to me too (pre-Covid)

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

"Of course they waited until I had shifted the course online then the full-time academic simply used my work and took over." 3/3 #solidarityinprecarity #savehighered

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

Another Casual Human tells their story: Anonymous, Business School, University of Sydney

"Six years teaching at USyd Business School as a sessional lecturer and casual has taught me to distrust any email starting with 'To our valued casual colleagues' from senior management. 1/3

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

"In reality they view us as a tiresome necessity and resent the meager pay they give us. After years of dedicated teaching and multiple awards I was dismissed over Zoom in March 2020 when Covid-19 hit. 2/3

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

Calling all uni workers who care about public higher education!

Join the online mobilisation at 2pm TODAY to oppose Tehan's destructive reforms.

This Govt and its toxic policies aren't going to be turned around unless we make them do it.

#NHEANAssembly Remember to register!

[National Higher Education Action Network @NHEANetwork]

Today’s the first day of federal parliament, and over 600 university staff have registered for the National University Staff Assembly at 2pm to oppose Tehan’s plans for higher education. Join them by registering at https://t.co/s8CTRfTgdC. #NHEANAssembly

[National Higher Education Action Network @NHEANetwork]

Registrations keep on coming in for Monday’s National Uni Staff Assembly. It’s not too late to RSVP at https://t.co/s8CTRfTgdC. If everyone coming brings along one colleague who’s not yet joined, we’ll double our number. Invite your colleagues now! RT please!

[National Higher Education Action Network @NHEANetwork]

Our motion at the National Uni Staff assembly on Monday calls on the government to fund 'accessible education for all by financially supporting students rather than burdening them with debt'. Join over 500 colleagues to make that demand: https://t.co/s8CTRfBEP2.

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

"Every time Mum's medical team offered me medical certificates for work I wanted to scream. I've now been teaching in the same department for three years. With no carer, sick or annual leave. I love teaching, but I can't justify the financial risk for much longer." 2/2

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

Another Casual Human of Higher Ed tells their story: Emily Bieber

"Mum died mid-way through last semester. I took time off to assist with her care and just to spend time with her. I lost more than half of my semester's income (incl all the marking). 1/2

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

We all know precarious workers are outrageously underpaid for their labour. But in addition it seems that sometimes uni employers opt for paying casualised staff in dodgy ways: e.g. workers at one uni in Melbourne have been paid in gift cards... Has this happened to you? Tell us!

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

We need to be active, organised & stand in solidarity to fight for a better public education system. One way to do this is thru @NHEANetwork who are calling for a national uni staff assembly on August 4 to fight for public education by taking action up to and incl strikes. 7/7

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

Let's hear from another Human Casual: Kynan Tan (from @UNSWcasuals)

Casualised workers do this work because we value it, because we care deeply for teaching and research & because we’ve been told that we should be doing this work and that it will lead on to other things. 1/7

[Casual Humans of Higher Education @CasualHigher]

I think we need more actions like the sort we’re seeing from @CasualsUsyd: grassroots organising, working within the NTEU to seriously fight in these campaigns, and joining our networks together for national strength. 6/7