Students face long wait as AUT staff strike

AUT's business building. Photo / Supplied

Students could face a wait for their end-of-year grades as staff from the Auckland University of Technology go on strike this week.

The strike action comes after a collective agreement covering 600 members expired and renegotiations for a new two-year agreement failed.

Union members on strike make up about 70 per cent of AUT's academic staff and are refusing to upload students' grades onto the university's online database Arion.

"We've been in bargaining with AUT for a few months and we have been dealing with things, everything's been going reasonably well," Tertiary Education Union (TEU) organiser Irena Brorens said.

"But we have a difference in our salary claim and the offer from AUT."

The union had made a claim for a 2.5 percent pay increase from January next year, with a further 2.5 per cent increase in 2017, she said. Currently, AUT were offering members a 1.3 per cent increase next year, with a 1.5 per cent increase in 2017.

While grades were currently being withheld, Ms Brorens said she "couldn't say at the moment" whether the action would affect students graduating in mid-December, as the strike was only planned for this week.

"I don't believe it will be affecting students at the moment," she said.

"We're withholding grades and we're hoping we'll get back into discussions with AUT and we can resolve this issue and if that occurs by the end of this week then the strike could be off."

AUT acting head of communications Nic Scrivin said negotiations between the university and the TEU were ongoing.

"Parties have met several times but are yet to reach an agreement," he said. "AUT remains hopeful of reaching an agreement and looks forward to working with the TEU to resolve any differences to ensure any disruption to students is kept to a minimum."