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Thousands of staff at the University of Sydney walk off the job over AI, job security
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Thousands of University of Sydney staff walked off the job on Wednesday in a 24-hour strike, protesting over the use of artificial intelligence, job security, and a profound lack of trust in university management. The industrial action followed an internal survey in the faculty of arts and social sciences which revealed that 0% of staff agreed with the statement that the university acted in their best interests. Approximately 2,000 union members participated, with around 500 forming picket lines at campus entrances.
The strike was organized by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), whose branch president, Peter Chen, stated that management had repeatedly rebuffed attempts to enforce protections around AI. The union argues that higher education is a critical early indicator for AI's impact across the broader economy. They are demanding 'best practice' and 'due diligence' in AI implementation, rather than prioritizing commercialisation aims.
In response, the University of Sydney advised students that almost all scheduled classes would move online. A university spokesperson called the industrial action 'premature' and said it preferred to address AI ethics and staff protections through policy changes rather than the Enterprise Agreement. The union, however, is concerned about the lack of senior leadership at the bargaining table.
Beyond AI, broader sectoral concerns are fueling the dispute, including growing class sizes, reduced student satisfaction, and proposals for teaching-only roles without research opportunities. Professor Laura Shepherd, a bargaining team member, emphasized that students pay up to $50,000 for degrees and deserve access to research leaders. The University of Sydney's NTEU branch is the largest in Australia.
The strike also highlighted concurrent campus issues, including continued opposition to the university's response to Gaza and new protest restrictions implemented after a 2024 pro-Palestine encampment. The Student Representative Council struck in solidarity, citing the university's 'draconian' restrictions on free speech as a motivating factor. The last bargaining process at the university became the longest-running industrial action in Australian higher education history, raising concerns about the potential for future strikes.
