Statement by Daryl D’Souza for Ordinary Committee Member

I seek your support to elect me for the position NTEU Ordinary Committee Member of the RMIT Branch of the Executive Committee.

I have been an academic staff member within the School of Computer Science & Information Technology since 1983 and an active member of the RMIT Branch NTEU for over 15 years. I am currently serving as the Vice-President (Academic)

I became a NTEU delegate over 15 years’ ago and was vigorous in bringing to the branch many issues around working conditions. Based on my own experiences in my own school, academic workloads became a major focus for me as a delegate and was also an issue that I could see impacted on the academic profession more broadly. I was elected to the Branch Executive in 2004 and soon thereafter elected to Division Council and National Council and actively engaged in the issue of academic workloads to the state and national levels.  

Since 2008 I have served as the Branch’s Vice-President (Academic) and during my term as Vice-President (Academic) branch membership has grown within just two years, by over 8% (the highest at any Branch of the NTEU). My success and effectiveness as a union activist is based on my excellent interpersonal skills and keeping in touch with everyday issues at the grass roots level.  I recognise and understand the diversity of membership within the NTEU, a key issue when dealing with cases, and an acknowledgement that a duty of care and understanding of members' needs is essential. I am committed to ensuring members receive the best advice to assist them in their workplace issues and I have taken a leading role in developing a effective cases committee based on a strong delegates' network.  

In my role as a lead negotiator in the most recent Enterprise bargaining round I ensured that a key feature of the workload clause was the inclusion of a workload allocation clause that provides clarity in the way workloads are measured (for academic and professional staff). In addition my efforts were instrumental in the successful outcomes for our casual staff: separate payment for marking and improved job security.

My academic experience spans the depth and breadth of all facets of university life, including teaching, research, program coordination (onshore and offshore) and leadership, administration, marketing and management. I am presently also an elected member of the University Academic Board. My academic career is student-centred and research active. I have been instrumental in leading two successful projects with the support of Teaching & Learning grants, and helped set up a successful student mentoring scheme in the school, and I continue to be active in research, and presently co-supervise two PhD students.

My depth and breadth of academic and NTEU experiences means members can rely on me to be conversant with, and
capable of, addressing wide-ranging issues of relevance to all members in the context of a rapidly-changing education
environment.

A vote for me will ensure my continuing hard work with the executive team to improve the branch for all members.