University of Otago staff walk off job to protest over pay and conditions

University of Otago staff have walked off the job in support of their campaign for better pay and working conditions.

Hundreds of Tertiary Education Union (TEU) members rallied during a two-hour strike at the university's main campus in Dunedin, starting their march in steady rain with plenty of umbrellas and rain jackets.

It was an improvement from last week's nationwide strike when heavy snow prevented them from marching.

The union is calling for an 8 percent pay increase to match the rising cost of living.

TEU Otago branch president Craig Marshall said staff were grappling with lower pay and a rising cost of living.

"For people whose budgets are stretched, that makes it difficult," Marshall said.

"They are having to think about what they're going to not spend their money on, and for people who are the lower end of the salary, of course those are essentials, not the nice to haves."

They were rallying for better salaries but also for better resources to the universities as a whole, he said.

"If the pie is too small, then you can't get enough slices."

The government controlled most of the university's income and they had not adjusted it in line with inflation despite rising costs, Marshall said.

Social work and criminology professor Anita Gibbs said staff could work six to seven days a week without recognition or reward.

"I tend to work far more hours than I am paid to work. I work at weekends, I work in the evenings. It's just an increased workload year after year the longer I stay here unfortunately."

She was striking for better wages and working conditions.

"To be listened to in terms of the reality that people are actually not making ends meet, and that they're working excessive hours, and that the conditions of work are getting more stressful and more pressurised for everyone."

University of Otago said it did not believe local bargaining was exhausted before being told staff planned to strike.

Vice-Chancellor, professor David Murdoch said the university acknowledged the current environment was a difficult time for staff.

"In every employment negotiation, we work to make a fair and reasonable offer to reward staff as best we can while maintaining our duty of fiscal responsibility," Murdoch said.

"We have been open with staff about our current financial environment at Otago. We have also been transparent with the unions about our finances and our financial forecast."

The university remained hopeful a solution would be found during bargaining, he said.