Frequently Asked Questions

What sorts of societal challenges is the UAU responding to?

Universities all over the world are facing significant challenges - cuts to funding, academic and professional staff redundancies, political attacks on “experts”, pile-ons against individual academics performing “critic and conscience” roles, questions about the role of universities in the face of AI, increased government regulation of what is taught/spoken about on campus, etc. The UAU believes that NZ academics need a strong voice in shaping university and societal responses to these challenges.

Does the UAU welcome members who are also members of the TEU?

Absolutely.  The UAU is more targeted in its focus but the two unions have a lot of shared causes. We are very keen to work constructively with the TEU and have signalled that to them.

Why start a new union for academic staff rather than engaging with the TEU?

Many of the UAU’s members have engaged with the TEU on matters that are important to academic staff, some for many years. They have, for example, raised issues like the need for reliable conference and research funding, the need for strong advocacy for the value of the university research sector, and, at VUW, the fact that VUW academic staff salaries are not keeping up with other NZ universities. Some UAU members do not feel that these attempts to engage have been particularly successful. 

The UAU acknowledges that the TEU has 10,000 members with a range of different interests to accommodate. University academic staff make up just a small percentage of that group. The UAU believes that the – often unique – interests of university academic staff are better served in a union that focuses on their own particular work environment. It will champion the sector as a whole from this position. 

How do you justify “splintering off” from the TEU?

The TEU is a broad church. Its members work at a wide range of organisations including polytechs, universities, wānanga etc. The UAU thinks more targeted representation for academic staff is necessary, especially in the face of current challenges to research and research-led teaching.

This is not unusual in the union sector. There are separate unions for senior doctors, resident doctors, nurses, and other hospital workers. There are also separate unions for early childhood and primary, and post-primary teachers.  They all share a passion for their sectors; but advocate for them from their different standpoints. The UAU intends to do the same.

What is the UAU’s position on university professional staff?

The UAU acknowledges the incredibly important work that university professional staff do and supports good pay and conditions for them.

Is the UAU associated with any other union or other group?

No. The UAU and is entirely independent. It has no connection (formal or informal) with any other group.

Is UAU a registered union?

The UAU commenced the union registration process in April 2026. It is awaiting confirmation of registration from the Companies Office.