Meaningful voice during university restructuring: a case study

The study examines how employee voice is exercised during a university restructuring. The investigation focuses on the consultation process outlined in the enterprise agreement (EA) and the employer’s obligation to consult under Australian legislation. The research centres on a regional university in Australia that consolidated its five faculties into three colleges in 2020. This consolidation led to job losses and impacted both professional and academic staff. Using a single instrumental case study, insights and first-hand accounts of employee voice during the restructuring process were gathered through semi-structured interviews. The study highlights that university restructuring has been ongoing, reflecting changes in government funding models and the increasing market orientation of the sector. Reflexive thematic analysis was employed to address the research questions and interpret the data. The study indicates that the case study university embodies a neoliberal model where cost reduction and surplus generation drive restructuring. Despite the formal recognition of the employer’s duty to consult and the processes outlined in the EA, the right to consultation is often circumvented, rendering it ineffective. Employees neither share decision-making nor influence the outcomes. These findings suggest that employee voice is neither effective nor meaningful during university restructuring.