Assoc Prof Kelly Greenop

I joined the NTEU as a casual academic way back in the late 1990s in my first tutoring job. I’ve stayed a member as I’ve been able to move into a continuing appointment because I care deeply about the kind of university we are building — not just the courses we teach or the research we produce, but the culture and conditions that make that work possible. As an academic at UQ, I’ve seen how workload pressures, opaque governance processes and insecure employment can erode both staff wellbeing and educational quality. Being active in the union is my way of refusing to accept that as inevitable.

My involvement started as just being a member and attending the odd BBQ. This changed when we received an unfair, and deeply damaging proposal for wholesale change in our school. With our broader Union and local School NTEU colleagues and strong activism, we shifted the proposal and saved people’s jobs and helped protect staff and student wellbeing. I learned that it’s really possible to change things, when we all stand together.

With that event now in the past, I’m much more active in the Union and into carefully reviewing Academic Board papers where I’m an elected member, tracking policy changes, and talking with colleagues about what proposed decisions might mean for their rights and working lives. I’ve found that many people sense when something isn’t quite right but don’t always have the time or space to analyse it, or act to change things. I try to make those implications clearer and encourage people to feel confident about asking questions, and making a difference to the outcomes.

Enterprise bargaining my current focus. I’ve encouraged colleagues to attend meetings, reminded them of their rights to participate, and supported the development and endorsement of our current log of claims, and now work alongside the rest of the NTEU team in the bargaining room. For me, this work is about solidarity — about recognising that the conditions we secure collectively shape the futures of academics, professional staff and students alike.

Union activism sits alongside my academic work; it’s an expression of the same values — fairness, relationality and accountability. I’m proud to be part of a community that stands together to protect and strengthen our public university.