Australian higher education paradox of pay - The Eclectic Econoclast

Interesting. Go read it.

A couple of thoughts.

1. Unions need to be needed. And a member is a member, academic deadwood or not.

2. The paradox - I suspect - can be resolved by noting that unions tend to go for mechanical pay raise and promotion systems which are unrelated to merit and which produce internal wage differentials between disciplines that are smaller (or nil!) compared to market differentials.

That would fit with the observation that Australian universities have trouble attracting good young people and senior heavy hitters.

Sounds like fertile territory for my university to send a raiding party.