Association of University Staff, Inc
administrative history
The Association was one of the various groups that represented General staff in the nineteen eighties. It existed as an incorporated society from 4 September 1984 to 10 October 1990 (Certificate No. 250182), but its active life was barely three years. As the name suggests it was established with the intention of becoming the service organisation representing staff covered by Order-in–Council of 1 March 1983. All non-academic staff were covered by the Order, but Library Staff had formed the own national organisation, the Association of University Library Staff (ANZULS) in 1980 and were, by this time, recognised by the Minister of State Services as the service organisation representing Library staff in the universities. AUS Inc. was established after a ballot of staff concerned, in November 1983, indicated that a majority preferred to be covered by a university-based organisation rather than the Clerical Workers Union who already covered administrative and clerical staff up to a salary bar. However, there was no consensus across all universities or within individual universities as to who should represent them.
The Association was formed in response to the results of the November 1983 ballot and was briefly recognised by the Minister as the appropriate service organisation. A change of Government, however, in July 1984 resulted in a second Ballot in April 1985, and this time included the PSA, and for the Academic support staff, the Association of University Teachers (AUT), but The Clerical Workers Association were not included this time. (The technicians had formed the New Zealand University Technicians Union or NZUTU in 1971 and were operating under the Industrial Relations Act and were therefore also excluded from the ballot). On this occasion, the majority of administrative clerical staff selected the PSA and academic support staff choose AUT. Although the Association did not wind up formally until 1990, it effectively became inactive from late 1985 after eventually accepting that the PSA was the preferred choice for the majority of affected staff.