20 Redundancies: UOW Layoffs Spark Union Outcry Over Tainted Process

For HR professionals, the UOW layoffs are a stark example of what happens when workforce reductions are pursued under a cloud of leadership failure. The National Tertiary Education Union has directly linked the current change plan to the same team investigated by the ICAC, raising immediate concerns about procedural fairness and potential unfair dismissal claims. This case provides a real-world lesson on the importance of independent oversight and transparent process in any restructuring that follows governance scandals.

The University of Wollongong (UOW) is pushing ahead with a new wave of job cuts that will directly affect at least 33 staff in its marketing and IT divisions, according to a final change plan produced in late July 2026. Around 20 positions are expected to be made redundant, while another 20 staff face significant changes to their roles or will be required to compete for their own jobs. This latest round extends a two-year period of rolling mass layoffs at the institution, which has been grappling with both financial pressures and a major governance scandal brought to light by the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). The cuts are being implemented despite a direct call from the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) to halt any further job losses, arguing that the entire restructuring process is tainted by the very same leadership failures that were the subject of ICAC’s recent Operation Scandi.

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The University of Wollongong (UOW) is pushing ahead with a new wave of job cuts that will directly affect at least 33 staff in its marketing and IT divisions, according to a final change plan produced in late July 2026.

The ICAC hearings, held in June and July 2026, exposed serious shortcomings in UOW’s governance, with evidence suggesting that the team responsible for designing the university’s transformation strategy – including Vice-Chancellor John Dewar and external consultants Kordamentha – was at the centre of the probe. NTEU branch president Dr Susan Engel stated that the union has repeatedly demanded a pause, insisting that “the overall design of this process and the leadership of it is from the same team that was investigated in Operation Scandi.” The union is concerned that the principles used to select roles for redundancy may have been shaped by executives whose conduct is now under scrutiny, raising doubts about the fairness and legality of the dismissals.

UOW has rejected these assertions. A university spokesperson said a review concluded that no staff involved in the matters before ICAC are part of the current change process. Nevertheless, the timing is deeply uncomfortable for the institution. The juxtaposition of widespread job cuts – with a specific focus on the marketing and IT functions that are crucial for student recruitment, digital learning, and institutional brand – with an active integrity investigation creates a volatile mix of operational, reputational, and legal risk.

The first round of mass layoffs at UOW began in 2024 as part of a broader effort to rein in costs and realign resources. Since then, hundreds of positions have been eliminated or altered. The current plan represents the deepest cut into central professional services, and the choice to target marketing and IT is notable. Marketing teams drive domestic and international student enrolments, a key revenue stream for any university, while IT divisions underpin everything from learning management systems to cybersecurity. Cuts in these areas, if not accompanied by clear digital strategies, could impair the university’s competitive standing at a time when the higher education market is increasingly digital-first.

From a workforce perspective, the process faces immediate opposition. The NTEU is considering all options, including potential industrial action, to stop the redundancies. Even if the university succeeds in implementing the plan, it may face unfair dismissal claims if affected staff can demonstrate that the selection process was contaminated by the very governance failures ICAC highlighted. Moreover, the public airing of the ICAC evidence has eroded trust, and the cuts could further damage morale and the university’s ability to attract and retain talent.