A 24-hour strike by hundreds of University of Sydney staff over stalled enterprise bargaining talks centers on job security, casualisation, and protections related to artificial intelligence.

Most teaching will move online to minimize disruption, though some on-site classes or labs that cannot be done remotely may be canceled.

National Tertiary Education Union members are demanding protections against AI-driven job losses, higher workload, erosion of academic and professional judgment, a 20% pay rise, and 17% superannuation for casual staff.

The dispute sits within broader debates about university governance, restructuring, and cost-cutting pressures shaping work models.

NTEU argues management has not implemented adequate AI protections, citing a Green Paper that frames AI as a fundamental transformation and raising concerns about commercialization and venture capital influence.

The university says it is updating AI governance and creating opportunities for staff to build capabilities to support research, education, and operations.

Key figures include NTEU branch president Peter Chen and NSW division secretary Vince Caughley, with Prof Annamarie Jagose identified as a senior leader not at the bargaining table.

Sydney has been an early adopter of AI, using Cogniti to develop AI-driven learning tools, with staff experiencing heavier workloads as AI expands.

Students and staff worry about the quality and impersonality of AI-generated materials, noting lecture content increasingly produced by AI and high fees affecting perceived value of learning.

Picket lines are described as energetic and constructive, emphasizing protecting education quality, research leadership, and student access while integrating AI responsibly.

The dispute highlights broader tensions over AI in higher education and its impact on teaching-research balance and job security.

Union spokespeople criticize the university’s cavalier approach to AI, warning of risks to employment, workloads, and academic judgment, and calling for evidence-based, consultative adoption.