Universities across Australia owe over AUD 100 million (USD 66.5 million) in stolen wages, the National Tertiary Education Union uncovered in a recent report, calling it an endemic part of universities' business models.

The NTEU had initially analysed 34 institutions from 2020 onward and found a collective AUD 83.4 million (USD 55.4 million) in underpayments had been owed.  But a further analysis last month brought that figure up to AUD 107.8 million (USD 71.6 million).

Among the universities accused of the largest wage theft are the University of Melbourne at AUD 45 million (USD 29.9 million), the University of Sydney at AUD 12.75 million (USD 8.4 million)), the University of Tasmania at AUD 11 million (USD 7.3 million), RMIT University at AUD 10 million (USD 6.6 million), and Monash University at AUD 8.6 million (USD 5.7 million).

The NTEU's scathing report emphasised that the public universities posted massive surpluses as their top executives are paid millions each year.

"These same wealthy institutions fail to pay hard-working staff who are integral to the teaching and research which generates revenue and delivers immeasurable public good," the report states.

Some of the universities are paying back the wages owed to the workers while others are fighting their cases in court, the union said.

The NTEU recommends enacting legislation that would criminalise wage theft, including jail time and reforms to labour laws.