Murdoch University staff strike over wages Staff at Murdoch University are going on strike over wages. STAFF at Murdoch University have begun industrial action after reaching an impasse in bargaining for a new enterprise employment agreement. Negotiations between the National Tertiary Education Union and the university broke down after management offered a non-negotiable eight per cent salary increase over three years. The union said the offer would leave Murdoch University staff the lowest paid of any at WA's public universities and was well below settlements made at other Australian universities in the current bargaining round. The offer equates to 2.67 per cent per annum. The action is expected to continue throughout November and beyond.