Australian ÖйúAƬ unions have accused vice chancellors of using the federal government's budget cuts and the need to pay a wage rise as a pretext to impose large-scale redundancies.

They say it makes a mockery of a unique accord signed five months ago between vice chancellors and the university staff unions to defend themselves against cuts.

Union leaders fear that up to 5,000 university jobs will be lost and sharp salary differences will appear between employees in different institutions. The unions have called for a wage rise of 8.6 per cent this year. Some universities have offered 5 per cent and others are talking of 10 per cent.

The National Tertiary Education Union has attacked two Victorian universities, claiming that proposals by their vice chancellors to restructure faculties are linked to plans to sack staff. By law it is easier for a university to make staff redundant as a result of "organisational change".

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The union has demanded that institutions explore ways of raising more money from non-government sources before laying off staff. The NTEU criticised Deakin and La Trobe universities in Melbourne for proposing to sack staff while pursuing restructuring agendas which pre-dated the budget cuts. The union said Deakin had indicated that it would reduce staff numbers by 150 while La Trobe had suggested its losses could be as high as 300.

At a La Trobe University council meeting, vice chancellor Michael Osborne is understood to have received full backing to make up to 300 staff redundant. University sources said the council also gave Professor Osborne power to do whatever he thought necessary "to secure the financial future of the university", including pushing ahead with a controversial plan to restructure faculties.

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Reasons given for the proposed job cuts were the reduction in federal grants and a possible 10 per cent salary rise. Rather than cutting staff across the board, Professor Osborne is believed to have said that "unviable areas" would be targeted.

There are also fears that academics holding equivalent positions but working in different departments in the same institution may be paid differently. Incomes would presumably be based on the academic's capacity to attract students and outside funds.

They are expected to dispute the need for further negotiations over working conditions if any pay rise is paid in part from job losses.