Australian Higher Education Industrial Association executive director Ian Argall said pattern bargaining by unions was placing universities at risk.

"The unions and especially the National Tertiary Education Union are trying to push all universities to meet a national pattern of outcomes, regardless of their individual circumstances," Mr Argall said.

But NTEU Victorian division secretary Matthew McGowan refuted the claim and said the University of Ballarat was well placed to afford wage rises.

"The university is crying poor, claiming that it cannot afford a 4.5 to five per cent increase per year for its staff, especially its TAFE general staff . . . but its 2005 budget figures say otherwise," Mr McGowan said.

Mr Argall said the AHEIA, a national employers' association for universities, was concerned that if universities met union wage demands they would face a bleak future.

"The NTEU is urging universities to act irresponsibly. If universities agree to this some of them will face a bleak future in which they, and their staff, will suffer."

In a copy of the NTEU Ballarat branch's March newsletter, the union claimed the university's budget would grow by more than $15 million in 2005, an increase of 16 per cent with TAFE receiving almost $2.2 million more in operating

costs.

"The AHEIA is talking a load of nonsense.

"We would like the University of Ballarat to come to the table and solve the problem."

The 21/2-year-old wage negotiations stalled after the university and union failed to reach agreement on an enterprise bargaining agreement for staff.

The union is demanding a 41/2 per cent pay rise for each year between 2003 to 2008.

The NTEU voted last week to begin work bans and strike on April 17.