Staff at the University of Melbourne work hard, and the value of attending the gym - even if only three or four times a month - cannot be underestimated. Access to affordable group fitness classes is important to the physical and mental health of staff.

For busy staff, the single visit pass offered in 2014 for $11 was a reasonable alternative to a full fitness membership.

However, the price for a single visit pass has gone up by half in 2015, to $16.50. This means the cost of attending just one group fitness class per week for 20 weeks is now a whopping $330. (For comparison, the cost for full fitness membership, including unlimited access to strength and fitness gym, pool and group fitness for the same 20 week period is $360).

While it is possible to purchase a 20 visit pass for the price of 19, the discount for this upfront purchase is negligible and the restrictive 26-week expiry is likely to hurt staff who have unpredictable work and family commitments.

We understand UMSport is a business and that they would prefer to sell memberships than single visit passes.

Attacking the affordability of single visit passes may well succeed in moving some staff over to under-utilised fitness memberships (the best type of gym membership from a business perspective).

However, for many staff, the only effect will be to stop them accessing the gym altogether, with knock on effects for their physical and mental health.

Please support this petition for more affordable single visit passes to MUSport.