National Tertiary Education Union members at the university voted in favour of the Jobs Protection Framework in a ballot vote at the weekend.

More than 74 per cent of La Trobe NTEU members voted yes to the scheme, which will include pay cuts and forced reductions in recreation leave.

But the framework will also ensure no changes to annual leave and restrictions on forced redundancies.

"It was really important," NTEU La Trobe branch president Virginia Mansell Lees said. "We had a range of people who were very pro the framework and then a group that were against it.

"We had a very spirited discussion but people needed to be able to make up their minds."

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La Trobe Vice-Chancellor John Dewar already flagged the university was facing a shortfall of between $33 million and $63 million in 2020, and between $80 million and $115 million in 2021.

Professor Dewar said the framework would save jobs at the university.

"The fact that the majority of La Trobe's local branch union members have voted in favour of the Australian Universities Job Protection Framework is a very encouraging sign that staff recognise the important job-saving benefits the framework offers," Professor Dewar said.

"All La Trobe staff will have the opportunity to vote on June 16 and 17 on the framework - a temporary variation to our enterprise agreement - and although the framework won't protect all jobs, it will deliver $32 million, the financial equivalent of about 225 jobs this year and next."

The NTEU last month announced it would scrap the agreement at a national level after 17 universities voted against the framework.

About 250 La Trobe staff members rejected the scheme at an NTEU branch meeting last month.

Ms Mansell Lees said the latest ballot was promising ahead of the all-staff vote.

"Like with our enterprise agreements, it's always the union vote first," she said. "That's a bit of a litmus test.

"If we do well in that, we usually can expect there will be a yes vote with all of the staff."

If La Trobe staff adopt the Jobs Protection Framework, it will be in place until June 30, 2021.

It could then be extended after another vote of members if the university's financial situation has not improved.

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