SYDNEY — On March 29, as news of the general strike in France began to reach Australia, 20 Sydney University students and staff attended a Resistance-organised forum on the revolt against the French government’s new First Employment Contract (CPE). Resistance member Emma Clancy described the occupations by students of 65 of the France’s 84 universities and the protests of hundreds of thousands of high-school and university students.

During the discussion, students drew inspiration from the developments in France for struggles in Australia against the “voluntary student unionism” legislation and the new industrial relations laws. Highlighting parallels between the CPE in France and the Howard government’s attacks on students’ and young workers’ rights, Resistance member Kiraz Janicke suggested that a student strike be called in the lead-up to the June 28 national protest against the new IR laws.

Simon Cunich

From Green Left Weekly, April 5, 2006.
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