NEW ZEALAND: Students choose compulsory unionism

Students at Waikato University have paid a heavy price for a decision two years ago to implement voluntary student membership of the Waikato Student Union. But they have now rescinded that decision, voting overwhelmingly to reinstate compulsory unionism.

Waikato University is the latest university to return to compulsory unionism in a string of referendums on campuses in New Zealand. Auckland University is now the only institution with voluntary student unionism.

New Zealand University Students Association co-president Sam Huggard pointed out "while [voluntary student unionism] was promoted at the time as a way to ensure more democratic control of the student union and better provision of services, the complete opposite has been the case".

Student union co-president Cathy Olsen said, "Students have seen what it actually means to have a voluntary union and it's been a disaster. They haven't been represented on the university council and they haven't had an active association. They're missing out on the services that they need".

The union has been forced to sell its radio and television station as well as property in a bid to stay afloat, and would probably not have survived it had not returned to compulsory unionism.

BY FEDERICO FUENTES

From GLW issue 426