BY PETER ROBSON
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has called a national strike for October 16 in protest against the federal Coalition government's proposed changes to staff conditions on universities. Liz Thompson, the national education officer of the National Union of Students, spoke to Green Left Weekly about the strike.
What are the key features of the government's proposals for university workplace relations?
The government is attempting to lock staff unions out of the enterprise bargaining process by offering $400 million in extra funding to university administrations if they implement individual contracts instead of dealing with the unions.
The Liberals also want to introduce Australian Workplace Agreements (individual contracts), which will undermine staff conditions immensely. All of this is aimed, not at cost-cutting, but at smashing unionism on campuses and destroying the culture of organising that exists there. Obviously, this is also related to their attempts to destroy student unions as well.
The government faces opposition to its higher education reform from the non-government parties in the Senate. Will this stop the reforms?
The government only needs a few senators to vote with it to get its changes passed into legislation. Meg Lees has made it clear that she wants to be "helpful" and "constructive" to the government. So she's a worry.
Brian Harradine will make any deal he can. Shane Murphy is strong on most industrial legislation, so is likely to vote against the legislation.
Considering how the GST and the last wave of industrial relations legislation was voted up by the Senate, we can't rely on them. If they block it, good, but we have to be prepared to continue the struggle on the ground.
We must be wary of putting political manoeuvring with the major parties ahead of things like the NTEU action.
What is NUS's attitude toward the October 16 strike?
Obviously, the strike action is the most important thing at the moment for us. Campus students need to go all out to shutdown campuses on the day because strike action by the staff makes this the easiest time to organise staff-student solidarity.
This sort of action can give a real confidence boost to staff and students. This is a way that we can really win, regardless of what happens in the Senate.
Furthermore, continued militant action by the majority of staff and students can stop the government's plans even if the senators cave in and we have to fight this campus-by-campus.
Some aspects of the campaign will depend on the progress of the legislation through the Senate, but we need to build a campaign that can defeat this, regardless of what happens there.
From Green Left Weekly, October 15, 2003.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.