Student Unions – Thousands Face Job Threat
Many thousands of staff are employed in Student Organisations. They work as Research and Welfare Officers, administrative and clerical staff, Activities and Sporting Officers, Womens Officers, and in catering, child care and other campus services.
As such, they make a very important contribution to campus life. Student and Campus Unions have a proud record over one hundred years, of providing representation and services to students.
Without the clubs, sporting, political and cultural activities they support, our campuses would be fairly dead places lacking in community life. All staff and students benefit from the community they help create.
The Coalition Government now plans to end all this, using its newly-won Senate majority. Under the entirely false pretext of ending compulsory membership of student unions, the Government plans to ban the collection of any fee not connected to the provision of a course. Given the service role of student organisations, this is like asking your Local Council to survive on a fee-for-service basis. The Government’s plan is designed to send student organisations broke, so that students cannot be collectively represented, and will stop electing people who criticise government policy.
The NTEU’s most immediate concern must be the job security of its members in student unions, but the NTEU will be part of the campaign to stop the government’s plans. We will also be actively consulting student union members about the best way of securing their jobs and entitlements.