The May 30 national strike called by the National Tertiary Education and Industry Union (NTEU) and supported by the National Union of Students and other student and community groups sent a very clear message to the Coalition government: increase funding to the higher education sector and don't penalise teachers and students for a bigger than expected budget deficit.
From Adelaide, Emma Web writes that 3000 academics and students rallied outside the University of SA's city campus. State NTEU secretary Paul Acfield, condemned the Liberal government for breaking its election promises. Other speakers included Lisa Johnson, president of the National Union of Students (SA), Lyn Walsh, secretary of the University of South Australia branch of the NTEU, and Don Dunstan.
The rally marched to education minister Amanda Vanstone's office, where police attacked students who were attempting to prevent police from arresting a student from the university's Magill campus. Students and academics surrounded the police and refused to leave until the arrestees were released. One student was released immediately, while the other two were held in custody for a number of hours. Student associations and the NTEU have condemned the actions of the police.
From Brisbane, Ita Bredhauer reports that 6000 people gathered at the Roma Street Forum. NTEU spokesperson Howard Gill said that a 12% cut to the higher education budget would mean the loss of 9000 university places. Rod Mudgen from NUS said that tutorials and library services would be threatened. Steve Bredhauer, state shadow education minister, said the opposition is committed to ensuring that the federal government honours its election promises. Messages of support were received from the Queensland nurses union, the Democrats and the Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland.
The Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union, the vice-chancellor of the University of Queensland, the assistant executive officer of the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Consultative Committee and the defence shadow minister also spoke.
A resolution, directed at Howard and Vanstone, condemned the government for not honouring its promises to maintain funding to universities and to speedily resolve the pay claim; opposed the cuts to university funding and any increase in HECS; and called on unions, student organisations and vice-chancellors to campaign for fully funded pay rises and the maintenance of new campuses in Queensland. The rally then marched to the Australian Government offices.
Michelle Armstrong reports that in Canberra around 600 ANU students and 50 UCAN students braved the cold to rally on ANU. Staff and students set up pickets, and most lectures were cancelled. Speakers from the cross-campus Education Action Group spoke against the government's plans and about how to fight them. Students then marched through the city to DEETYA, where CPSU delegates joined the rally.
Amid chants of "One struggle, one fight, students and workers must unite!", about 900 NTEU unionists joined the student rally. Rousing speeches were given by the NTEU national secretary, the ANU and UCAN student association presidents, the CPSU and Education Action Group activists. About 100 people then marched to Parliament House for a "re-launch" of the Liberals' education policy.
From Darwin, Bernie Brian relates that more than 500 staff and students rallied at the NT University to hear about the likely impact of the cuts from Vice-Chancellor Roger Holmes. The meeting unanimously adopted a resolution opposing any cuts to university funding, supporting the academics' wage claim and opposing increased taxes on students.
An additional resolution, moved by a delegation of staff from Bachelor College (100 kilometres south of Darwin), highlighted the serious effect funding cuts would have on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
The meeting was also addressed by the NUS welfare officer Michelle Giglio, a representative of the NTEU and Janet Crews, secretary of the NT CPSU. More than 70 students and staff indicated they were keen to form an action group against the Howard government's attacks.
Ray Fulcher reports that after spirited pickets at many campuses across Melbourne, 4000 NTEU members and higher education students marched on the Federal Parliamentary Offices.
Many of the picket lines, staffed by the NTEU and students, reported success in turning away vehicles and the few students who turned up for classes. Morale was high at the midday rally at Dallas Brookes Hall as Ted Murphy, Victorian NTEU general secretary, described how the Liberals' "black hole" was derived from a simple change in accounting procedure by Treasury.
Murphy criticised the government for not revising its budget figures, given that the deficit was predicated on a projected economic growth of 3.25% in the March quarter, while actual growth was 4.8%.
Dannie Brown, president of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, said that the proposed cuts did not take into account the long-term impact on the social, cultural and educational standing of universities.
NUS education officer Dave Taylor told of a meeting he had with Vanstone. "She said she wanted the [tertiary education] sector to 'wheel itself into the operating theatre and tell her which limb to cut off'. She wanted us to say cut staff. But I can tell you there is nothing but unity between staff and students on this issue." The Victorian Student Unionism Network has projected a pre-budget rally in August, to be coordinated with other sectors.
From Sydney, Heidi Pegrem reports that picket lines were set up at nearly all campuses across NSW. A rally of 7000 staff and students marched from Hyde Park to the PM's office. On the way, an effigy of Howard was burnt in Chifley Square amid angry chants of "No ifs, no buts, no fees, no cuts".
Representatives from the NTEU, CPSU, NUS, the Cross Campus Education Network and postgraduate students addressed the crowd. Louise Boon Kuo, of CCEN and the UTS Student Association, highlighted the Liberals' hypocrisy in promoting choice and diversity in higher education before the election and now threatening cuts and students' rights to organise.
Labor MLC Meredith Burgmann also spoke, although there was a strong anti-ALP sentiment in the crowd, with several speakers pointing to previous federal ALP government cuts to higher education. NSW NUS president John Noland-Neyland told Green Left Weekly that the size of the action revealed much about the community's concern at the proposed cuts. "Students and staff will continue to take action for as long as it takes."
The rally unanimously condemned the government's proposed cuts to higher education and its industrial relations legislation.
From Perth, Bronwyn Blockley writes that more than 1000 academics and staff stopped work on May 29 for a combined unions rally at Perry Lakes Stadium. Members of the NTEU, CPSU and LHMWU were out in force, supported by a large contingent of students from WA's four universities.
Representatives from each of the three unions spoke against cuts, arguing that the quality and accessibility of higher education had to be maintained. Unions also put forward wage claims and condemned moves to reduce staff numbers.
John Carey from NUS was cheered when he spoke of students' commitment to the campaign. A joint staff and student pre-budget action is being planned. Unionists at the three universities then struck for 12-36 hours.
Alex Bainbridge reports from Newcastle that 800 people attended the rally and march from Pacific Park, and 200 people maintained five pickets at university entrances. The need to take united action against Howard's cuts was a strong theme of the day. This was underscored by the participation of academics, all of the general staff unions and the students association (NUSA). One staff member said that in her 22 years at the university she had never seen such unity.
Very few staff members crossed the picket lines, and most classes were cancelled. Even the vice-chancellor promised to donate all the pay forfeited by staff to a scholarship fund for disadvantaged students.
Student, general staff and academics representatives spoke, as did Janet Maclean from Trades Hall and Margaret Henry, a Greens councillor. The Newcastle Chamber of Commerce and a representative of the vice-chancellor were invited but declined to speak.