Last week's university staff strikes across Victoria were in response to decades of attacks on higher education.
Casualisation has hit universities hard, so most staff are now in low-paid, insecure employment. Class sizes have also ballooned, while the workload has been concentrated on fewer staff.
The "Melbourne Model", introduced as an "experiment" at the University of Melbourne, has led to subject cuts in important areas such as history and women's studies. Cutting subjects means less choice for students and fewer jobs for staff.
These attacks have also meant solidarity between staff and students has been eroded. Large classes make getting to know each other hard — particularly if you're also doing the work of two people and getting paid only during semester, being left without a wage during the long non-teaching periods.
While some students would have slept through the foggy, early start of the strikes, many turned up before nine to help support pickets across universities.
Their numbers boosted the protests and probably helped convince many drivers, who turned their cars around rather than cross the picket line.
In an act of deception, Melbourne University's vice-principal emailed students two days beforehand, advising them that, despite industrial action, "the University will be open as usual".
Because of this, many students unknowingly turned up on the day expecting to have class. Many were fearful that they may lose marks for not attending class.
So why should students support their teachers?
The strikes last week were legitimate, legal industrial action. Students cannot be penalised for not attending on this basis.
Aren't they wasting our time?
All the benefits that tertiary staff have today, from penalty rates to leave entitlements, have been won through past struggle. A stronger, more protected workforce benefits students as well: staff who aren't over-worked have more time for student consultations. Smaller class sizes improve teaching and learning.
It is in everyone's interest to stop university staff's conditions being eroded. An attack on the staff is an attack on higher education.
What about the joy of learning?
In reality, as classes are cut and teachers are made redundant, learning will become less interesting and greatly restricted.
Attending a picket line can also be an enriching experience, fostering solidarity between staff and students and reminding everyone that university students — many of who already have jobs to support themselves — will be workers one day.
It's in everybody's interest that wages and conditions are protected and extended into the future.
Next time there's a strike, do the right thing and help on the picket line.
[Chris Peterson is a member of Resistance.]