Chisholm TAFE's union busting
By Vannessa Hearman
MELBOURNE — Chisholm TAFE Institute student union leaders are accusing TAFE management of trying to destroy the student union. At the Frankston campus, student representatives have been served with eviction notices, around $150,000 is being withdrawn from the student union, leaving three union staff without a job and students without representation. Chisholm Institute has nine campuses, the main ones being at Moorabbin, Dandenong and Frankston.
Student representatives say that management seems to think student services consist only of a recreation department. The student union denies suggestions of financial mismanagement and disagrees that by doing advocacy and referral work it is contravening the state's 1993 Tertiary Education Act (the "voluntary student unionism" law in Victoria).
The union is funded through annual, compulsory, non-academic fees paid by students. Union representatives point out that many TAFE students would drop out without the support services provided by the union.
Russell Francis, general manager of the institute's services department, claimed in a press release that the institute has been "striving to create a single unified student association with the former three student bodies" and that until this occurs and the student association constitution is rewritten to make the union compliant with the Tertiary Education Act, student services will be delivered by "some existing and casual staff". After getting rid of the student union staff, the institute advertised similar positions, as permanent appointments, on May 29.
A rally has been organised for June 8. Student representatives have vowed to occupy the union offices on June 14, the day they are to be evicted by management. Phone 9238 8101 to support the campaign.