voluntary student unionism? good or bad? (1 Viewer)

[llamalope]

Here's one for all the uni students

Ok, well from the very first day at o-week, it was drummed into my by president of the USYD SRC that voluntary student unionism is BAAAAAAAADDDDD to the bone.

But I'm not convinced

What do you guys think? Great idea? the death of unions as we know it? Have no idea what the hell I'm talking about?

share your views on this policy that may very possibly be in effect by the end of this year or next year

 

[hipsta_jess]

I don't really know much about it, but from what I can tell it seems pretty bad...I know all the clubs at my uni reckon they won't exist under VSU, which is kinda sucky.

 

[llamalope]

yeah, thats what they seem to think

just to clarify, for those of you who have no clue... VSU, as opposed to universal student unionism (which is in place now... aka you HAVE to pay union fees) is a policy which is being proposed by the howard government...and they will have no difficulty passing since they have a majority in both houses

 

[Xayma]

I support it. Although I also support the unions running their campaigns (I just wish they would focus more on convincing people to support them afterwards then bitching about it know). Obviously if they have such great student power behind them they would survive unless of course they want others who don't use the services (often because they dont have the time (in case they have to work)) which are often things such as subsidised coke and other food (which the poorest students who it is said to help, cant even afford to buy lunch).

 

[Riewe]

I don't mind compulsory union fees but i hate paying compulsory Student Association fees. I understand that Union fees go towards uni facilities etc (you all know what i'm talking about), but why should i pay for a political group who do no benefit to me whatsoever. All that i see our SA doing (UTS SA) is organising politics around campus, with emphasis on their very left-wing views.

So Unionism? Yes. Student Association? NO.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I know this won't be popular.... but i don't see a need for student politics at all... gives us a say my ass, most of them are just dealing with their own political agendas...

 

[Not-That-Bright]

I have fairly long hair for a guy, i don't dress conservative, so i don't really prescribe to the image of what different 'types' of people should look like.

I go to uws. I don't mind the packed classes. Bring on more independent learning! Bring on use of the internet as communication! Bring on subject cutbacks to focus on what we really NEED as a nation (I understand that we do need accademics in alot of fields, but we don't need 100,000 marine biologists.)

If you are all for the supression of dissent then simply hop on the Howard bus and push for the destruction of ANOTHER form of organised dissent and free speech! Yay for not having ANY SAY ABOUT ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS AT UNI ANYMORE!

Oh so we should just accept unions? Hows bout "YAY FOR NOT HAVING A SAY AS TO WETHER U WANT TO BE A PART OF THE UNION", "YAY FOR NO CHOICE".

You know why you're afraid of vsu? because you know that groups that truely have very little support and are currently recieving alot of money will get no money. These groups adhere to what you believe in.

 

[withoutaface]

No matter what the union does - when you start saying fees are opinional no one is going to pay the feels.

It's a sad state of affairs where kids based their reasoning not to pay on the fact that some of their money might go to helping someone elses interest. Some thing *gasp god forbid!* they didnt pay for but helps other people (like O week!)

Unortunately many students are simply stupid and/or have no idea and will only start complaining once its gone.

A lot of the time these other people support causes which I directly oppose, and why should I be paying for protests against things I support? If there are going to be women's and queer publications I demand men's and straight publications.

Asquith, I challenge you to find a student association or an SRC which is filled with right wingers, because so far as I can see they don't exist.

I'm also paying $100+ for a sports association that I'm never going to use.

So far as I'm concerned all I need the union for is Manning, and I somehow don't think I'm going to make $600 worth of savings on drinks during the year.

EDIT: And the only reason protests cost so much is because the unions have bbq's to encourage even those who are neutral or dont support the cause to attend.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Can i have the website of the right-wing student association Asquithian?

 

[withoutaface]

There are. It's called honi soit.

Actually. That statement is so stupid it doesnt really need answering.

Why then does it list in the diary women's and queer publications but not men's ones?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Can i ask seriously why we need to fund a womens collective to talk about womens issues? Basically... be feminists..
I understand why we would need some sort of group to fight sexual assault, discrimination in the university but a group that sits around printing out feminist propaganda?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Oh so you think white men don't get discriminated against?

 

[withoutaface]

Here. Try using google and 'liberals university of sydney'

http://www.liberals-usyd.org/links.html

Libsoc gets something like $3 from each member that joins (all of which support their cause), SRC (which is what I was referring to) gets from memory at least $60 from every student in the uni, no matter whether they support their causes or not. I was referring to the compulsory student organisations, not the voluntary ones, eg I have no problem if there is a socialist/communist society so long as all its members join and fund it voluntarily and actually supports its causes, but if every compulsory SRC is going to be filled with leftists then I don't see why it should be compulsory for everyone to join.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

It's not discussion of sexual assault.
It is discussion about the ideals of feminism as far as I can see from reading their little pamphlet.

 

[withoutaface]

There are no mens ones...OMG white men are need help they are being discriminated against!

Prostate and testicular cancer are both major killers in men, but it seems that breast and cervical cancer (women's diseases) get all the subsidised checkup clinics and ad campaigns that they want, how is this fair?

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Men die years before women,
Men's test scores in english are starting to be dramatically worse than womens,
Men going to university is declining

 

[withoutaface]

white christian males from financially comfy backgrounds

Do you really know me well enough to make that judgement?

 

[withoutaface]

THINK...think past your nose. Please.

Its pretty clear you are either stupid or live under a rock. That is in all seriousness.

Find me the last time the government ran free testicular cancer testing clinics and publicised them well.

 

[Not-That-Bright]

Yes! Because maybe then i'll be willing to fund some organisations which fight these courses, and if i want i can also spend my saved money on supporting right-wing agendas at university!

With all that saved money I might actually do something towards achieving what I want!

 

[Estel]

Asq: I don't understand your stance on being forced to support causes you don't agree with...
For example... how do you defend the idea of having financially disadvantaged people forking up the 500 to fund gay rights if they are against homosexuality... isn't it a bit like increasing tax to fund government donations to world vision (and even then world vision is something which everybody can agree with)...