Union calls for services levy (2 Viewers)

[Rafy]

Union calls for services levy (Jewel Topsfield/ The Age)

A UNION plan to include student services fees in HECS debts will be considered by the Federal Government, despite Labor ruling it out last year.

The National Union of Students will today push for a compulsory HECS-style levy, which students could defer paying until they start work, to tackle the "devastating impact" of voluntary student unionism.

A spokesman for Youth Minister Kate Ellis said she was aware of the union's proposal, and a HECS-style loan scheme was one option put forward in a discussion paper released by the Government this month.

Last May, former Opposition education spokesman Stephen Smith "absolutely" ruled out a HECS-style loan scheme to fund campus services.

National Union of Students president Angus McFarland welcomed Labor's change of heart.

Under the policy, all students would have to pay the levy, to cover the cost of providing services such as advocacy, welfare, child care and sports clubs.

The amount would be capped by the Government and would not include infrastructure costs, allowing the fees to be up to 70% lower than pre-voluntary student unionism levels, which resulted in students paying as much as $500 in annual upfront fees.

The voluntary student unionism laws banned universities from collecting compulsory union fees, which amounted to $179 million a year. The legislation, passed in late 2005, made membership of student organisations and the requirement for students to financially contribute to campus services voluntary for the first time since the 1920s.

A report last year found that more than 1000 jobs had been slashed at universities, hundreds of student services shut down and that sporting club membership had dropped by almost 20% following the ban.

Mr McFarland said students would not be compelled to be union members. The levies from students not choosing to be members would be directed to an infrastructure fund at each university, to pay for computer labs and sporting grounds.

The union is also calling for a transitional fund to allow universities to apply for urgent Government funds to cover the cost of re-establishing student organisations.

Thoughts?

 

[jackmurray1989]

I don't have money to throw around on childcare, welfare and advocacy. What percentage of students actually need all that shit?

 

[boris]

I will lay the smackdown if this shit happens.
My HECS bill is already extraordinarily huge and I still have 3 years to go.

God I hate unions. Bunch of money hungry useless grubs, go and get a real job.

 

[Captain Gh3y]

I will lay the smackdown if this shit happens.
My HECS bill is already extraordinarily huge and I still have 3 years to go.

God I hate unions. Bunch of money hungry useless grubs, go and get a real job.

But think of all the mothers at uni who need childcare

Don't you care about the mothers?

...

This was pretty much inevitable from when Labor got in. I hope it takes them 3 years to talk about it (most things do with these people) so I don't have to pay.

 

[boris]

But think of all the mothers at uni who need childcare

Don't you care about the mothers?

...

This was pretty much inevitable from when Labor got in. I hope it takes them 3 years to talk about it (most things do with these people) so I don't have to pay.

Go and get a job and pay for your own childcare like everybody else*

I really don't see why uni students need more added to their HECS to fund childcare services. If you get knocked up at uni or if you're mature age with kids then it's your damned responsibility to find appropriate childcare.

















*EDIT: like me.