The thing is that as it currently stands, it's a grossly unfair system - especially at a university like USYD, who pays $540 a year ($590 for first years). That's a LOT of money to be expected to pay on demand. And this fee ends up subsidising a series of "services" such as protests, giving money to an actual cult, (in 2004) a protest at a funeral, slightly (instead of grossly) overpriced food, and of course the salaries of the SRC Executives and Union Directors.
I completely believe in the value of university community. As those before us have always realised - University is the marriage of academic and humanitarian pursuits. Student community makes us better people - and if everybody is encouraged to participate in it, the universities would be a much better place to be.
But Universal Unionism, as it currently stands, doesn't encourage community. It very much encourages inequality far more than VSU would. Most of you would remember right here on This board all the talk about the mandatory Union fee, and how they had to beg and steal the money to pay it upfront. For some people - especially students, $540 is a weekly wage.
I don't think it should be voluntary yet, but the fee should be MUCH lower, and it should be deferable at least six months. The Union/Guild/Association/SRC/Sport may complain - but the fact is that (at least at USYD) it's a perfectly reasonable plan. The USYD Union is the most wasteful bureaucracy I have ever had the pleasure of serving within. They spend money like nobody's business - they have a special catering branch whose primary role is to serve Union Directors at Board meetings. Until these meetings (I attend three or four a year), I thought "Good Union Food" was an oxymoron. And they give out cabcharge vouchers like nobody's business. Guess who foots the bill. Students. It disgusts me, these meetings - they talk about how they're going to waste student fees over extravagant meals in opulent surroundings - with no consideration as to the needs of the students who can't AFFORD the union fee.
In fact, I'm not supposed to say this yet - but the new membership plan to be introduced
if RESOLVE for SRC wins the USYD election includes FREE membership for first year students, and $35 a year ($20 a semester, and deferable for up to a year) membership to the SRC (down from $66). This will drop even further under a continued Universal Student Unionism environment - because, as the Great Mark Latham said, we believe in easing the squeeze.
www.thequahreport.com
