Roger Douglas has reared his ugly head with another attack on unions. The free-market fanatic is getting tired though and he’s picked what he hopes is a weak target – students. His usual right-wing blather about individual freedom and responsibility is used to cover up a much simpler motive - destroying student unions. Douglas’ misleadingly named Education (Freedom of association) Bill will revoke the right of students to decide the fate of their own organizations, force them to pay even more to university management, and deprive them of vital services and representation.
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Roger Douglas has reared his ugly head with another attack on unions. The free-market fanatic is getting tired though and he’s picked what he hopes is a weak target – students.His usual right-wing blather about individual freedom and responsibility is used to cover up a much simpler motive - destroying student unions. |
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There’s a myth out there that student life is one long party, that student ‘riots’ like the Undy 500 disturbances are the tantrums of the privileged brats and the demand for free education is a middle-class attempt to take more tax money for themselves. The reality is quite different. Tertiary education has become a degree factory churning out skilled labour for capitalism. |
 Last year’s Undie 500 ended worse than ever before; not only were there smashed bottles left lying on Castle St but blood as well.
What started as a traditional weekend party, which has been happening for years, and will likely continue despite the DCC’s and the Uni, turned into a bitter fight between the police and the students.
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When students first start university, they are not quite sure what a student association is, or what is actually does.University students’ associations are responsible for organising events and gigs, such as the Orientation Week shows. They provide students with a wide range of support, such as counseling, mediation, and tutorials. |
The myth that white collar workers are not part of the working class remains as strong as ever. White collar workers such as office workers, teachers and nurses make up a large section of the workforce. While in some cases, they can earn more than blue collar workers, many earn less than mechanics, builders and other tradespeople, white collar workers face the same struggle to make ends meet.
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 The Unite Union is perhaps the most radical union in New Zealand at the moment. Many other unions for example tend to be run by boring Bureaucrats. Take for example the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union. It used to be run by Andrew Little, who used this position to secure himself the position of President of the Labour Party. Bureaucrats like these don’t really want to rock the boat, as they are concerned about their own future.
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