are you satisfied with UCDSU

Mr.Nice Guy

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

InFront wrote:

That many

I see. Puts the poll in a very different light.

panda100

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

singingstranger wrote:

*is smug at the copying and pasting of stuff he typed himself... on ucdsu.net ... ^_^*

For the benefit of those who weren't there or haven't managed to feel it out yet, both of the motions that Elisa C&Ped earlier in this thread were both passed by Council. I might add that the key point that (I reckon anyway) swung the vote in favour of the one about Collen Construction is that while the three builders weren't UCDSU members, they were building on-campus residences which surely impacts on current and future members.

Yes I was pretty handy with the copy and paste button alright!
Just out of intrest what other motions were passed at council the other night,singing stranger?
About collen construction,I think that this is a justice and work force matter that these workers were jailed.Therefore this is an external matter that should be resolved by the goverment and collen construction.Anyone who has come up from the county trying to find a room and paying huge sums for a shoddy little bedsit which is all the way over in phibsboro,will know how important it is to build more campus accomodation.In the university of Limerick,they have abundance of campus accomodation that went up quickly and students are paying low rent for.I just think it would be in the unions intrest to just allow for the swift completion of this new desperatly needed residences.And also wouldnt you think the president and education officer have more important things to do then this which was passed last night:

Council mandates the President and the Education Vice-President to
· investigate by the next Council meeting if Collen are using sub-contractors on their Belfield site.
· investigate by the next Council meeting the wage levels being paid by Collen and/or any sub-contractors on their Belfield site.
· insist on trade union rights and oppose sub-contracting on any UCD construction projects at the Governing Authority Buildings Committee.

I'm confused cos I though jane said these insignificant matters dont take up any of her time?
Why does an education officer have to go off finding about sub-contractors?It baffles me?can we get a few more credit printer machines in the terrace,if your not busy?Theres only one and so if it breaks down(which it does regularly) then we have to go all the way out to belfield to top up our credit?

Vorsprung

Vainglory wrote:

Unfortunately you'd need to alter the constitution to do something like that and that requires referendum.

How do you go about sorting this out? Something about getting so many people to sign a petition or something like that is it?

Mr.Nice Guy

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

bigjimthefirst wrote:

How do you go about sorting this out? Something about getting so many people to sign a petition or something like that is it?

I signed a petition this week. Some guy said he needed a couple of hundred votes.

Anyone else sign it?

Red Alert

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

do you remember what it was for Mr Nice Guy?

panda100

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

It was probably pierce farrell for the constituatinal referendum colleceting signatures.

InFront

(2) They should not disaffiliate from USI

panda100 wrote:

Council mandates the President and the Education Vice-President to
· investigate by the next Council meeting if Collen are using sub-contractors on their Belfield site.
· investigate by the next Council meeting the wage levels being paid by Collen and/or any sub-contractors on their Belfield site.
· insist on trade union rights and oppose sub-contracting on any UCD construction projects at the Governing Authority Buildings Committee.

thats a joke, do they think they can do a better job than SIPTU now or something?

STUDENT'S:rolleyes: UNION

Vainglory

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

panda100 wrote:

Council mandates the President and the Education Vice-President to
· investigate by the next Council meeting if Collen are using sub-contractors on their Belfield site.
· investigate by the next Council meeting the wage levels being paid by Collen and/or any sub-contractors on their Belfield site.
· insist on trade union rights and oppose sub-contracting on any UCD construction projects at the Governing Authority Buildings Committee.

I'm confused cos I though jane said these insignificant matters dont take up any of her time?
Why does an education officer have to go off finding about sub-contractors?It baffles me?can we get a few more credit printer machines in the terrace,if your not busy?Theres only one and so if it breaks down(which it does regularly) then we have to go all the way out to belfield to top up our credit?

It says "Council mandates", not "Jane mandates herself". Who am I to break a democratic mandate? It was given to me by the vast majority of council members. As I've said before, breaking mandate is an impeachable offence. Even if I did disagree with it, I quite literally have no choice. But if it does make you feel any better, I'll be doing it over my holidays which are from yesterday until the 2nd of March.

Vainglory

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

bigjimthefirst wrote:

How do you go about sorting this out? Something about getting so many people to sign a petition or something like that is it?

Referendums can be called either by council or by a petition. Not sure how many signatures you need but it's about 800, there or thereabouts. Morgan Shelley is the returning officer and his number is 0851128513, he'd know more about the details than I do. Email address is returningoffice@gmail.com

arbeitsscheuer

(1) No I am not satisified with USDSU

Billy Bragg (with some minor alterations...) wrote:

There is power in a factory, power in the land
Power in the hands of a student
But it all amounts to nothing if together we don't stand There is power in a Union

The Union forever defending our rights
Down with the blackleg, all students unite
With our brothers and out sisters from many far off lands
There is power in a Union

Now I long for the morning that they realise
Brutality and unjust laws can not defeat us
But who'll defend the students who cannot organise
When the bosses send their lackies out to cheat us?

Money speaks for money, the Devil for his own
Who comes to speak for the skin and the bone
What a comfort to the widow, a light to the child
There is power in a Union

- THERE IS POWER IN A UNION

scop

SebtheBum wrote:

- THERE IS POWER IN A UNION

Billy Bragg...welcome to the 1980's

singingstranger

(1) No I am not satisified with USDSU

Other two motions passed at last Council:

Motion calling for reinstatement of, and making of contact with, Joanne Delaney
Council notes with dismay the recent dismissal of Joanne Delaney, a worker in the Dunnes Stores supermarket in the Ashleaf Shopping Centre, Dublin 12, on the basis of her activity within the workplace on behalf of the MANDATE trade union.

Council further notes that Joanne was dismissed on the pretence that wearing a trade union pin was against uniform policy, despite such detail not being part of the policy.

Council acknowledges that many members of UCD Students' Union are also employees of this particular company. Council reaffirms the right of all members of UCD Students' Union to join and be active within a trade union without fear of intimidation.

Council calls for the immediate reinstatement of Joanne Delaney and recognises the right to join and be active in a trade union as part of the right to freedom of peaceful association as outlined in Article 4.4 of the UCDSU Constitution.

In the context of low levels of trade union membership and the flagrant disregard for workers' rights at many of the companies who employ UCD students, Council mandates the President to instruct the Accommodation and Employment Officer to make contact with Joanne Delaney with a view to hosting a meeting on young workers' rights over the next month, to be addressed by Joanne.

Proposed by Jane Horgan-Jones, Education Vice-President
Seconded by Niall Dolan, 2nd Social Science

and...

Motion mandating continuation of Grant Centralisation campaign
Council notes the current progress made with regard to the grants system as a result of the campaigns by UCDSU.

Council notes that the current level of grant payments does not support the cost of living for students. Council further notes the need to extend the 3rd level grant scheme to more students.

Council expresses disappointment in the fact that many local authorities are consistently late in delivering grant payments. Council also expresses concern about the financial hardship visited upon many students as a result.

Council notes that the inefficiencies in the grant system are a consequence of it being processed at local authority level.

Council affirms the need to have the grants system administered by a centralised body.

Council notes that improving the grants system should be a propriety campaign for UCDSU.

Council mandates UCDSU to keep up the pressure on local authorities to deliver payments on time, particularly when the next instalment of grant payments are due. Council also mandates UCDSU to step up the campaign to centralise the grants system.

Council mandates the President and Education Vice-President to continue to exert pressure on the Union of Students in Ireland to involve itself in the campaign.

Council also mandates UCDSU to continue to seek support for the campaign from Student Unions in other 3rd Level institutions throughout the Republic of Ireland.

Proposed by Chris Bond, 1st Arts
Seconded by Kate O’Hanlon, 2nd Arts

The_Minister

(2) They should not disaffiliate from USI

The SU is not a mini-Dail. It is not the business of the SU to deal with some builders (as long as they are not inconvieniencing students. It is nothing to do with the SU if some Dunnes worker is sacked for wearing a trinket. The SU has a single purpose, to help the students and that is all. None of this limiting student consumption choice based on hearsay and soundbites, backed up with no evidence, by banning coke

panda100

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

Ok so at the last council meeting before the officers take a 2week break until march ,these three things were the three most pressing issue's on campus:

1)the students of UCD are in solidarity with joanne Delaney who got sacked from her Dunnes store job.Joanne delany is not a student of this college.
The union is organising for the sacked worker and at the moment left icon to infrom students of workers rights.I dont think an unemployed 22 year old dunnes store worker is qualified to do that?

2)Jane and Jim ,our president and education officers, are becoming undercover detectives for the next week because they feel bad that three workers,who are also not students in UCD, got jailed last week.They are going to investigate wages recieved by those working with some building company,whom happen to be building the fourth much needed residences.
As I said before,this accomodation is desperatly needed and any more protests like the one that was held today,will delay work and mean the hundred of students paying outrageous prices for accomodation will have to wait another two years for any hope of on-campus accomodation.

3)Finally something that affects UCD students!!the ongoing grants campaign.

Well thats all the evidence i need,that the union is an absolute complete waste of time.If those three motions were what the union though were the most pressing issues in Belfield at the moment,then can they not see how completly out of touch they are.There is far more pressing concerns than these at the moment.
The fact that the union office's were robbed last friday evening and James Carroll was quick to deny that all of services were unable to operate the campus cctv cameras by saying,'The people who were there at the time,weren't sure how to use the cameras but I think services know how to use their cameras'. I cant wait to walk through campus,after leaving the library at 10 tonight in the dark with security not having a clue how to operate vital equipment.But its alright becuse at least im safe in the knowledge the union are doing their utmost for the students that they represent and not at all focussing on non-college matters:rolleyes:

singingstranger

(1) No I am not satisified with USDSU

Just FYI, it's not the last one, just at the very end (while Council was still quorate - just) we agreed to have the next Council, which would otherwise fall on March 1st (i.e. polling day #1) brought forward to Monday Feb 27th.

Vainglory

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

Officers aren't going on any official two week break until March. Some officers are taking their holidays until then.

AngelofFire

(1) No I am not satisified with USDSU

The SU is not a mini-Dail.

You`re right the Dail is a Parliament, wheras SU council is a council, two differnet entities.

It is not the business of the SU to deal with some builders (as long as they are not inconvieniencing students.

This is the same company that are constructing the new student residences near roebuck, UCD students will be leaving there come September. We have every reason to be concerned about the quality of those builidings, collens record has been appauling so far. If we hadnt have passed this motion and come next year one of the students is experiencing a problem in their house thats directley related to how the building was constructed the SU would look like right fools for not taking a stance on the issue.

panda100

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

AngelofFire wrote:

You`re right the Dail is a Parliament, wheras SU council is a council, two differnet entities.



This is the same company that are constructing the new student residences near roebuck, UCD students will be leaving there come September. We have every reason to be concerned about the quality of those builidings, collens record has been appauling so far. If we hadnt have passed this motion and come next year one of the students is experiencing a problem in their house thats directley related to how the building was constructed the SU would look like right fools for not taking a stance on the issue.

Believe me Chris I lived in Roebuck in first year and ANYTHING would be better than what is there now!And dont even pretend your 'concerned' about the building work?if the union was why didnt they address this matter ages ago before it became a workers union problem.

Chinafoot

AngelofFire wrote:

This is the same company that are constructing the new student residences near roebuck, UCD students will be leaving there come September. We have every reason to be concerned about the quality of those builidings, collens record has been appauling so far. If we hadnt have passed this motion and come next year one of the students is experiencing a problem in their house thats directley related to how the building was constructed the SU would look like right fools for not taking a stance on the issue.

There is a difference between looking into the quality of the construction and the plight of three workers who have been jailed for breaking a high court injunction.

Council condemns the jailing of the three bricklayers, Billy McClurg, Andrew Clarke, and Keith Kelly who were protesting in their local community (Ballybrack) against Collen’s use of sub-contractors to reduce wages and conditions and their non-employment of trade union members.

Council affirms its support for trade union rights, payment of agreed rates of pay to workers, and quality buildings on-campus.

The issue of quality buildings barely gets a mention.

Red Alert

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

Yes there's plenty of mundane stuff: non-working and poorly ventilated toilets in the library and eng, poor quality heating in science bld, inadequete lighting in eng: all of these are health/safety/security issues which i'm sure services would actually talk to the SU about.

Not to mention my old chestnut: lighting on campus at night.

I would imagine the impending full semesterisation/modularisation stuff as well as the rip-off-campus issue which is starting to become mainstream should be taking up most of their time, not stuff about random outsiders.

pretty*monster

(1) No I am not satisified with USDSU

Red Alert wrote:

I would imagine the impending full semesterisation/modularisation stuff as well as the rip-off-campus issue which is starting to become mainstream should be taking up most of their time, not stuff about random outsiders.

That stuff is taking up most of our time!

panda100

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

pretty*monster wrote:

That stuff is taking up most of our time!

Oh yes evidently by the last three motions past at council :rolleyes:

pretty*monster

(1) No I am not satisified with USDSU

Council takes up a only couple of hours a fortnight.

Modularisation and semesterisation are something Jane, Dave and Reps have been working on consistently since October, holding meetings, lecture addressing, flyering, negotiating, and yes, when it came to it, protesting.

The rip-off-campus/student action co-op isn't something I've been involved in until recently, but the lads have been giving up their time to poster and run the stand in various locations around Belfield for months.


Seriously, a handful of motions that in effect promise very little don't show at all the direction the student union takes. The vast majority of stuff that's done day in day out focuses on student issues, it's just that the stuff that grabs peoples attention is generally wider in scope.

panda100

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

pretty*monster wrote:

Council takes up a only couple of hours a fortnight.

Modularisation and semesterisation are something Jane, Dave and Reps have been working on consistently since October, holding meetings, lecture addressing, flyering, negotiating, and yes, when it came to it, protesting.

The rip-off-campus/student action co-op isn't something I've been involved in until recently, but the lads have been giving up their time to poster and run the stand in various locations around Belfield for months.


Seriously, a handful of motions that in effect promise very little don't show at all the direction the student union takes. The vast majority of stuff that's done day in day out focuses on student issues, it's just that the stuff that grabs peoples attention is generally wider in scope.

Really?lercture addressing and flyering?Thats odd cos from this thread no one has seen any of this?I certainly havent been lecture addresesed by any union officer this year.

As we can see from the other thread the art co-op is ineffective.No positive progression has been made but the union is still plodding along with it.Spending god knows how much on posters for protests that are ineffective such as the arts cafe one on friday.I can see that the people running the co-op's intentions are good but as can be seen from mine and others suggestions on the pther thread this is merely a platform for a presidential candidate.

Red Alert

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

i have seen three lecture addresses ever, two by fungus hourihane and one by some idiot wanting to be elected.

larryone

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

The only lecture addresses I've ever seen were from candidates looking for votes. I am very glad they wont be bothering me this year, as then have never come near our lecture theatre (thank god)

Pythia

(2) They should not disaffiliate from USI

No lecture addressing over in Quinn school anyway. Probably frightened of us.

Scraggs

(1) No I am not satisified with USDSU

Lecture addresses are my new favourite form of entertainment! I had practically the same ones in every lecture today and it was funny to see them improve as the day went on. I thought it was great when they spoke as gaeilge to the irish class. My favourites so far have been Enda, Dan and some guy for ents Canning??

Red Alert

(2) They should disaffiliate from USI

it used to be great in engineering. they'd stand there waiting for the hail of paper aeroplanes and balls to stop and then they'd realise it wasn't.....

pretty*monster

(1) No I am not satisified with USDSU

Scraggs wrote:

I thought it was great when they spoke as gaeilge to the irish class.

Hah, I considered doing that when I hit Irish this morning, but I figured it might be a disaster.