One Day Shutdown-March 30th

Donny5 · 23-03-2009 11:11am

gubbie wrote: »

One was held and passed by 80% by the students.

That's not entirely true, now is it? Maybe 80% of those who voted voted for it, but not 80% of students.

muffinman · 23-03-2009 11:22am

Donny5 wrote: »

That's not entirely true, now is it? Maybe 80% of those who voted voted for it, but not 80% of students.

It's the other people's fault for not voting.. All 22000 students had the right to vote on the referendum, and if they didn't it's their own fault. Maybe the 17000 people would have voted no to this ridiculous strike, but they didn't, and that's democracy..

Dave! · 23-03-2009 11:33am

No I shalln't be observing this strike... Of course, if the lecturers are striking also, then I won't have a choice, but I don't think they'll all strike also will they? I have a lecture that morning with a guest lecturer, he presumably will still be there...

Red Alert · 23-03-2009 12:01pm

I think IFUT voted for strike action so they'll be on strike. Almost all lecturers are in that.

Donny5 · 23-03-2009 12:11pm

muffinman wrote: »

It's the other people's fault for not voting.. All 22000 students had the right to vote on the referendum, and if they didn't it's their own fault. Maybe the 17000 people would have voted no to this ridiculous strike, but they didn't, and that's democracy..

A true democracy would allow us to opt out of the Student's Union. I'll vote with my attendance, irrespective of whether the lecturers show up.

Tayto2000 · 23-03-2009 1:51pm

There's reportedly a lot of effort going on at national level to avert the strikes, so it might be called off at the last minute. At least the student strike would be more noticeable that way.

muffinman wrote: »

It's the other people's fault for not voting.. All 22000 students had the right to vote on the referendum, and if they didn't it's their own fault. Maybe the 17000 people would have voted no to this ridiculous strike, but they didn't, and that's democracy..

Democracy in UCD student politics is a bit different in that the required percentages for calling or passing a referendum are very low. 3.5% in signatures to require a referendum, then the maximum turnout required to pass something is 12.5% and that's only constitutional matters, for most other things it's 10%. And a consultative referendum doesn't have a required minimum.

So essentially, it's possible for a turnout of 2200 students to attempt to direct 22,000 students. Wagging the dog? To a certain extent but of course everyone is free to ignore the whole thing which then of course feeds into the eternal 'the SU is out of touch and irrelevant' arguments...

Maybe the first step to making the SU more relevant to the student body as a whole would be to increase the required % to validate votes on such issues... Proper engagement with students would then be required to get the required turnout and get things done, and opponents might feel less inclined to query the validity of the result.

23-03-2009 2:27pm

UCD SIPTU Education branch and UCDSU will be holding a one day strike on Monday, March 30th 2009. The former against the Pension Levy, the latter against the proposed reintroduction of third level fees.

---

The Education Branch of SIPTU has voted overwhelmingly for industrial action on March 30th.

* 80 percent of members voted for industrial action and 18 percent against.

* 88 percent voted for the Education Branch proposal for the industrial action to be focused on the withdrawal of the pension levy.

* 61 percent voted for strike action and 34 percent against.

- It is not clear what the distinction between industrial action and strike action is but members may have felt that the word strike action implies a longer term all out strike. Nevertheless, whatever the interpretation there was also a clear majority for 'strike action'

* 92 percent voted to support the ICTU's ten point plan for economic recovery.

Seven days notice has now been issued to UCD, TCD, NCAD, DCU where a withdrawal of labour will take place.

Pickets will be placed from early in the morning and will last until the evening on Monday

The UCD Section Committee is meeting tomorrow Tuesday and will select a strike committee from its membership to co-ordinate the action.

----

One Day Education Shutdown Against Fees - as voted for by the students of UCD

Monday, March 30th

The shutdown will consist of a student strike and activities on campus against fees, including a rally at the lake, at 1pm.

Breezer · 23-03-2009 2:47pm

IMPACT have (narrowly) voted against the strike. I wonder where this leaves UCD?

From a completely selfish point of view, I'm really not looking forward to this. It's gonna be my first full day in a hospital. Being plunged into a completely new, very busy setting where you're nobody's top priority sounds stressful enough at the best of times. If half the country is out protesting it's really not gonna help.

mad lad · 23-03-2009 4:19pm

I have a lecture that morning with a guest lecturer, he presumably will still be there...

Then you and the lecturer can stand outside a locked building :rolleyes:. If staff are on strike, nothing will be open.

I think IFUT voted for strike action so they'll be on strike.

IFUT voted in Favour: 67.7%
Against: 32.3%

IMPACT have (narrowly) voted against the strike

IMPACT need a two-thirds majority to go on strike. They were 1% short of the 66% mark.

The whole thing could be called off. ICTU were on RTE this morning saying they would call off March 30th if negotiations were started, IBEC are calling for negotiations, Gilmore has called for them and for the strikes not to go ahead - it's up to the government. ICTU exec meets on Wednesday night to decide what's going to happen. If the government says it's up for entering negotiations, ICTU will call everything off.

Breezer · 23-03-2009 4:53pm

mad lad wrote: »

IMPACT need a two-thirds majority to go on strike. They were 1% short of the 66% mark.

Yes, I know, that was why I said "narrowly."

Mr.Nice Guy · 23-03-2009 5:08pm

I'll probably be observing it for Monday morning whatever happens. :pac:

mad lad · 23-03-2009 5:12pm

Yes, I know, that was why I said "narrowly."

You said they "narrowly voted against", which isn't accurate since a clear majority voted in favour of going on strike (65%).:p

Unfortunately it was 1% short of the amount needed.

delta_bravo · 23-03-2009 6:08pm

1968 wrote: »

Pickets will be placed from early in the morning and will last until the evening on Monday

Any idea if these will be placed outside the buildings or just at the entrances?

If buildings & services go on strike i suppose the campus buildings will have to be closed for health and safety reasons as a precaution.

Red Alert · 23-03-2009 6:52pm

Often what happens in large facilities like UCD is an administrative decision is taken to close places, for health & safety reasons.

As a PhD student who does theoretical stuff I can just work from home that day... when I was in undergrad I don't think I'd pass a picket unless it was something like an exam or lab that I got credit for attending. It's not fair to ask people not to go to things that might ultimately affect their degree.

convert · 23-03-2009 7:17pm

What about the exams that are scheduled for that day?

Thomas_S_Hunterson · 23-03-2009 7:22pm

convert wrote: »

What about the exams that are scheduled for that day?

NGs will be awarded and you'll have to repeat.

NU8 · 23-03-2009 8:04pm

convert wrote: »

What about the exams that are scheduled for that day?

I have an exam that day as well, do you reckon it will go ahead as planned or be rescheduled. It's in Blackrock if that makes any difference?

delta_bravo · 23-03-2009 9:57pm

NU8 wrote: »

I have an exam that day as well, do you reckon it will go ahead as planned or be rescheduled. It's in Blackrock if that makes any difference?

Well its probably an mcq or something is it? The invigilators for those are usually grad students so theyre only on temp a contract, but the important thing is if buildings and services arent going to open up the place there aint going to be an exam

princess-sprkle · 23-03-2009 11:06pm

if there is classes on, I'm going. if not, I'll stay at home in bed. sums up my feelings to the whole thing.

muffinman · 24-03-2009 11:22am

convert wrote: »

What about the exams that are scheduled for that day?

I have a midterm in ECON10010 and an announcement went up on bb today giving us all the details of it so it looks like they're planning on it going ahead.. In carysfort and science block so i dunno...

lemon_sherbert · 24-03-2009 12:23pm

And a Management Accounting midterm has been rescheduled

Time Magazine · 24-03-2009 2:19pm

muffinman wrote: »

I have a midterm in ECON10010 and an announcement went up on bb today giving us all the details of it so it looks like they're planning on it going ahead.. In carysfort and science block so i dunno...

Nobody really expected Moore to give a crap about a SIPTU strike now did they? :pac:

delta_bravo · 24-03-2009 2:43pm

The Economist wrote: »

Nobody really expected Moore to give a crap about a SIPTU strike now did they? :pac:

A champion of the working class!

bnt · 24-03-2009 4:22pm

Now, let's have a think about this: the strike/walkout/boycott/whatever has been called by trade & student unions, in response to current economic conditions, and the government's (as-yet-incomplete) response to those conditions. It is not supported by an economist i.e. someone who, in all likelihood, has a better-than-average understanding of current economic conditions, and the government's response to those conditions. Here, I am, not a student of economics (though I do read a lot about it), wondering just who's in-touch or out-of-touch..?

Tayto2000 · 24-03-2009 5:05pm

bnt wrote: »

Now, let's have a think about this: the strike/walkout/boycott/whatever has been called by trade & student unions, in response to current economic conditions, and the government's (as-yet-incomplete) response to those conditions. It is not supported by an economist i.e. someone who, in all likelihood, has a better-than-average understanding of current economic conditions, and the government's response to those conditions. Here, I am, not a student of economics (though I do read a lot about it), wondering just who's in-touch or out-of-touch..?

One of the cassus belli is that benchmarking pay increases haven't been implemented. Is it really realistic to expect them now? If public sector pay was truely linked to the private sector, there should be public sector paycuts happening now...

33% God · 24-03-2009 5:39pm

bnt wrote: »

Now, let's have a think about this: the strike/walkout/boycott/whatever has been called by trade & student unions, in response to current economic conditions, and the government's (as-yet-incomplete) response to those conditions. It is not supported by an economist i.e. someone who, in all likelihood, has a better-than-average understanding of current economic conditions, and the government's response to those conditions. Here, I am, not a student of economics (though I do read a lot about it), wondering just who's in-touch or out-of-touch..?

It is supported by other economists though.

wexican · 24-03-2009 6:37pm

Will UCD be informing their student of exactly what is or is not cancelled on Monday?

Time Magazine · 24-03-2009 6:55pm

33% God wrote: »

It is supported by other economists though.

Very few. Consensus would definitely be against the strike.

dattley · 24-03-2009 8:19pm

aequinoctium wrote: »

i'd rather pay to learn than put up with this non-sense.

That's fair enough and is your prerogative. Bear in mind though that, unlike deciding wether or not to vote for a strike, when it comes to forking out 5k a year (to begin with), not everyone will have a choice.

(cue several people saying "can't they, loike, get jobs and stuff")

El Siglo · 24-03-2009 8:41pm

dattley wrote: »

That's fair enough and is your prerogative. Bear in mind though that, unlike deciding wether or not to vote for a strike, when it comes to forking out 5k a year (to begin with), not everyone will have a choice.

There's always a choice, people have gone to college in much worse economic conditions than now and did alright out of it, education for those whom can't fully afford it will not end it'll just make it harder, but this might be an incentive: don't fail, don't do a ridiculous degree. Harsh as it sounds, but speaking as a 'working class' scrounger in college, the heavens aren't going to fall on top of us with fees being brought back in. This strike should have been a nationwide one, involving more unions in particular: INO, TUI, ASTI, INTO, Garda Representatives Union, ICTU (who aren't joining in according to the news), PDFORRA etc... A strike by students and SIPTU workers in the college isn't going to work, it's not going to make a difference, very simple and if you think I'm wrong wait until the 7th of April to see if this endeveaour has an impact.

(cue several people saying "can't they, loike, get jobs and stuff")

There's always emigration, vote with your feet and go to Canada. This is something we're all going to have to get used to unfortunately!:eek:

On another note, it might be gas to see a bit of a riot starting kind of like that 'battle of belfield' sh*te written in the tribune, it'd be funny to see how pissed off gards react to pissy, whingey, hippy students!;)

One Day Shutdown-March 30th

Comments