Student Unionism... (1 Viewer)

[Generator]

The vote on the issue is meant to be later this week. What do you think?

I cannot see why we should be forced to support unions who provide 'subsidised' food that can be bought at a lower price 500m down the road (or even at the Donut King outlet on campus)... There are many other reasons floating around, but that seems to be the most spoken reason for keeping the system as it is. Besides, why should students be forced into a union when that idea is meant to be illegal for all others?

 

[santaslayer]

unions are alright IMO......we get free bbq lunches every tuesday......a 12.5% discount on books and stationary on top of the 8% govt rebate......free condoms, and a host of other free, or subsidised services..(60Cents bus rides)......etcetc

 

[braindrainedAsh]

I think student unions are good. The cheap food is silly it's not that cheap, but the social activities, support systems (e.g. medical and legal clinics), student employment opportunities are enough for me to think that unions are good things. The student association however is a different story.... I think they exclude the status quo because of their extremism.

 

[SoCal]

They do offer some services or whatever that I may use from time to time, so it doesn't hurt for me to join. Plus, you are paying for it anyway.

 

[jlh]

i take it you 3 don't go to usyd?

2nd+ years pay $470 for student activity fees at usyd, which including the union fee, some sporting thing and building/grounds maintenance...

i agree with generator over there that union membership should not be mandatory...

 

[SoCal]

Originally posted by jlh
i agree with generator over there that union membership should not be mandatory...

Oh, I definitely agree that union membership should not be mandatory.

 

[um..]

Originally posted by braindrainedAsh
I think student unions are good. The cheap food is silly it's not that cheap, but the social activities, support systems (e.g. medical and legal clinics), student employment opportunities are enough for me to think that unions are good things. The student association however is a different story.... I think they exclude the status quo because of their extremism.

got it in one, tiger

 

[Generator]

Nobody has claimed that the unions do not provide adequate services for the students (although at USyd it is the SRC that seems to provide the relevant support services), but why is it that we are forced into supporting their existence? Most students would be happy to contribute something to the student unions, yet most do not like the idea of being forced into that idea. For once I can say that the Liberals have proposed a decent idea, especially when you consider the number of claims concerning the mismanagement of union funds at many universities. If anything, voluntary payments would be likely to promote greater care with the students' money.

My view is coloured by the point that jlh made... Student Unionism is mandatory, yet we at USyd must support three such organisations rather than one like most other universities?

 

[SoCal]

Originally posted by Generator
My view is coloured by the point that jlh made... Student Unionism is mandatory, yet we at USyd must support three such organisations rather than one like most other universities?

Newcastle University has three unions but it does not cost anywhere near $470 to join.

 

[braindrainedAsh]

At UTS you have to pay for student union and student association.... I don't think student association should have to be paid for as they don't really provide any services to students who aren't extreme leftist activists.... or gay.

Have you seen the disgusting mess that the student association office is at UTS?!? And we are paying them money?!?

But I think the union is important...

 

[jlh]

i elect GENERATOR to lead our cause!! LOL

"down with mandatory student union membership!!"

 

[addz]

unsw was like 246 fees
dont really know what they were for...
but i know one was for unionism...

benefits are like slightly cheapo stuff around the uni (like 20c off ur food, bookshop (maybe 10-15bux))
dunno about the rest..havent been around long enough

 

[MiuMiu]

Yeah I agree, src seems way more interested in encouraging people to be extreme, homosexual, vegatarian, Howard-hating, sluts than actually representing the majority of ppl who are from the suburbs, straight and don't give a shit bout politics.

 

[santaslayer]

hehehe.....that was funni the way u put it.....lol

 

[karnevil]

At uts we pay $132 a semester for our union membership... out of a total $202.50 for each semester's fees. That's a pretty sizeable chunk, and I'm yet to experience anything that's making me feel like I'm getting value for money. A diary? A 'union shop' (whose stationery is not even cheap anyway) ? The food's fairly cheap but it certainly falls under the category of 'you get what you pay for'.

There are 100 better places to eat within 50metres of either campus....

I'd say the glasshouse is the only thing I can really think of that (for now) I want to use so I guess that provides some value to me.

I'm not saying that the other services such as legal, medical assistance etc don't provide value to others, just that I'm not really getting all that much value for money personally

 

[snakeoils]

i was pretty pissed off bout HAVING to pay union fees at first, but im coming round now... i think the union and the src does enough good work to deserve it...

 

[shazabdazla]

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