SHUT DOWN
CEO Virginia Simmons changes locks overnight!
Louise Doolan, President of Chisholm Student Union Peak Council, a
worker and another student arrived at the student union offices on
Friday morning, 21st of December to find the locks on all their offices
had been changed overnight by the Chisholm management. Anthony Grieg who
has been the Registrar at Chisholm for two weeks now said the student
union had no legal basis to exist and that neither the management or the
Institute Council recognised its existence. This was in spite of the
fact they had been making out cheques in excess of $25000 on behalf of
the union.
Students have documention signed by Dr Robert Sadler former CEO of
Chisholm and Grenville Matthews, current student association liason
administrator recognising Chishom Student Union's constitution and
signing off on an operating budget. Students were negotiating ewith
Anthony Grieg just two weeks ago over orientation for next year. They
were given no warning they were about to be extinguished from campus
life. The first time students in the union got even so much as an
inkling Virginia might be about to shut them down was when they heard
she wanted to use their $120000 budget surplus to prop up disability
support services. The only reason the union had a budget surplus was
because the management had been severely restricting what they could and
couldn't spend their money on.
"It's quite amazing that their own review stated Chisholm needed to
communicate with the major stakeholders on campus, and the state
government gives them $500000 to ensure they do, yet this is how they
treat the main stakeholders {the students}, they lock us out of our
offices without even bothering to sit down and speak to us." Said Louise.
"The scary thing is, this isn=B9t only happening in Chisholm, Bendigo
are also facing extinction,. and student unions in TAFE everywhere are
having to fight to maintain control of their staff and budgets. This is
something most university students in Victoria are able to take for
granted. This action sends a message to TAFE students that their rights
and needs are seen as less important by the government. Just in case
they didn't already get that impression from the way TAFE gets only one
third of the education funding pie, in spite of having over twice as
many students as University. What we are seeing is a concerted effort on
the part of the state government and Institute managements to silence
the voices of dissatisfaction within stand alone TAFEs."
"The government and the Institute are very aware of the value of the
services student unions provide, especially when students have to wait
days to access counsellors through student services, yet the student
union always has a friendly ear to lend. It's a sorry state of affairs,
when in the year of the volunteer, students who work their guts out
supporting fellow students who are less fortunate than themselves, get
treated in such an appalling, shameful manner. Is this the state
government's christmas present to the students at Bendigo and Chisholm
campuses? Or is this their sick way of showing appreciation for the work
of students who pick up the pieces left behind after the budget cuts rip
their way through TAFE? How disappointing it is that student unions are
falling like dominoes under a state labor government. I blinked for a
minute and thought that Jeff was still in charge! Christmas is going to
be a sad and sorry affair for most TAFE students, hopefully the
government and Institute managements can show some goodwill and let the
new year be a little bit brighter." Louise concluded
Whilst she was talking to management about their illegal actions an
advisor to Lynne Kosky, the Minister for Post Compulsory Education and
Training met with the Victorian TAFE Students and Apprentices Network
at their office in the city. Eric Locke his name was. A man who, like
the minister herself, had assured students they were talking to the
management at Chisholm and telling them to let students control their
own budget. One has to wonder what, if anything was actually said to the
Chisholm management, for it to produce the results it has. The advisor
expressed his regret over what happened at Chishlom and told us he had
told Virginia she "hadn't handled it the best". We pointed out to him
the issue was not how Chisholm handled the destruction of Chisholm
student union, it was the fact that they were doing it at all!
Once again Kosky's advisor was non-committal over what he would do about
the situation. The government is supposed to be sending a letter to TAFE
managements supporting student unions but the letter will not include
the words "student control of student union staff" or "student unions to
get 100% of the CNAF".
"I'm shocked and outraged that Institute managements are dismantling
their student unions right before Lynne Kosky's eyes. We're documenting
the process for her, and she's just watching them die, one by one.
Student unionism in TAFE is now dying off at a faster rate than it did
under Kennett, and this government will not even express an opinion that
we should be given secure funding and control over our budgets and
staff. One of our slogans for next year is going to be "LABOR DESTROYS
UNIONS".
The government keeps saying it has no control over Institutes but that
is a complete cop out. Taxpayers money is being wasted on the
corporatisation of TAFE, on things like advertising and marketing
instead of support services for students in desperate need, and this
government is ultimately responsible. Besides which, government does
exert considerable influence on Institutes through funding agreements
and appointees to Institute Council." Said Caspar Cumming, President of
The Victorian TAFE Students and Apprentices Network.
"Whilst Kosky's advisor was talking to us, and assuring us Chisholm and
Bendigo were being spoken to, students are being stabbed in the back by
their managements right at Christmas time, when they figure no-one will
be around to care. They were wrong. People do care. And on the 7th of
January this government, and the managements at Chisholm and Bendigo,
are going to find out just how much students, and the rest of the
community, care about their right to unionise.
Please help all tafe students, all students and all unions by defending
this attack on students' rights to form associations.
Contact Chisholm Institute on 03 9212 5000 or fax 03 92125499 or email
[EMAIL PROTECTED] Virginia Simmons is the CEO responsible
for the decision to shut down the student union.
Contact Bendigo TAFE on 03 5434 1555 or fax 03 5434 1569 or email:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Contact Lynne Kosky Minister for Post Compulsory Education and Training
on 03 9666 3120 or fax 03 9666 4210
For more information about the protest on the 7th and the campaign contact
Caspar Cumming
Victorian Tafe Students and Apprentices Network
President
Office: 2nd Floor, New Building, Trades Hall {rear}
54 Victoria St, Carlton South, 3053.
Postal Address: Box 49, Trades Hall, 54 Victoria St, Carlton South, 3053
Ph: {03} 96396442 Fax: {03} 96396448
Mobile: 0401839340
or contact Louise Doolan, President of Chisholm Student Union on
97721426 or 0414495555
United we stand, Divided we fall
--
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