FWIW, it's not a call for dual unionism, since the issue is not one of collective bargaining but instead broad educational policy. The "third period" incarnation of the CPUSA was often seen as "sectarian" because of its policy of dual unionism.
As for sectarianism, it's hard tell, since the definition of that concept is difficult. If someone asserts that his or her opinions deserve more weight than those of anyone else (just because they're right ...), might not an objective observer call that an example of "sectarianism"? The Free On-Line Dictionary's more meaningful definitions of sectarian are "Adhering or confined to the dogmatic limits of a sect or denomination; partisan.... Narrow-minded; parochial." Since a "sect" is defined by its being sectarian, the meaningful part of this is dogmatic, narrow-mined, and parochial. I'd add close-minded, intolerant of others' opinions, and unwilling to listen to (or read) differing opinions. Usually, "sectarian" refers to a group of people, but if I remember correctly in Berkeley there used to be a sect with only one member. (Until it split, of course...) On 1/29/13, Robert Naiman <[email protected]> wrote: > Isn't this an example of sectarianism? > > [...] > "The trade unions covering Australian universities, the Community and > Public Sector Union (CPSU) and the National Tertiary Education Union > (NTEU), have enforced the Labor government’s pro-business assault since > it took office in 2007." > [...] > "While the NTEU claims to oppose the UWS cuts, and Keen’s victimisation" > [...] > "Defeating the cuts at UWS, and other universities, will require the > development of an independent and unified movement, ***in direct opposition > to the CPSU and NTEU***, of staff and students." > [...] > > If you were an average member of one of these trade unions, how would you > be likely to see a "socialist" call for ***direct opposition*** to your > trade union? Isn't this an example of Trotskyist sectarianism? > > > On Tue, Jan 29, 2013 at 7:49 AM, Louis Proyect <[email protected]> wrote: > >> http://wsws.org/en/articles/2013/01/29/keen-j29.html >> University of Western Sydney victimises Professor Steve Keen >> By Mark Church >> 29 January 2013 >> >> The University of Western Sydney has laid “serious misconduct” charges >> against economics professor Steve Keen, a well-known academic, who is >> regularly interviewed on radio and television, as a means of >> intimidating staff and student opponents of its sweeping course closures >> and retrenchments. >> >> Late last year, after classes had ended for the term, and just as >> students were preparing for exams, UWS management began to reveal, in >> piecemeal fashion, closures of courses, as well as more than 50 academic >> redundancies. The economics degree is being scrapped, together with >> courses in Arabic, Italian and Spanish languages, writing, performance >> and animation. >> >> Through cuts to departmental budgets, UWS is also eliminating academic >> jobs via retirements, resignations and unfilled vacancies. In law, for >> example, 12 positions will be empty, out of about 40. Many casual >> lecturers will lose their jobs or have their hours slashed, and the >> teaching workloads of those who remain are being increased substantially. >> >> This year, students will face larger classes, less face-to-face learning >> and seriously reduced course options. The cuts come on top of a decision >> to close the Student Learning Unit, which assists the university’s many >> students from working class, low-income and non-English speaking >> backgrounds. >> >> Professor Keen, in an attempt to alert his students to the cuts, posted >> a notice on the Behavioural Finance web site, informing them that he >> would give them extra time to submit assignments, and would not fail any >> of them in their exams, since UWS would not be offering the subject >> again. >> >> University management immediately instituted disciplinary action against >> the high profile professor, and cut off his capacity to communicate with >> his students. Soon after, its response escalated to laying “serious >> misconduct” charges, which are usually reserved for offences such as >> sexual assault or corruption, and can lead to dismissal. In addition, he >> was ordered to keep the matter confidential and to refrain from >> contacting students. >> >> UWS has pursued the case, despite the fact that Keen last month applied >> for a voluntary redundancy. It has now instituted proceedings in the New >> South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), accusing >> him of “corrupting” academic standards. These are unmistakeable signals >> that UWS management has decided to use Keen’s case to send a threatening >> message to all staff and students regarding any opposition to course >> closures and job cuts. >> >> By choosing to move against an internationally-known academic, the >> university is seeking to establish a precedent that can be used against >> others. Moreover, other universities will be watching closely, with a >> view to carrying out similar measures to silence opposition to the wave >> of closures and redundancies sweeping tertiary education. In the past 18 >> months alone, cuts have been implemented at Sydney, Macquarie, NSW, >> Bond, Victoria and La Trobe universities, as well as the Australian >> National University. >> >> Under Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s “education revolution”, total >> tertiary enrolments have been increased, particularly in >> business-related courses, but real funding per student has dropped, >> placing intense pressure on already chronically-underfunded public >> universities. Institutions have been compelled to undercut each other to >> secure enrolments, especially in courses that attract the highest >> commercial demand, because their funding now depends on the number of >> students they enrol. Any fall-off in enrolments in less lucrative areas, >> such as humanities and languages, is being met by the shut down of >> entire departments. >> >> At UWS, management has even resorted to trying to boost enrolments by >> providing all new students with an Apple iPad, supposedly to encourage >> on-line learning, and offering existing students $50 to re-enrol, >> ostensibly to help defray the cost of books. >> >> While it trumpets the fact that overall tertiary enrolments are >> increasing, the government’s underlying agenda is the restructuring of >> education to satisfy the demands of the corporate elite for specific >> business-oriented courses, lower levels of public financing and more >> compliant graduates. >> >> The trade unions covering Australian universities, the Community and >> Public Sector Union (CPSU) and the National Tertiary Education Union >> (NTEU), have enforced the Labor government’s pro-business assault since >> it took office in 2007. Having backed Labor’s election, claiming it >> would inaugurate a new era for higher education, the unions have >> suppressed the resistance of university employees to the resulting >> casualisation, cost-cutting and undermining of conditions. >> Union-sponsored enterprise agreements have given universities greater >> “flexibility” to erode full-time employment. Today, by the NTEU’s own >> estimate, of the 200,000 employees of public universities, only 68,000 >> have continuing employment, while 45,000 are on fixed-term contracts, >> and 86,000 are “regular casuals”. >> >> While the NTEU claims to oppose the UWS cuts, and Keen’s victimisation, >> it has tried to keep staff and students in the dark and isolate >> departments from each other. At the same time it is appealing to >> management to negotiate, and to utilise the union’s services to achieve >> its required savings. >> >> The union’s slogan has become: “Let us be part of the solution.” Union >> members in individual schools have been urged to become involved in >> “working groups” to propose ways to minimise the damage caused by the >> cuts. In a November 28 branch newsletter, the NTEU listed 11 departments >> and schools where cuts had been announced, and bragged that its “working >> groups” were working to reduce the impact, including by suggesting >> alternative cost-cutting measures. >> >> The newsletter declared: “We all want to be part of a productive, open >> dialogue that genuinely explores how we can achieve change that meets >> the shared objectives of staff, students and the community.” In other >> words, the union has become the open instrument of both the Labor >> government and UWS management for imposing the cuts. >> >> At the same time, the NTEU has sought to divert attention from the >> Gillard government’s role by blaming the cuts on the university’s >> “mismanagement”. The NTEU’s efforts have been aided and abetted by the >> Greens, who have propped up the minority Gillard government since 2010. >> Senator Lee Rhiannon last year moved a Senate motion criticising UWS >> management, while presenting the cuts as a supposedly unintended >> consequence of Labor’s demand-driven funding regime. >> >> The pseudo “left” groups have lined up behind this diversion. In an >> article on the UWS cuts, the Socialist Alliance’s Green Left Weekly >> failed to even mention the Labor government. Instead, it promoted the >> NTEU’s response and claimed that the cuts resulted from a misallocation >> of resources by UWS, not a “funding problem”. >> >> Defeating the cuts at UWS, and other universities, will require the >> development of an independent and unified movement, in direct opposition >> to the CPSU and NTEU, of staff and students. Such a movement must launch >> a political struggle, across all tertiary institutions, and fight for >> support among all those teachers, parents, students and workers who >> oppose the Labor government’s offensive against public education. This >> requires a socialist perspective, aimed at the complete reorganisation >> of economic and social life for the benefit of all, not just the wealthy >> elite, including the provision of free, high-quality education, at every >> level, as a basic social right for young people. >> >> The author also recommends: >> >> Australia: Students and staff protest University of Western Sydney cuts >> [22 November 2012] >> >> _______________________________________________ >> pen-l mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l >> > > > > -- > Robert Naiman > Policy Director > Just Foreign Policy > www.justforeignpolicy.org > [email protected] > -- Jim Devine / "Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti." (Go your own way and let people talk.) -- Karl, paraphrasing Dante. _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
