Trade union official discusses strike day on 13 March: ‘If we make our voices heard again, we can really achieve something’
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In november werd er actie gevoerd bij het Linnaeusgebouw op de Nijmeegse campus. Foto: Johannes Fiebig
Picket lines, mini-lectures, a stage programme and a march to the city. These are the actions planned on day of the strike in Nijmegen on 13 March. 'Hopefully, the Executive Board will close all the buildings on campus', says FNV union official Gijs Kooistra.
Trade unions AOb and FNV, action groups WOinActie and HBOinActie and student union AKKU want to shut down Radboud University on 13 March. The strike is another step on the escalation ladder against higher education cuts, after demonstrations in Utrecht, Nijmegen (twice) and The Hague at the end of last year.
The day of action in Nijmegen is part of a relay strike at universities. It starts on 10 March in Leiden, followed by Utrecht on 11 March and Nijmegen on 13 March. The following week it will be Amsterdam where people go on strike, while other universities have yet to set a date. ‘This will keep us in the news for longer than a nationwide strike on a single day, and it’s also more practically feasible’, FNV representative Gijs Kooistra explains.
In conversation with Nijmegen citizens
The programme for the strike day in Nijmegen is starting to take shape. In the morning, there will be picket lines at the entrances of the various buildings on campus. ‘We will be there with flyers, telling people that we are on strike that day and asking them if they want to join us’, says Kooistra, a former chair of the University Student Council who knows Radboud University very well.
From 10 a.m. till midday, the programme will feature short lectures on labour law or social struggles in the Netherlands and banner-making workshops. During lunch, there will be a stage programme somewhere on campus. Kooistra: ‘This is intended for students and staff who support the aim of the strike but are unable to join for some reason.’
In the afternoon, the participants will march towards the city centre, where they will engage in a conversation with Nijmegen citizens. ‘We want to reach a wider audience and draw attention to the austerity cuts.’
No demonstration
A strike is quite different from a demonstration, Kooistra explains. ‘For a demonstration, you need to get approval from your supervisor. Often, you have to make arrangements to ensure that your work is done. On a strike day, that’s not necessary. You don’t work that day and your work is not covered (see box).’
It’s taken a long time before we resorted to strike action, says the union official. ‘As unions, we first tried to engage with Education Minister Eppo Bruins. The latter has repeatedly failed to respond to our attempts at rapprochement. We then issued an ultimatum: all austerity cuts must be off the table.’
‘Austerity cuts must be off the table’
Despite that ultimatum, the Minister stuck to his position. ‘He offered to meet us, but refused to talk about the cuts. Which is why we are now allowed to organise strike action.’
President of the Executive Board of Radboud Univeristy, Alexandra van Huffelen, told the unions that she supports the aims of the strike, but that she also hopes that classes will continue that day. The fact that the Executive Board supports the aims of the action is encouraging, says Kooistra. ‘But we need to discuss how that support manifests itself. As unions, we want as many people as possible to get involved in the strike so that teaching and research will come to a standstill on that day. We therefore ask the Executive Board if they will close the buildings on that day.’
Kooistra does not know how many participants he hopes will join the strike. ‘There have been very few widespread strikes at universities in recent decades, so it will be interesting to see what the turnout will be. But we hope that as many people as possible will make it clear that the austerity cuts must be taken off the table.’
‘Let’s ensure that this strike is a success first. After that, we’ll see how politicians react’
The union official is confident that the strike will have an impact. ‘Look at the relay strike of pharmacy assistants: that got politicians moving. The education demonstration in The Hague also had an effect: the long-term study penalty was scrapped and some austerity cuts have already been reversed. If we make our voices heard again, we can really achieve something.’
He does not want to speculate about the possible next steps, if the strike does not have an effect. ‘Let’s ensure that this strike is a success first. After that, we’ll see how the politicians react.’
Are students and staff allowed to strike?
Legally, all Radboud University staff are free to take part in the strike, explains FNV representative Gijs Kooistra. ‘It’s obviously considerate to tell your supervisor but you don’t have to set arrangements to make up work. At the same time, ask your supervisor whether they will be joining too – after all, they are also employees of the university.’
It’s difficult to say whether students participating in the strike should be allowed to miss lectures that go ahead anyway, says Kooistra. ‘I assume that students will be allowed to miss their lectures for the strike. We urge lecturers not to penalise them if they participate. Ultimately, the quality of their education is obviously hit hard by these cuts. Students are therefore very supportive in Nijmegen. Many lecturers have already received red squares and flyers from their students, which is great.’
