I’m Finola, a casual academic in the Discipline of Gender and Cultural Studies. I’m running for branch committee because I want to continue building a culture of member-led unionism across the university. As soon as I started working at USyd I joined the NTEU, and as soon as I joined the NTEU I started engaging in rank and file union activism: having countless recruiting conversations; supporting peers through case work; collaborating to organise local area meetings and campaign on casual rights; speaking at forums about how unionism is a vehicle for feminist politics and, more broadly, about how industrial improvements and social justice are inextricably connected. Being picket captain and striking for nine days cemented to me the fact that it is us as staff – academic, professional; permanent and precarious – who have the power to make the university the educational institution for public good it should be. I am proud of what we achieved in the last enterprise bargaining round, and I believe we can and should be even more ambitious next time.
I’m running with Rank And File Action (RAFA). Details about how you can get involved: http://rafausyd.com. Vote for us but, more importantly, join us.
Rank-And-File Action USYD 