I’m a clinical trial coordinator in the Faculty of Medicine and Health, with a background in laboratory academia, where the effects of chronic lack of unionism are painfully felt. I was a picket captain during the strikes, and am currently on the Branch Committee. I’m a firm believer in unionism from below, and have been active in building local and university-wide professional staff campaigns, organising and unionising staff to resist harmful change plans and fight off management attacks on work-from-home rights.
The wins we achieved this bargaining round came from ordinary members of this branch flexing our collective muscle over nine days of strikes. But union business doesn’t stop between bargaining rounds, and our job ahead is building similar union strength from the grassroots up amongst our colleagues in our local work areas, empowering more staff to fight for rights won on the pickets, and reinforcing them with the support of a mobilised branch.
Meaningful union solidarity does not stop at the campus gates, and I am immensely proud of our branch’s strength and unity in support of the people of Palestine. It’s not just morally necessary, it makes us stronger too.
Rank-And-File Action USYD 