Management at the University of Sydney, historically a centre of political opposition to war and inequality, is moving to prohibit any form of political opposition on campus, particularly to the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
This case is a major attack on basic democratic and legal rights, seeking to set a wider precedent to suppress any dissent against the escalating Israeli mass killings in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon.
In order to defeat this betrayal, university workers need to take the struggle into their own hands, starting with the formation of a rank-and-file committee to lead a “vote no” campaign.
The protracted series of stoppages expresses the determination of staff members to fight deeper cuts to jobs and conditions after years of mounting attacks, but they are being isolated by the NTEU.
This brazen attack on workers’ democracy is a warning of the ruthless methods that the NTEU will use against all workers as it seeks to enforce wage-cutting deals at universities across the country.
The latest vote highlights the determination of USYD workers to fight management, and the wider intent of university staff to oppose the wholesale destruction of jobs and conditions.
Hambides urged university workers to “reject the entire political establishment,” take up a socialist perspective, and “link up with our brothers and sisters in other workplaces.”
While the NTEU’s political ban was directed against a Socialist Equality Party member, who was on strike himself, it set a precedent for use against any striking academic or staff member who opposes the union’s sellouts.
The censorship was aimed at preventing any exposure of the National Tertiary Education Union’s role in enforcing sweeping attacks on the jobs and conditions of academics and university staff.
The deep hostility among university staff and students is part of the rising political discontent that drove the Liberal-National and Labor parties to rush through new electoral laws in August.
International Youth and Students for Social Equality (Australia) and the Committee for Public Education members called for a unified movement of students and staff on an independent socialist perspective.
The United Workers Union is isolating the strikers, denouncing casual workers and attacking socialists who put forward an alternative to its collaboration with management.