Talk:Voluntary student unionism
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[edit] VSU's impact?
We don't yet have any real discussion of the impact of VSU. I'll try to add some when I have time, but in the meanwhile, does anyone have any observations? El T 04:28, 30 September 2006 (UTC)
- I know things have gotten better at my uni. Mainly because the union was forced to improve the quality of their food to survive. So now we have a great asian food place and the pub now sells hot food. 203.206.9.29 14:16, 30 September 2006 (UTC)
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- At Adelaide Uni I have not noticed the slightest change, other than the fact that membership is now about a third of the previous price (surprise what a little competition can do!). The food is still slightly over market price and there are now some banners around letting us know what we actually get if we join up. I'm an active member of a sporting club, too. That said, I do know that the student elections this year recieved a paltry 500 votes or so out of 19,000 students. And you don't even have to be a union member to vote! Looks like the Liberal Club's "Don't Vote" campaign did pretty well!!--ABVS 12:06, 20 October 2006 (UTC)
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- Funny - I would have thought that the pro-union people would have replied by now. From my viewpoint VSU has only produced good things for the average student. It should have been done years ago. 203.206.9.29 16:27, 2 November 2006 (UTC)
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- Our student organisations still haven't worked out what to do... the union is now called ACN 121 239 674 Limited while they get it together. You'd think that since VSU has been the policy of the Federal government for more than a decade, they would already have a contingency plan. Apparently not. It's a good thing these clowns don't get to take anyone's money without asking any more. Ten more years of forced unionism would have meant anot]her $60 million ripped from student wallets by student politicians with no planning ability. Joestella 09:46, 22 November 2006 (UTC)
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It seems the Student Unions have stopped spending so much money on "Road Trips" to the Detention Centers. All good. I always thought of running for Student union on the basis of "I will offer all students a $XXX credit at the bookshop and close every other service :P "
- A few years back (pre VSU) at Adelaide Uni, a ticket calling themselves "The Party Party" ran, offering to basically piss student fees up against the wall in a massive monthly booze-up. Still the best idea I had ever heard.--ABVS 10:47, 28 March 2007 (UTC)
My uni's (UTS) union has started a program called 'UTS Advantage'. Its essentially a members benefit program providing discounted rates at union operated/subsidised services PLUS discounts at stores such as DSE etc. In essence its doing what it always did, but with discounts at un-affilated businesses - so its giving the perception, founded or unfounded, of value (which it never did before!) to people who 'choose' to pay. I think a new topic showing what unions have done to try to retain membership is warranted for this aticle. Orbitalwow 14:28, 28 March 2007 (UTC)
[edit] This needs citation and clarification urgently.
What does "There are no other instances of similar legislation in other OECD countries, although some developing nations have similar laws" mean without citation as it currently stands?
It seems a very conveniently worded statement, without taking into consideration countries where compulsory unionism hasnt even been thought of - ergo no need for a law, or countries where there aren't student unions as we know them.
The statement as it stands sounds very dramatic and surprising. It sure surprised my girlfriend who completed a four year degree in the United States without paying a brass razoo to, or being a member of any student union. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 68.224.19.158 (talk) 14:00, 31 December 2006 (UTC).
I removed it because it was so absurd. Great to see that there have been nothing but positive reports since the implementation. Prester John 21:48, 12 January 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Other Countries
This page seems to be overly Australian Focused. VSU is not an Australian phenomenon as is pointed out in the introduction. Any university that does not have forced membership for a SU effectively has VSU. The structure of the page is good, other than that, but really really needs to have a wider focus and lotsa foreign examples. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 125.238.143.143 (talk) 22:30, 3 September 2007 (UTC)
- I think it only needs reference to places where there is an actual debate over whether or not this is a good idea. It sort of ties in with the comments directly above this regarding the "no similar laws existing" because in most places no one even can comprehend the idea of having to make something that isn't complusory 'volountary'. For example, If some country made the daily eating of an apple compulsory, then years later enacted a law providing for "volountary apple consumption", it would be a bit ludicrous to list all the countries who never had the apple law in the first place so never had need for a law making their consumption optional. Definitely there should bd references to New Zealand (as there is) and any other nations where this is an actual issue, but it seems overkill to add info for places which dont have a concept of VSU because it was never compulsory in the first place. 70.189.213.149 18:51, 15 September 2007 (UTC)
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- Agreed. At the moment VSU is simply not a significant issue here in the UK, both because of a slightly different set-up and also a different tradition of the way people tackle misspending. Whilst students' union membership is normally automatic upon enrollment, there is a statutory right to opt out of the union, though all services must still be available to the student - so opting out doesn't really carry any benefits and does have disadvantages such as losing the right to elect the reps. Also there are no compulsory membership fees/service fees that must be paid so that's a total non-issue by definition. As students' unions have charitable status, political campaigning on issues that don't affect students as students is rare (and invoking ultra vires is a much more direct way to tackle this than seeking a nationwide radical restructuring of the way students' union membership works), whilst critics of the UK NUS tend to focus on getting individual students' unions to disaffiliate (usually with little success because for most involved in taking the decision it's about rather more than just the NUS's campaigning work).
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- Hoever if it has been in the past then there may be scope for a UK paragraph, though I'm not sure if it was (and there are so many claims and counter-claims about what was and wasn't planned for what became the Education Act 1994 in the pre mass internet era that it's hard to be sure). Timrollpickering 03:04, 3 November 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Out of date
The Positions on VSU section in particular looks to have been written pre-VSU. Someone needs to update this in the light of the fact that the VSU legislation has passed and is in effect. Is this section even relevant any more? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 129.16.97.227 (talk) 16:25, 26 October 2007 (UTC)
- I agree. Would anyone mind if we removed the positions section? (Some of its contents will need to be included in the history section.) El T 11:51, 5 November 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Freedom of association
People, learn what freedom of association means! It is not just who you're allowed to be in the same room with! Note also the second part of the relevant article of the UDHR, which is arguably relevant:
- Article 20.
- (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
- (2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
129.16.97.227 12:48, 10 November 2007 (UTC)
