CAPA joins uni staff in nation wide strike

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations calls upon Australia's 226,612 postgraduates to walk off campus along side their academic and general staff colleagues on October the 16th, as the National Tertiary Education Industry Union launches national strike action in protest at the government's proposed reforms of the higher education sector. The reforms include harsh industrial requirements.

"Minister Nelson, and the recently re-shuffled Tony Abbott, have put forward proposals for industrial reform which won't be tolerated," said CAPA President Benjamin McKay today.

"Attempts by the Howard government to drive wedges between different elements of the higher education sector have not and will not succeed," said Mr McKay. "On the contrary, postgraduate students stand united with the NTEU."

Universities would not be able to access the $404 million offered by the new Commonwealth Grants Scheme unless they complied with the industrial reforms, which would apply retrospectively from last Monday if or when they pass the senate- -a move the Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee believes may be illegal.

"While CAPA is pleased that Minister Abbot is no longer at the helm of these draconian industrial relations measures at our universities, now is not the time to be complacent," McKay continued "We do, however, send our condolences to the Health sector," he added, in reference to Abbott's move to the Health portfolio.

"It is in the interests of postgraduates to fight against these IR measures. As academics and general staff are supporting the student movement in its fight against so-called voluntary student unionism, we will walk off our campuses in support of those staff."