The Victorian campaign against TAFE cuts grows

Vanguard August 2012 p. 7
Jim H

Victoria’s regional and city TAFEs face the prospect of cuts to courses, students and staff.

The Lilydale campus of Swinburne has already shut its doors. Bendigo’s Kyneton Campus and RMIT’s Centre for Graphic Technology are going. Others face a similar fate. Fees are to go up across the board.  Many teachers have been forced into shorter hours and students into fewer classroom hours.

Victoria’s Baillieu Coalition government cuts are an act of vandalism, not only affecting those who work and study in the TAFE system, but an attack on the future of the people. The TAFE system is critical to the development of a broad range of skills that are needed on the job.

But the ruling class, headed by foreign and local monopolies, particularly those in the financial and mining sectors, demand that all resources be turned to themselves. From their point of view, spending money on education is a waste. They demand that government expenditure be cut back in order to create a large surplus – to be used to protect their sectional interests in the face of a deepening economic crisis. The Baillieu government is their creature, lock, stock and barrel.

The TAFE cuts are a step in the shift to a new austerity wave. There will be more – to the extent that they can get away with it.

Staff and students are not taking this lying down. Under the broad banner of the TAFE4ALL campaign, the leadership of the Australian Education Union and the National Tertiary Education Union are building the capacity to fight back against the cuts.

In the meantime, many actions are being taken around Victoria by staff and students. Metropolitan and regional councils, farmers, small business people and rural organisations are uniting with TAFE staff and students in opposing the cuts. Many unions covering workers in a wide range of industries have given their backing to the TAFE4All campaign.

Strong regional opposition to cuts

It is particularly important that there are developments in regional and rural areas, including the heartlands of the National Party. Many of its supporters, and even members, are starting to feel betrayed.  Farmers are dependent on the local TAFEs for the skills needed to run the farm today. TAFE colleges are important pillars of regional economies, and for providing job opportunities for young people. Yet these are at the greatest risk of being forced to close their doors. Union representatives are currently criss-crossing the state to talk to and build unity with local communities.

Widespread unity is being forged, to an extent that has not been seen since the Kennett school closures of the 1990s. Concerted and developing union and community action can and will win the day in the end.

An important consideration in the present context is that the TAFE cuts are a component of a general attack against the conditions of ordinary Australians. The slashing of a range of government services, perhaps on a scale not seen before in living memory, is an important aspect. It is important to see the connection between the global economic crisis and the TAFE cuts.  Consciousness of this bigger picture broadens the base of support for staff and students.

The TAFE4All campaign has got the support of many other unions. There have been a number of successful rallies. Pressure is being put on politicians.

A mass rally will be held in Melbourne on August 16^th

All have good reason to support the campaign against TAFE cuts, in whichever way possible.