Striking or staying home? ‘It’s about time we fight for our future’

Are you going on strike or do you strike through the protest in your agenda? That’s the question EM asked last week regarding the upcoming strike against the education budget cuts of over 1.1 billion euros. Responses − especially from students − vary widely, from ‘onto the barricades’ to ‘why take part? I’m paying to be here’.

“As a lecturer, I agree that the cuts are problematic”, one lecturer writes. “On the other hand”, he adds, “the money wasted on inefficient bureaucracy almost makes me believe that these cuts are necessary to stop the waste of funds.”

What this staff member will do on strike day, 8 April, remains unclear. Strike, stay home, or just carry on working? The right to strike applies that day, meaning employees can stop work without needing their supervisor’s permission. The university’s Executive Board has already emphasised that striking is ‘of course’ a right. Requesting leave is therefore unnecessary. Students are not required to attend classes, although exams and patient care will continue as scheduled.

‘Better now than never’

“They should have gone on strike a long time ago”, one student writes. “But better now than never.” A slim majority of Instagram respondents (53 percent of poll votes) say they are aware of the planned strike. Meanwhile, 43 percent have no idea what it’s about.

Has your lecturer informed you whether the strike will affect your classes that day, EM asked Instagram followers. A surprising 87 percent responded negatively: “I haven’t heard anything yet.”

“It’s about time we fight for our future, our right to education, and for future generations”, says a student who clearly supports the strike. Another student, however, is unimpressed: “I couldn’t care less. And why should I join in? I’m paying to be here, aren’t I?”

How do you as a lecturer convince students to take part? Simple, one student suggests: “Make it clear that this is about our future too. The university should also promote the strike more.” How? “Turn it into more of a festival”, another student proposes.

The programme for the strike day has now been announced: