RMIT management is now turning its aggressive and intimidatory approach to silencing staff onto its own students, bringing disciplinary proceedings against some students who came out in support of RMIT staff striking for better pay and conditions over recent months. While the students could face suspension after being hauled before a disciplinary hearing, accused of loud and aggressive behaviour by RMIT (which they dispute), they have received wider public support since the story broke in the Age over the weekend, provoking widespread horror and disbelief online (see social media clips below). Prominent Melbourne lawyer and expert in employment and Industrial Relations law, Josh Bornstein, has also offered to assist the students, in what is turning out to be a PR disaster for RMIT. In addition to garnering public sympathy for the students, this is not a good look for a university that claims to put students first, and also merely serves to highlight the hardline approach that RMIT management and their lawyers have taken to enterprise bargaining with their staff and the NTEU. How you can help! Share the Age story on your social media with a message of support for the students or censure for @RMIT (or both!). You could even ask @JasonClare whether this is the sort of governance at #universities that he envisions for Australian #HigherEducation? Just sayin'... The Age: Students cop penalties as universities turn to strike-busting tactics
More information about why staff are taking industrial action: https://www.nteu.au/bargaining/RMIT
What a disgrace, @RMIT management. One of the outcomes of the review of higher ed must be an end to this kind of managerialist aggression. Mgts like ACU look only to cut staff, further casualise & sacrifice quality to cover cost of poor decision making https://t.co/qetQyPwghG — Alison Barnes (@AlisonBarnes25) October 29, 2023
What a disgrace, @RMIT management. One of the outcomes of the review of higher ed must be an end to this kind of managerialist aggression. Mgts like ACU look only to cut staff, further casualise & sacrifice quality to cover cost of poor decision making https://t.co/qetQyPwghG
Hey @RMIT, your poor staff working conditions are student learning conditions too. Students have every right to feel short changed for the education they pay so much for, especially when you treat them as badly as you do your staff. #BetterUnis #HigherEd https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL — NTEU Victoria (@NTEUVictoria) October 29, 2023
Hey @RMIT, your poor staff working conditions are student learning conditions too. Students have every right to feel short changed for the education they pay so much for, especially when you treat them as badly as you do your staff. #BetterUnis #HigherEd https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL
Happy to assist these students if they need it. Also . WTF. https://t.co/t375PrEPC5 — Josh Bornstein (@JoshBBornstein) October 29, 2023
Happy to assist these students if they need it. Also . WTF. https://t.co/t375PrEPC5
Thanks, @JoshBBornstein! All help to thwart this aggression from @RMIT is welcome. We're used to this kind of intimidation of staff at #universities, but now students too...?! We need better governance in #HigherEd, @JasonClareMP! Sign our petition: https://t.co/8ZZ6wfaQa6 https://t.co/480xq7LZUa — NTEU Victoria (@NTEUVictoria) October 29, 2023
Thanks, @JoshBBornstein! All help to thwart this aggression from @RMIT is welcome. We're used to this kind of intimidation of staff at #universities, but now students too...?! We need better governance in #HigherEd, @JasonClareMP! Sign our petition: https://t.co/8ZZ6wfaQa6 https://t.co/480xq7LZUa
Never has it been clearer that managements' attacks on staff working conditions are attacks on students learning conditions too. https://t.co/36t9raCtu9 — Monash Casuals Network (@CasualsMonash) October 29, 2023
Never has it been clearer that managements' attacks on staff working conditions are attacks on students learning conditions too. https://t.co/36t9raCtu9
RMIT University takes disciplinary action against students who supported striking staff. This is ridiculous and authoritarian and needs to be stopped. https://t.co/HTe2Zqkzau — Tim Lyons (@Picketer) October 29, 2023
RMIT University takes disciplinary action against students who supported striking staff. This is ridiculous and authoritarian and needs to be stopped. https://t.co/HTe2Zqkzau
But we can make #universities like @RMIT better for staff and students alike. Check out @NTEUnion proposals for the upcoming Universities Accord and sign our petition to @JasonClareMP for better governance and change in #HigherEd: https://t.co/uiodGcsi0V pic.twitter.com/TVy87ZL1oo — NTEU Victoria (@NTEUVictoria) October 29, 2023
But we can make #universities like @RMIT better for staff and students alike. Check out @NTEUnion proposals for the upcoming Universities Accord and sign our petition to @JasonClareMP for better governance and change in #HigherEd: https://t.co/uiodGcsi0V pic.twitter.com/TVy87ZL1oo
University management think they own staff and students and can treat them like dirt while they insist everything they do is “for the good of the university.” Who do they think that is???? — Beck JoinYourUnion 🐀💧🇺🇦 (@RebeccaHurst19) October 29, 2023
University management think they own staff and students and can treat them like dirt while they insist everything they do is “for the good of the university.” Who do they think that is????
Attacking the most disadvantaged elements of a university is NOT fair. These students show initiative in taking critical action against RMIT bullying by leaders in "ivory towers". Alas the corporates are paid so much that there is no money left for teachers doing real work. — Libby Robin (@LibbydeQ) October 29, 2023
Attacking the most disadvantaged elements of a university is NOT fair. These students show initiative in taking critical action against RMIT bullying by leaders in "ivory towers". Alas the corporates are paid so much that there is no money left for teachers doing real work.
Australia's broken universities, turning on their students. The worst public institutions in the country, increasingly run by people who'd do better work selling shoelaces or something. Students cop penalties as universities turn to strike-busting tactics https://t.co/Bh6JN7JEti — Frank Bongiorno (@fbongiornoanu) October 29, 2023
Australia's broken universities, turning on their students. The worst public institutions in the country, increasingly run by people who'd do better work selling shoelaces or something. Students cop penalties as universities turn to strike-busting tactics https://t.co/Bh6JN7JEti
Madness from @RMIT. All while continuing their relationship with Israeli arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems. Priorities. The absolute state of our university managements. Solidarity with these deadset legend students. https://t.co/S1YVchE46f — NTEU Deakin Branch (@DeakinNTEU) October 29, 2023
Madness from @RMIT. All while continuing their relationship with Israeli arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems. Priorities. The absolute state of our university managements. Solidarity with these deadset legend students. https://t.co/S1YVchE46f
Don't #universities like @RMIT see students as customers? Appalling aggression towards your students, but also an odd approach to customer service too? Besides, isn't the customer always right? Let's make RMIT better for staff and students: https://t.co/542pLSOI4S#HigherEd https://t.co/2dSNgsedfV — NTEU Victoria (@NTEUVictoria) October 29, 2023
Don't #universities like @RMIT see students as customers? Appalling aggression towards your students, but also an odd approach to customer service too? Besides, isn't the customer always right? Let's make RMIT better for staff and students: https://t.co/542pLSOI4S#HigherEd https://t.co/2dSNgsedfV
Shame on you @RMIT. https://t.co/TtcPmzcfta — Stuart Palmer (@s_palm) October 29, 2023
Shame on you @RMIT. https://t.co/TtcPmzcfta
The only real reason (cf. spite, which is possible) for attacking students like this would be to make academics think legally going on strike will result in the Uni punishing supportive students. Might even be unlawful and is immoral anti-union activity from a public entity. https://t.co/4fZGhOLniR — Tim Lyons (@Picketer) October 29, 2023
The only real reason (cf. spite, which is possible) for attacking students like this would be to make academics think legally going on strike will result in the Uni punishing supportive students. Might even be unlawful and is immoral anti-union activity from a public entity. https://t.co/4fZGhOLniR
Chilling suppression of student political action at RMIT https://t.co/p6AyUixIqW — Wendy Bacon (@Wendy_Bacon) October 29, 2023
Chilling suppression of student political action at RMIT https://t.co/p6AyUixIqW
First it was their staff, now it's their students: @RMIT spite knows no bounds. When #universities start behaving like this towards their 'paying customers' it shows the #HigherEd system is broken @JasonClareMP: https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL — NTEU Victoria (@NTEUVictoria) October 29, 2023
First it was their staff, now it's their students: @RMIT spite knows no bounds. When #universities start behaving like this towards their 'paying customers' it shows the #HigherEd system is broken @JasonClareMP: https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL
Wow, just wow @RMIT sanctions their students for supporting staff strike action What is wrong with these people? https://t.co/ebVNfodj9V — Janine Hendry @_Janine_Hendry on Threads | Insta (@janine_hendry) October 29, 2023
Wow, just wow @RMIT sanctions their students for supporting staff strike action What is wrong with these people? https://t.co/ebVNfodj9V
Students protesting at the shameful treatment of their teachers and support staff @RMIT are now facing the same bullying and intimidation from management. Let's change who leads our #universities and how they do it @JasonClareMP - this isn't good enough.https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL — NTEU Victoria (@NTEUVictoria) October 29, 2023
Students protesting at the shameful treatment of their teachers and support staff @RMIT are now facing the same bullying and intimidation from management. Let's change who leads our #universities and how they do it @JasonClareMP - this isn't good enough.https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL
Very disappointing. https://t.co/JV5c4cbDoO — Alexandra Sherlock (@Sherlock_Alex) October 29, 2023
Very disappointing. https://t.co/JV5c4cbDoO
I’d recommend that Australian school leavers and foreign students both avoid @RMIT & @MonashUni until they change policies. Australia has many good educational alternatives.#vicpol #studyinAustralia https://t.co/3C27k4pPKs — Craig Thomler (@craigthomler) October 29, 2023
I’d recommend that Australian school leavers and foreign students both avoid @RMIT & @MonashUni until they change policies. Australia has many good educational alternatives.#vicpol #studyinAustralia https://t.co/3C27k4pPKs
This is disgraceful and needs to be fixed @JasonClareMP https://t.co/yYKpQZRnZw — Professor Dominic O'Sullivan, Hon FRSNZ (@indigpolitics) October 29, 2023
This is disgraceful and needs to be fixed @JasonClareMP https://t.co/yYKpQZRnZw
What an awful thing to do. University managements simply showing more of their true disgraceful colours with every action at the moment. Students, I'm sure I speak for all members of the @NTEUnion that we support you! We are fighting to make things better than this. https://t.co/YUWWPnv1sg — Sugarpuss O'Shea (@EloiseLoRoss) October 30, 2023
What an awful thing to do. University managements simply showing more of their true disgraceful colours with every action at the moment. Students, I'm sure I speak for all members of the @NTEUnion that we support you! We are fighting to make things better than this. https://t.co/YUWWPnv1sg
Spiteful, mean-spirited, aggressive, truly shameful and so unnecessary. Unprecedented - I never saw anything like this in my 40 years of involvement in higher education bargaining and advocacy. A sign of the dreadful times! — Grahame McCulloch (@GrahameMcCullo2) October 30, 2023
Spiteful, mean-spirited, aggressive, truly shameful and so unnecessary. Unprecedented - I never saw anything like this in my 40 years of involvement in higher education bargaining and advocacy. A sign of the dreadful times!
Students protesting the shameful treatment of their teachers and support staff @RMIT now face the same bullying and intimidation from management:https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL We need better leadership and governance than this at our #universities @JasonClareMP!#HigherEducation — NTEU Victoria (@NTEUVictoria) October 30, 2023
Students protesting the shameful treatment of their teachers and support staff @RMIT now face the same bullying and intimidation from management:https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL We need better leadership and governance than this at our #universities @JasonClareMP!#HigherEducation
Appalling treatment by #RMIT management of #students for showing #solidarity with striking staff. Staff working conditions are student learning conditions!#workersrights #studentsrights #freespeech #activism #solidarity https://t.co/sLJjQ3NdqV — Dr. Kim Alley (@reasonandrevolt) October 30, 2023
Appalling treatment by #RMIT management of #students for showing #solidarity with striking staff. Staff working conditions are student learning conditions!#workersrights #studentsrights #freespeech #activism #solidarity https://t.co/sLJjQ3NdqV
In this day and age! #AcademicTwitter - the worst place to be and work!!! Treating students this way. Needs to be investigated! Help us!!! It’s unsafe. https://t.co/DZ3lBgc7Nc — rodgermure (@rodgermure) October 30, 2023
In this day and age! #AcademicTwitter - the worst place to be and work!!! Treating students this way. Needs to be investigated! Help us!!! It’s unsafe. https://t.co/DZ3lBgc7Nc
This 👇 https://t.co/YRdtxRBnyY — Prof. Karen Wilson (@KWilson1971) October 30, 2023
This 👇 https://t.co/YRdtxRBnyY
An odd approach to 'customer' service from @RMIT. Besides, isn't the customer always right? Let's make RMIT better for staff and students: https://t.co/542pLSOI4S #BetterUnis #HigherEd #universities #HigherEducation https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL — NTEU Victoria (@NTEUVictoria) October 30, 2023
An odd approach to 'customer' service from @RMIT. Besides, isn't the customer always right? Let's make RMIT better for staff and students: https://t.co/542pLSOI4S #BetterUnis #HigherEd #universities #HigherEducation https://t.co/bIrRmoqpuL
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