Student Bill support shows Government out of touch

Wednesday, 1 December 2010, 4:32 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

Student Bill support shows Government out of touch

The Council of Trade Unions youth wing, Stand Up, has slammed the ACT Party’s Voluntary Student Membership Bill.

Stand Up Convener James Sleep says the National Party’s decision to support ACT’s Bill shows that the Government is out of touch with students.

“Student associations provide a voice for students, provide important services and support,” said Sleep. “This Bill will slash funding to student associations and is ignorant of the practicalities of maintaining a service that is so integral to the social and economic well being of students. The unique campus culture and social fabric that student associations sustain and enrich will simply be hung out to dry.”

Sleep says it is appalling that the National Government have indicated that it will be supporting the Bill after 98% of submissions to the Education and Science Select Committee were against it.

“This Bill is being supported by the same Government that changed the law to allow Kiwis to be unfairly dismissed, along with a raft of other changes that have taken away some fundamental rights affecting all workers, including working students. It’s unfair and not the Kiwi way.”

ENDS

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New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

Te Kauae Kaimahi

The New Zealand Council of Trade Unions Te Kauae Kaimahi brings together over 350,000 New Zealand union members in 40 affiliated unions. We are the united voice for working people and their families in New Zealand.

Contact New Zealand Council of Trade Unions

• Website - union.org.nz/
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• Phone - +64 4 385 1334
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