Campus security personnel allegedly entered the Students’ Representative Council offices this morning and removed the Education Action Group’s (EAG) posters about the upcoming strike action.
The move comes after members of the EAG spent the morning putting up posters around campus advertising the National Tertiary Education Union’s impending strike, which is set to take place on September 13.
The posters advertised the upcoming strike action, and encouraged students to get involved.
“Why is there a Strike?” one read. “Your teachers voted to strike on Wed, Sept 13, because university management wants to cut their pay – reduce their job security – increase class size”.
Other posters explained what strikes and pickets are. They told students they could support the NTEU action by not coming onto campus during strike day, or “better yet”, joining staff on the picket line.
The posters were designed and paid for by student activists.
Campus security personnel allegedly came into the SRC looking for the people behind the posters; they left with the remaining posters, which Honi understands were worth over $120 and took more than two hours for students to design and print.
One student says she was photographed by university management as she put up posters this morning.
“I was appalled when a suited man from management took a photo of me sticking up a strike poster on Eastern Ave,” she said.
“The fact that security came into the SRC and forced staff to let them search our materials reflects their blatant disrespect for student rights as well as the strike campaign.
“Students have the right to protest and we won’t stop.”
When asked why security took posters from the SRC, a university spokesperson instead told Honi why they removed the posters that had already been put up around campus.
“This morning security requested the posters be moved to a position where directional signage would not be covered,” they wrote.
“When the group continued to place posters over directional signage, security requested identification, which was refused.
“Security staff removed a trip hazard from the footpath along City Road outside the SRC office.”
