Learning from the past and preparing for the future
Sandra Grey (right) with TEU Women’s Officer, Suzanne McNabb, leads a chorus of ‘Bread and Roses’ at NTEU Women’s Conference 2011. Photo: Lolita Wikander
ACTIVISM
virginia mansel lees v.mansellees@latrobe.edu.au
Dr Sandra Grey, President of the New Zealand Tertiary Education Union (TEU) presented a passionate and invigorating presentation at the NTEU Women’s Conference. Sandra spoke on organising and activism, arguing that we must learn from the lessons of the past and to take this knowledge with us into teaching activism within our unions. Sandra’s doctoral research explored social movement activism in New Zealand 19682000, focussing upon women, anti-poverty movements and unions. During this period, Sandra explained, unions were decimated through things such as the Employment Contracts Act which meant that the focus was almost solely on wages and conditions. To survive this it was clear that unions needed to keep challenging and asking the big questions so as to not shy away from what would then become core business for the Union.
Some of the lessons learned were that there is a need to see unionism as part of the broader political agenda and to tailor campaigns to ensure that people see how they are connected and what they can do to participate in change.
Sandra argued that there is always a need to encourage dissent and this is where unions can provide solidarity for their members that will keep them engaged whilst also providing the necessary skills for what are often long term campaigns. If rank and file members, as well as others within communities, can see that the union is engaged and involved in all of the questions then it makes wages and conditions claims part of the broader structure of society. Sandra’s presentation got us all thinking as we went into workshops on organising on our worksites. To keep members active as well as encouraging new members we need to remember to share our stories of success so that we can genuinely celebrate what has been won as this allows us to then focus on what still needs to be achieved. For the future there is a need to form alliances upon which to campaign, as this brings together
different groups who have similar agendas and creates new and creative ways of working through challenges that could otherwise seem unwinnable. The question then remains: Can we turn: Engagement into Membership? ... Membership into Activism? ...and Consumerism into Active Citizenship? Much of Sandra’s talk was peppered with experiences she has had within her union and how they have made strong broad based alliances to advance their agenda. Women work together on a wide variety of campaigns and spend time singing, particularly the songs of struggle. Sandra finished by leading us in singing Bread and Roses: ‘Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes; Hearts starve as well as bodies; Give us bread but give us roses…’ It was a wonderful ending to an energising and challenging talk. Let’s take this message and indeed turn ‘engagement into membership and membership into activism’. Virginia Mansel Lees is President of La Trobe Branch, Victorian Division President and Victorian WAC member.
why i’m with wac: nell rundle, UTAS I am a worker. I have colleagues. I believe in fairness. I believe in equality. I have a strong sense of social justice. I am powerful. When I stand with others my power grows. When I speak for others my voice is strong. VOLUME 19 SEPTEMBER 2011
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