STRIKE action by all of the country's third level colleges is widely expected next week as the USI/NUS campaign of direct action reaches its climax.
This Friday is the final deadline for the Government's response to the NUI/USI document Education in Ireland. The Student Strategy for Change. Each political party is also expected to issue a response to the document, which calls for an immediate increase of 10 per cent in the level of maintenance grants, a 10 per cent increase in grant thresholds and the inclusion of PLC courses in the maintenance grant system.
It also seeks the enforcement of a workable housing legislation system, student representation on the Higher Education Authority and on key education bodies and 50 per cent student representation on all bodies allocating student capitation funds.
Copies of the responses will be circulated to students' unions in anticipation of a ballot on the Government's response, to be held in colleges around the country on Tuesday, November 12th.
If students in the college declare a vote of no confidence in the Government's response, then a one day strike will take place on the campus on Thursday, November 14th.
"We are giving students an indication of what the Government is or is not willing to do in the area of education," says USI vice president Noeleen Hartigan. She said she hoped that colleges would strike on the 14th.
The direct action strategy is combined with similar action by the NUS in the UK. The NUS colleges will strike on November 19th, to coincide with strike action by the university teachers' union, the AUT, in an effort to increase the pressure on the Major administration.
