Their choice leaves us one choice – Fight Back Together!.

[The following is an address by Te Pou Ahurei | National Secretary Sandra Grey to the National Tertiary Education Union Council in Melbourne last week.]

I grew up in Aotearoa when we were one of the most equal nations in the world, at a time when the Māori language movement was making major gains, a time when unions were strong.

I stand here today as New Zealanders are being oppressed by the most right-wing government in Aotearoa New Zealand history.

This is a government, in what it is doing and how it’s doing it, that is anti-people and anti-democratic.

The National-led government is making choices that harm workers, Māori, people with disabilities, communities, Pasifika, basically anyone who is not a rich landlord. They are creating an Aotearoa New Zealand with vast inequality, growing isolation and individualism, and one where they sideline unions.

Our Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills has only met with TEU officials once since the government came to power, and in that meeting she refused to confirm she would meet us again.

This speaks to their anti-democratic approach to decision-making. Anti-environmental fast track legislation, refusing to meet ‘people’ (yes unions are people), refusing to take advice, and getting rid of their science advisors.

One example of their anti-democratic and anti-people choices is that they are happy to see children go hungry at school because they made the choice to cut over 100 million from the school lunch programme; at the same time they chose to put more money in the pockets of the rich by giving a $3bn tax cut to the few in Aotearoa New Zealand who can make their living as landlords.

This type of political vandalism leaves all union members, all caring citizens, all opposition parties with one choice – to take action together!

Things may be bleak, people are being harmed by a cruel government, but there is hope. Unions are the hope.

This hope in unions, in workers together, is justified.

TEU members working together have won a 4% pay rise in Te Pūkenga; after five years of pushing, we got Labour to put $128 million of extra funding into our sector; and, we have had the vice chancellors agree that a pay equity claim for librarians and administrators is arguable. These are just some of the wins that ongoing, persistent action have led to that benefit TEU members, public education, learners, and communities.

We aren’t asking for better, we are demanding it.

We are demanding change from the government and all political parties – that change is to recognise tertiary education as a public good and to fund it appropriately. Our #KeepItPublic campaign has been work of TEU for over two decades. Right-wing education approaches harm our world and must be rejected.

We are demanding change from institutional leaders – the vice-chancellors and chief executives. Prioritise staff, not buildings and big surpluses.

So be loud, be proud, be union.

• Tell your stories everywhere and own your power.
• Be bold in your thinking and accept we are in it for the long haul.
• And have some fun together.

TEU members are taking action to counter the cruelty of the current government, to counter the anti-worker, anti-intellectual, and anti-public choices they are making.

We are joining other workers from across the labour movement to Fight Back on October 23. The Fight Back paid union Meetings provide a chance for us to tell the government that Aotearoa needs and deserves a strong public tertiary education sector.

We are also holding an Academic Freedom Conference on November 7 and 8 to ensure that our expertise on academic freedom sets the direction for the sector.

We are holding delegate training so that members of TEU can get the skills to take action that will shift the direction of Aotearoa to one that fits our values – where there is good work, equality, care for the planet, strong Tiriti relationships, and public education changing lives.

We are, we are union!