Who Cares about Being a Scab?

Most students regard their vacation employment as a means to saving money so that they can financially survive the next academic year. With a depleted Tertiary Study Grant constantly ravished by inflation, this is completely understandable. However, this attitude sometimes leads students to sacrifice others, longer term interests, in order to achieve this goal.

Consequently, when there is a strike to improve working conditions or wages, it is sometimes the students who scab. This is not always the case and often students accept the majority decision. However the examples where students have scabbed, perhaps one of the most notable being at an Auckland Tip Top Factory where the student acted as scab labour throughout a strike, gives students a bad name.

This has two serious repercussions. The first one is that some work could be closed to students because of workers' past bad experiences, and their subsequent refusal to work alongside students. Secondly the Unions could refuse to give students support when they ask for it on such questions as the inadequacy of the new Tertiary Study Grant.

In the past the Unions through the various trades Councils have given students strong support over cuts to their allowances and to the education system generally. They have also been active in assisting students to find holiday employment.

When you scab on a union you are also scabbing on your fellow students. You are placing at risk their future jobs and their future trade Union support.

Sometimes it is a bit of an effort to find out which union you should belong to, or who the union delegate is in your area. But it is in your interests to find out and join the union. After you've been dismissed may be too late.