When we fight, we can win
Flanked by union flags and a few dozen exuberant supporters, Roz Ward marched into La Trobe University’s city campus, the headquarters of the Safe Schools coalition on 6 June. Rarely has a worker appeared so happy to be arriving at work at 9am on a cold and wet Melbourne Monday.
The guard of honour was a celebration of a victory, when our victories of late have been precious few. In an embarrassing backdown, late on Friday, vice chancellor John Dewar announced that the University was dropping all charges against Roz and immediately lifting its suspension of her.
Her alleged crimes, according to a letter sent by the University, included “disparaging the Australian flag” and “requiring Victorian government figures to spend time defending the Safe Schools Program”. It was crazy, but it was also grim.
For many months, the Murdoch press has campaigned relentlessly to get Roz fired. Those openly calling for her sacking included federal education minister Simon Birmingham and former Victorian premier Jeff Kennett. They had the support of La Trobe’s vice chancellor. All three are men who are not used to losing.
Clearly, La Trobe management had expected to be able to sleep walk through a mock disciplinary process before finding the charges against Roz proven and pushing her out the door. The campaign to defend Roz showed that when we stand together and refuse to submit meekly, we can force the most powerful people in the country to buckle and bend.
Roz’s comrades in Socialist Alternative include a number of fellow National Tertiary and Education Union activists and delegates. Even before her suspension was finalised we were drafting motions of support, distributing a petition and garnering support from our workmates.
However, after her suspension was announced, it was the strong and angry statement issued quickly from the state office of the union which galvanised the campaign against La Trobe’s attack. In the statement state secretary, Colin Long characterised Roz’s suspension as part of an “anti-intellectual, anti-democratic attack” and vowed the union would fight it.
The NTEU then called on all branches to pass motions in support of Roz. A protest was called and Long emailed every NTEU member in the state to explain the significance of the case and urge them to join in.
The union’s lead was taken up on social media. A facebook page in support of Roz grew to more than 6,000 likes in around 48 hours. This sudden blip on the radar attracted the attention of the mainstream media, which helped tighten the squeeze on La Trobe management.
The campaign to sack Roz was part of a red-baiting campaign against the whole Safe Schools program. Determined to shift society to the right, influential sections of the ruling class are gunning for progressive social programs.
The success of the campaign to defend Roz shows how we have to respond – with solidarity, disobedience and a determination to fight tooth and nail against every attempt to attack our side.
