After the very intense plenary, we had three separate workshops which we could choose from. I attended the ‘We got ‘Paid’ placements, no what?’ workshop. The speaker started by giving us a recap of what has been going on with paid placements. She stated that there have been shortages since COVID and due to the rental and cost of living crisis today which has led to poverty among students in general but specifically among placement students who legally don’t get paid for hundreds of working hours.
The new federal budget announced that some placements would be getting an amount of $319.50 a week which is $8 an hour and 35% under the poverty line. This applies only to nursing, teaching and some social work where the country faces critical shortages for jobs.
The speaker touched on some things other countries do for their placement students. In the UK, a minimum of £30 000 salary is given to maths, languages and similar courses. In Irelands, placement students receive 80% of a starting salary and accommodation if needed.
It was discussed that the fair work act needs to be amended to include a new definition of productive work, as in the present, placement work is legally viewed as unproductive as a justification for not paying students on placements. Further, it was discussed that by making placements mandatory to complete a course gives the bosses power to make these placements legally unpaid.
”By amending the definition in university policy, that’s one of the first steps to be covered in the fair work act, start receiving awards and fair pay.”
The speaker also mentioned the need for trade union support and joint campaigns to accomplish this goal for equal pay. This means getting apprentices and junior workers to join in on the fight for equal working wages as apprentices are only getting $11 an hour for above the age of 21 and even less if younger. It was mentioned that this state of keeping young people poor and the FIFO culture has been accepted throughout the media and society.
When asked for suggestions, socialists expressed their disappointment in having missed the root of the problem which they said is the Labor government. “Put pressure for liveable wages on the Albanese and the federal Labor government.”
Students express their anger at the NUS president and social media coordinators for posting on their social media that the $8 an hour was a ‘win’. “It’s the state Labor governments who could immediately change the relationships, could do it instantly if they feel under pressure but they don’t feel under pressure right now.” The president of the NUS says she can’t make any changes as she is bound to the policies and directions of the union.
Another point that was brought up was that billions of dollars are going towards the military and the militarising of universities, one example being the AUKUS deal. “The government is choosing to support and invest in everything except the people it’s meant to represent.”
Finally, a student noted that the only reason the government gave us those $8 an hour for nurses, teachers and social workers is because they are the industries with critical shortages in employees. “The government thought about fixing those shortages not about students, so NUS saying it’s a ‘win’ is a progressive loss.”