Joshua Barnes is a member of the NTEU and a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne.
Last year saw a historic wave of industrial action at universities across Australia. To win decisively, university workers need to move beyond symbolic actions and toward indefinite strikes that can genuinely disrupt production.
The University of Melbourne is a flashpoint in the wave of industrial action against job insecurity, wage theft, overwork, and profit-seeking in the academy. Now staff are preparing an all-university strike — and the outcome may be decisive for the sector.
Workers in the book industry often suffer poor conditions and low pay, but are supposed to feel grateful for the privilege of working near books. Casting off such illusions is the first step to organizing publishers and booksellers, and fighting the exploitation that thrives in the hallowed culture industry.