Join a Union to Fight Against Fascism
Education is a prerequisite for democracy. Without education, we are ill-equipped to analyze social issues and make informed decisions. In the end, we become blind followers, which benefits fascists, oligarchs, and exploiters.
I'm infuriated to see the systematic attack on education around the world. In the Netherlands, the government is once again cutting education budgets. People are losing jobs: The University of Twente laid off more than 40 employees, and University College Roosevelt, 20 employees. And that's just the beginning, NL Times reports.
Unions are pushing back against the budget cuts. My identity as a unionist is emerging. But, I find it difficult to find fellow unionists. Most of my colleagues are, as far as I know, not a member of a union. Indeed, trade union membership in the Netherlands is decreasing over the years (CBS: Statistics Netherlands).
Sometimes, I feel a bit lonely.
When I was a PhD student in the US, I saw many colleagues being taken advantage of. Their passion was used as a justification for poor working conditions, such as low wages, longer working hours, and no paid leave. An unwritten rule was, "You should not complain and just be grateful for being able to pursue your love for science." I disagreed, and I wanted a change. So, I joined a movement to start a union. The movement did not succeed. But, I renewed my conviction to support a unionized workforce, which was a part of my drive to migrate to the Netherlands.
In 2022, I migrated to the Netherlands. As soon as I started working at a university, I joined a union (AOb: General Education Union).
Many people don't know about unions or what they do. I believe it's because workers are generally happy, unlike the situation in the US. If we don't have serious labor problems, we tend not to think about unions.
I'm a bit worried about the current situation. A union that does not continuously get new members will lose organizing power, and the leverage to make a change. For now, we have some leverage. But with the decreasing union membership, I'm not sure for how long.
The fight against fascism and labor exploitation is a continuous process. If unionists stop fighting, exploiters will prevail. Fascists and exploiters will always emerge. The important thing is that we keep holding the line.
Join a union to fight against fascism and exploitation.
Unions to join #
If you are working at a university, I'd recommend joining one of the following unions:
- FNV (Federation of Dutch Trade Unions) - The largest union in the Netherlands covering various sectors
- AOb (General Education Union) - A union for workers in education and research
If you are not working at a university, I'd recommend checking out FNV.
Union membership costs a fee. Your employer will reimburse the 40% of it.