"Rip-Off DCU" boycott and pickets

[lithium]

The students and the students union in DCU are currently planning mass boycotts and pickets against DCU Facilities Ltd. over the cost of food and other goods in the university.

Today (Friday 24th November) saw the first day of an official picket against the companies, after unexpected media coverage and students independently picketing. The pickets will continue next week. A SU Shop called 'The Lunchbox' has opened up in the Student Centre offering crisps, bars, drinks etc at cost price, as well as tea, coffee, soup and free noodles!

More media coverage is expected in the near future, including newspaper, TV and radio.

[Qwerty Dvorak]

Hehe, I'll be in DCU on Saturday for an open day.

[lithium]

Heh. It's a great university from an academic point of view, but while you're there have a look at prices in Spar, maybe have some lunch in the Canteen, and you'll see where we're coming from. They charge 39c for a cup of hot water, 23c for a little pat of butter, etc etc. Obviously there are many more things but these are just a few examples.

Thinking of studying here?

[ComradeOm]

Amazing. After four years of giving that useless shower of idiots my money they finally do something right.

[lithium]

Which shower of idiots? The management?

[ComradeOm]

Originally posted by [email protected] 17, 2006 08:20 pm
Which shower of idiots? The management?
The SU. As much as I favour unionisation in general its hard to deny that the SU tends to act as a magnet for self-serving, pompous assholes with inflated egos. There's really few scenes more depressing than student politics.

[lithium]

Heh... Without fail the SU gets wrapped up in controversy at the end of every year :)

But still, I don't tar them all with the same brush. We have a different SU every year, voted in by us. Sure, they tell us that they'll be better than the last etc, but that's all we have to go on. In a way, it's our fault we end up with crappy unions.

This is probably the most active the SU have gotten from a political view - we had the SU last year up against the Sports Complex (which was pretty successful) - and I'm fully backing this move. I hope it will be a success. If it does succeed, my respect for the exec and general student population will increase a great deal :)

[Qwerty Dvorak]

Originally posted by [email protected] 17, 2006 02:27 pm
Heh. It's a great university from an academic point of view, but while you're there have a look at prices in Spar, maybe have some lunch in the Canteen, and you'll see where we're coming from. They charge 39c for a cup of hot water, 23c for a little pat of butter, etc etc. Obviously there are many more things but these are just a few examples.

Thinking of studying here?
I didn't actually see this post until we got back, but yeah I got a cup of coffee from the Spar and it was fairly pricey. My girlfriend bought a smoothie though, and that was just ridiculous.

But yeah, DCU and UCD are my main choices, although I reckon I'll probably end up studying at DCU, both because the points are more attainable and after being to the open day the course I was looking at seems incredibly interesting.

I'm hoping to study Economics, Politics and Law.

[ComradeOm]

Originally posted by lithium+November 19, 2006 09:24 pm--> (lithium @ November 19, 2006 09:24 pm) Heh... Without fail the SU gets wrapped up in controversy at the end of every year :)

But still, I don't tar them all with the same brush. We have a different SU every year, voted in by us. Sure, they tell us that they'll be better than the last etc, but that's all we have to go on. In a way, it's our fault we end up with crappy unions. [/b]
As loath as I am to compare the "real world" to college I have to ask whether you think its also our fault that Bertie is running the country? Really there's little to no difference between national and student politicians... except that the former are occasionally competent.

I'll stick by this boycott and help out if I can but there's no chance of me supporting or endorsing that bunch of ignorant and egotistical feckers.


RedStar1916
My girlfriend bought a smoothie though, and that was just ridiculous.Anyone who buys a smoothie has no right to complain. A fool and his money and all that ;)

[Qwerty Dvorak]

Anyone who buys a smoothie has no right to complain. A fool and his money and all that
Yeah but she's my girlfriend so shut up or I'll kick your ass ;)

[lithium]

On the 27 November the UNiversity moved into the Hub (student centre) and changed all the locks in the Venue, where the SU Shop was located.

This means that that everyone Including the Students Union, ALL CLUBS and SOCIETIES, and even the Unions events officer cannot gain access.

This is a brash move on behalf of the University. They have closed down a facility that every student pays for at the beginning of the year, and subsequently threatened student life by placing doubts over union organised events. Following this, the Union have moved the shop to another large room in the Hub.

The president of the University has not made any statement on the current situation. The boycott and pickets will continue.