universities
News and articles about work, policy and workers' and students' struggles in education around the world.
Account of the assemblée générale of staff at Nanterre university 27/11/07
The assemblée générale was attended by a total of around 130 staff, almost 30 of whom addressed the meeting. A student representative was also present.
Results
The meeting eventually voted on the following proposals:
For the meeting to go to the President's office and deliver a statement condemning the intervention of police on campus and the LRU law. Voted for unanimously
For the word abrogation (annulment) to be replaced with suspension (with regard to the LRU law). 7 for, 1 abstention, 3 non-votes and the rest against.
France: university strikes and occupations against the LRU continue
.jpg "Nanterre university blockade")
Students across France have been voting on the next step in the ongoing struggle against the so-called reforms of the LRU law.
On Monday the government announced a 50% increase in university budgets over the next five years and also vowed to spend 11M on student housing.
France: More workers join strikes
Hundreds of thousands of health workers, civil servants, printers postal workers and air traffic controllers yesterday joined transport and energy strikes over pensions and pay.
Thousands joined street protests in Paris, Rouen, Strasbourg, Marseille, Grenoble, Lyon and other cities.
The 24 hour strike left many schools closed, hospitals providing a reduced service and newsagents without newspapers.
The BBC reported that the French capital's two airports and Marseille airport in the south suffered delays and cancellations.
France: Schoolchildren join student and teacher strikes
Across the country secondary school students are voting to join strikes in support of university students and the wider struggle.
Tomorrow many of France's teachers will go on strike as part of a wider civil service action. Some universities have seen staff vote on further solidarity action with students.
France: Student strikes and blockades to continue
Today will be an important day for the student movement with Police and university authorities ending most occupations before the weekend.
Today will be a return to struggle, or in some cases a beginning. The first blockade of Paris VIII began today at 7am. Many universities will be holding AGs this week to decide whether to continue the movement, which up until now has continued to grow.
France: more universities vote to strike
Information is at a premium, with official channels giving reports that do not tally with experiences on the ground, with actions going unreported or unconfirmed.
There were votes for strike action today at Bourgogne, Amiens and Lille II universities. Filtered barrages were voted for at Paris XII, Orleans and Chambery.
France: Students strikes spread, solidarity actions begin
With more universities and students joining the strike many have also chosen to participate in solidarity actions.
The government is now admitting that 32 universities are 'affected by student action' although this is actually closer to the total that are blockaded, with a further 20 universities affected by some action.
Riot police attack the blockades at Nanterre university 13/11/2007
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An account from one of those at the blockades, with a few minor edits and additions for clarity.
At least 150 students started the blockade from 7am, at one point the blockade of the F building looked to be under threat, but by the time I arrived there were easily 250 people blocking the doors. The law students threw apples at the pickets but discipline was maintained on the picket lines so as not to give the police an excuse to atack.
Updates from Nanterre
Some of today's events at Nanterre
The day began badly with the university authorities calling the police. Around 100 Gendarmes were used to break the blockade, tear gas and batons were used on the picketers. There were no arrests, the police satisfying themselves with hitting a few people, although there do not appear to have been any serious injuries.
France: university students continue strikes
More news from the developing movement in France.
Many of France's 84 universities are now on strike and blockaded, Rouen, Nantes,Tours, Tolbiac (Paris 1), La Sorbonne Clignancourt, Lille I et III, Rennes II, Toulouse, Perpignan, Caen (Lettres et Sciences), Nanterre, Montpellier I, II and II, Pau, Aix, Lyon II, Metz, Limoges, Nancy and Paris VIII. Some universities have strikes with no blockades, Le Havre, and Toulouse Rangeuil.
