http___www.universitytimes.ie_2017_11_ni-bheart-smachtuil-i-ballraiocht-eigeantach-an-aontais-mic-leinn__1.xml
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In the space of just three weeks, groups of students in Trinity, Dublin City University (DCU) and University College Dublin (UCD) have launched campaigns with almost identical ambitions: to see membership of their respective students’ unions become an optional affair. Though at this point the campaigns themselves are only in their infancy, that the issue has cropped up on more than one campus in a matter of weeks suggests that this kind of inclination is gaining momentum. Although these campaigns – referred to as “disassociation” movements – crop up every couple of years, it is of course no coincidence that we’ve seen a quick succession of them in pro-choice unions ahead of next year’s referendum to repeal the eighth amendment. While the notion of compulsory membership of a union seems somewhat draconian on the face of it, thinking about students’ unions in this way is actually wide of the mark. Yes, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) acts as a representative body in ways similar to national workers’ unions. But no student is forced to engage with TCDSU, and almost every single student benefits from the work of the union. In comparison, members of unions like the Teachers’ Union of Ireland are quite often forced to strike, even if they disagree with the rationale in a given instance or simply want to continue working. But nominally being a member of TCDSU does not impede your existence if you don’t want it to. Don’t want to vote in the union’s elections? You don’t have to. Don’t want to attend meetings of the union’s council? That’s OK. Disagree with a mandate, like its one to campaign in favour of abortion access? You are free to do so – and you can make as much noise about that disagreement as you want. Of course, sometimes the motivation to leave is purely symbolic – and that is fair enough. But given the way Trinity funds its capitated bodies, students wouldn’t so much as get back the few euro of theirs that makes its way into the TCDSU budget. As such, it’s hard to escape the feeling that this desire to feel high and mighty is more than a little undercooked.
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Agus feachtais dí-chomhlachais ag bailiú luais, cuimhnímis ar na difríocht idir aontais mic léinn agus a macasámhail náisiúnta. Sa trí seachtaine deireanacha, sheol grúpaí mic léinn i gColáiste na Tríonóide, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath (DCU) agus Coláiste na hOllscoile Bhaile Átha Cliath (UCD) feachtais le na haidhmeanna céanna: ballraíocht deonach a n-aontais mic léinn. Siúd is gur feachtais óg iad, is léir ón méad campais atá ag plé an ceist seo go bhfuil an smaoineamh seo ag bailiú luais. Siúd is go bhfeictear na feachtais ‘dí-chomhlachais’ seo gach cúpla bhliain, ní comhtharlú é go bhfacamar an iomarca dóibh in aontais atá i bhfábhar rogha roimh an reifreann leasaithe an ochtú leasú bunreachta an bhlian seo chugainn. Ach ní chuireann ballraíocht an aontas mic léinn isteach ar do shaol mura bhfuil sin uait. Níor mhaith leat togha a chaitheamh i dtoghcháin an aontais? Ní gá duit. Níl tú ag iarradh dul chuig cruinnithe chomhairle an aontais? Tá sin ceart go leor. Ní aontaíonn tú le sainordú, mar shampla an sainordú chun dul i mbun feachtais i bhfábhar rochtain ginmhilte? Tá tú saor chun é sin a dhéanamh, agus is féidir leis an méad torann atá uait a dhéanamh faoi. Is dócha go mbíonn an fonn chun imeacht go hiomlán siombalach uaireanta – agus is cothrom é sin. Ní fíú an cúpla euro a thugann mac léinn don aontas an saol níos deacaire a bheas aige gan aontas. Mar gheall ar sin, ba cheart do mic léinn áthmhachnamh a dhéanamh ar an bhfeachtas seo.