Student associations and labour unions can benefit from one another

Student associations and university labour unions can learn a lot from each other.

The Link reports that while labour unions can benefit from the tactics used in the student movement, student associations can equally gain from the history of labour movements.

Spokesperson for the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante Jérémie Bédard-Wien says fostering solidarity between students and workers is extremely important.

Students who work and educational workers face unpredictability and a lack of job security in the workforce, and can benefit from supporting each other.

Bédard-Wien acknowledges that cultural differences between student associations and unions could hinder that mutual support.

ASSÉs use of disruptive tactics have put them at odds with union activists.

Professor at the Université de Québec en Outaouais and lecturer on organized labour in Quebec Thomas Collombat says student associations can learn from labour unions about the importance of unity.

Labour unions can also learn from the creativity of the student movement like the effective use of social media and mascots as symbols of the movement.

Bédard-Wien believes we must see unions as a political vehicle in order to affect government policy.

STORY WRITTEN BY: AISHA SAMU