While USI is busy trying to break down the Government's front door through protests and possibly even strikes, there is dissension in the ranks of its IT membership, with talk of a new separate new discussion body being formed.
The recent decision by the student body of Waterford IT to disafiliate could mark the start of a headache for the union - which, so far this academic year, had generally been getting comments of "significantly improved" on its report card.
Cork and Limerick ITs disaffiliated last year, and students at Galway-Mayo IT will be going to the polls in the new year on the issue. Kevin Maher, president of the union at Waterford IT, said the referendum result - 62 per cent voted in favour of disaffiliation - arose because "we were paying very large affiliation fees. As far as we were concerned USI weren't representing us and as far as we are concerned they aren't representing the IT sector at all," he says.
Last year, USI's southern area convenor, Philip Madden (now USI president), had a turbulent time with Tralee IT students' union pushing for disaffiliation, Limerick IT disaffiliating and a dispute with Waterford IT students' union. "Obviously when he progressed to president we became less satisfied with the situation," says Maher - stressing, however, that there was no personal aspect to the decision to disaffiliate. Rather, Maher claims, the USI organisation has a lack of continuity which means that personalities can tend to dictate.
Miriam Burns, Cork IT's union vice president for welfare, is arranging a meeting of all the ITs for what would at first be a discussion body, open to all whether they are in USI or not. "We are hoping to have it in the second week of November," she says.
Although Burns says USI "is getting back on line" she insists it has much room for improvement. "At the moment there is a need for a forum for the ITs." Burns says the group will be more a talking shop, but hopes it will also be a warning to USI. "Nobody wants the bother of setting up another group - but it should be a shock to the system," she says. "At the moment we have to do something ourselves for a national campaign and this is the way to do it."
Galway-Mayo IT union president Dairean Mac Lochlain said he would like to see the body develop along the lines of FUSU, the university students' union talking shop. "I don't think there is a place for two national bodies. That's just what the Minister for Finance would like, he would only have to listen to one of them," he saya. USI vice president Julian de Spainn says he really knows nothing about the group but that "we are the only the only group the Government will speak to and that has been proved time and time again".
USI president Madden stresses this point: "There is no point in having a talking shop if it isn't going to achieve results."
