Thousands of students occupy Austrian universities – Interview with Roman, REVOLUTION Austria

A mass, direct action movement has broken out in Austria against planned attacks on the university education system.

It all started when The Fine Art Academy was occupied by a small number of students who were protesting at plans by the Austrian education ministry to introduce a three-tier degree system. Students were furious that many of them would be unable to access the higher ‘masters’ qualification and that their choice over what subjects to focus on would be dictated from above.

They called a solidarity demonstration to march to the main Vienna University, met by hundreds of students inspired to go into occupation to save their subjects. They gathered for a meeting and decided to occupy the largest theatre rooms on the main campus.

Roman, a member of REVOLUTION in Austria was part of the occupation at the University of Vienna at the moment it began and was elected onto the strike committee by a mass student meeting.

“It wasn’t long before we realised the students’ total determination to occupy for as long as necessary in order to win. The mood here is to do whatever it takes.. But we are prepared. We are now occupying the gym to provide us with more sleeping space and showers. The level of support has been incredible. We are overwhelmed with messages of solidarity, including an official message of support from the national union of steel workers who are currently in a dispute over pay. Students are overwhelmingly either in the occupation or supportive of it, even the right wing students. Teachers have been holding regular solidarity meetings as well as offering practical support. Lower paid casual and agency staff have been particularly enthusiastic.”

But he added that the student union officials are now trying to start negotiations with the ministry although the plenary decided differently.
“They tried to call a press conference and then call for the ending of the occupation, but the students wouldn’t have it. They have been ignoring the decisions of the mass student plenaries that have been held in the occupation. Now they are trying to negotiate with the Ministry of Education despite an explicit call from the plenary meetings not to do so. We won’t let them go above our heads”.

Roman said “The sheer scale and speed of this occupation means we need to improve our organisation if we are to deal with these issues. When we started the occupation, some people argued that organisations, like REVOLUTION shouldn’t play a role in the occupation, and that there should be no leadership. The plenary meetings of many students (between 1000-2000 people in each) rejected this in arguing for an elected steering committee, but after opposition from mainly libertarian students, this was abandoned and now we have a committee of between 40-50 representatives of different work groups. Unfortunately it means we don’t get much of an overall picture and anyone can go on the committee by forming a workgroup. This can make it a nightmare to organise sometimes! Elections would make situations like this easier to deal with and more democratic.”

However Roman is confidant that this movement has potential to fight and win against the government attacks.

“We made an important decision yesterday, that we address our demands not just to the Education Ministry but against the Finance Minister too. We have been chanting ‘Money for education – not banks!’ on the demonstrations, making the link between the economic crisis and how we are being made to pay the price. In attacking decisions of the finance minister I hope we can broaden the protest out to government policy as a whole and show that the capitalist system is to blame.

The occupation is now spreading to universities all across Austria and is making links with different workers in struggle. We have sent messages of solidarity from the occupation to the steel workers and also print workers and staff at Kindergartens who demonstrated just two weeks ago for higher pay. Students at the university feel solidarity with others fighting the attacks that have come with the capitalist crisis.”

REVOLUTION has been handing out leaflets to students throughout the occupation, arguing that capitalism is the problem. We aim to link up the struggles of university students with the Austrian school students who marched out of school in their thousands shouting anticapitalist slogans just a few months ago. As a next step, REVOLUTION is arguing for an elected coordinating committee, to draw in delegates from all the occupied universities and the schools if they come out on strike. With the time and organisation of university students in conjunction with the radicalism of the schools, the Austrian capitalists had better step down or prepare for battle!