HISTORIC: National Tertiary Education Union votes yes for academic boycott of Israeli universities

by RAQUEL BLANKEVOORT

On Thursday afternoon (May 9), the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) at the University of Sydney (USyd) came together to vote on whether or not the university should cut ties with Israeli institutions.

An overwhelming 93 per cent of members voted in favour of endorsing the institutional academic boycott of Israel and stopping all weapons-related research, becoming the first Australian university to do so.

As relentless assaults continue on Gaza, pressure is mounting for Australian universities to cut ties with Israeli institutions. Student solidarity encampments have been in place since April, and open letters penned by staff and students have called for the university to end relations with institutions or companies that are involved with arming the Israeli defence force.

The meeting saw over 80 people attend in person, and 250 people attend via Zoom.

This historic vote is the university’s biggest union meeting since the enterprise agreement.

Jake Stubley, a Political Economy and Sociology student studying at USyd, who has been involved with Students Against War (S.A.W.) since the beginning of the encampments, spoke to City Hub after the vote was passed.

“The vote passing is a monumental moment for the movement,” he said. “It shows how the students taking progressive and strong positions such as the cut ties campaign throughout the semester and the encampment can embolden workers when active links are built.”

“It means the union is now obliged to take actions to try and implement this boycott, which is one step closer to industrial action on the campus which would be crucial to cutting ties as in our demands.”

“I believe this could be a powerful precedent for students and staff at universities around Australia.”

Earlier on Thursday, President of NTEU Nick Riemer from the USyd branch told ABC‘s Madeleine Hanger, “We are not calling for a boycott of academics who just happen to work at Israeli Institutions and universities. We are asking USyd to cut ties with Israeli universities institutionally.”

“That means we are opposing any institution-level collaboration between our universities and universities in Israel.”

The vote comes after students began protesting and establishing solidarity encampments on campus grounds, with hundreds of students across the country joining forces.

“This is incredibly significant,” said Students Against War in a post on Instagram.

“Union action like this is the antidote to repression from the bosses. It represents the path forward for the campaign on campuses,” the statement continues.

“Now let’s continue to organise to boycott all institutions aiding and abetting genocide.”

All eyes will now be on other universities to see if they will also become involved with cutting ties with Israel, as student encampments across the nation continue their protests.