At universities across Ireland (such as  NUIM, UCD and NUIG) students took time today to offer solidarity to education workers in a real,practical way- by joining them on picket lines.

The failure of the NUI Maynooth Student Union to support the one day strike did not deter a group of over 60 students from joining workers on various pickets at the University over the course of the day. Marchin

g together, a mix of students from various political organisations and campaigns, along with individual students, first took up residence at the en

trance to the North Campus.  Here, they joined members of Unite, IFUT and Siptu  who were picketing. The reception from staff to the  presence of students was fantastic.

The Labour Youth NUI Maynooth branch produced a great showing on the day, and these student activists moved to the South Campus entrance.  At 2PM many students who had picketed the North Campus entrance moved to join them, in a showing of solidarity with workers on that campus.

The University was dead during the strike, with very few academic staff crossing the picket. The vast majority of students did not attend the University, and respected the decision of NUIM staff to strike. In the build up to the strike, activists from Free Education for Everyone and the Social Solidarity Network had attempted to push the fact that job losses on campus will have a hugely negative effect on the standard of education on offer to students at the University. The fact so few students ‘crossed the picket’ is an indication that message got through.

A sincere thank you to all students who attended pickets today.

An Injury To One Is An Injury To All.

A Report From The Picket Lines: NUI Maynooth is a post from Free Education for Everyone