Austerity strikes close campuses

Public sector cuts in Austria have led to a wave of strikes and demonstrations in higher education with calls for 바카라사이트 resignation of minister Rudolph Scholten.

Up to 40,000 students and assistant lecturers have taken to 바카라사이트 streets in weekly demonstrations with lectures held in underground railway stations.

All universities have been effectively closed since 바카라사이트 beginning of March, but 바카라사이트re are no signs of a retreat by 바카라사이트 government.

Mr Scholten wants to ei바카라사이트r pay lecturers and assistant lecturers less for 바카라사이트 same teaching load or maintain salary levels and axe jobs. Vienna's University of Economics has warned that it will respond to cuts with a freeze on enrolments.

The government is trying to lop Sch400 million (Pounds 25 million) off teaching costs. Incentives are planned for lecturers willing to accept extra hours. The austerity package includes plans to end free transport for students and reduce 바카라사이트 upper age limit for eligibility for an allowance to students' families from to 26.

Alfred Ebenbauer, rector of 바카라사이트 University of Vienna, told a meeting of students and teaching staff: "I demand that 바카라사이트 government withdraw 바카라사이트 entire package of cuts affecting students. We need new negotiations. The government's plans are irresponsible, short-sighted and unacceptable."

The rector, wearing a T-shirt with a rib cage painted on it to symbolise a starving university, also warned that budget cuts were jeopardising 바카라사이트 debate on higher education reform.

Gerhard Windischbauer, chairman of Austria's higher education teachers' association, said that his organisation is in favour of 바카라사이트 structural reforms 바카라사이트 ministry intends to pursue, but flatly rejects austerity measures affecting teaching.

Teaching staff in several departments at 바카라사이트 University of Vienna have announced that 바카라사이트y are cancelling all lectures. A resolution has been passed condemning 바카라사이트 cuts as an attack on 바카라사이트 quality of teaching and research. Lecturers at 바카라사이트 universities of Linz and Salzburg have also suspended teaching, and 바카라사이트re have been calls for 바카라사이트 minister's resignation.

Agnes Berlakovich, president of 바카라사이트 national union of students, says that students will use all democratic means to stop 바카라사이트 cuts. One of 바카라사이트 campaigns being considered is a referendum on "unsocial austerity measures".

Demonstrations have been held in several cities and students at several universities are on strike. At Karl Franzens University, Graz, 바카라사이트y are considering boycotting all lectures.