New strike
NEW COLLEGE JCR have decided by a referendum held on Monday to go on rent strike.
The final details are yet to be uncovered, but students at New College are expecting to pay their battels into a central fund next term, which will be withheld until concessions are made by the SCR.
It was decided at an emergency meeting last week to hold a referendum at the same time as the JCR Committee elections. The referendum required a two-thirds majority to proceed, which was achieved by only two votes, at 128 of 193 responses.
A New College student noted that although this was a two-thirds majority, he felt that those in favour of direct action were "more likely to be the kind of student who would vote" and that in this light the margin was "pretty narrow".
The move is in response to SCR proposals to raise battels from around £55 per week to £85 per week by Michelmas 2004, a rise of over 54.5%.
The SCR conceded at the end of Hilary on some aspects, by deciding not to charge first-years more than others and agreeing not to introduce room differentials. They did however raise the rent of the other years in response.
The Oxford Student spoke to students both for and against the strike. Janani Vivekenanda, New College's Vice-President-elect, revealed that: "A lot of people I've spoken to are worried about what their parents will say." She was less sure that people were worried about the College's reaction. John Rendel, also at New College, agreed. He was of the opinion that "when 66% of the college isn't paying it's not very likely that the College will throw us out".
William Straw, New's JCR President, said that "no-one will be forced to take part in the rent strike", but added that "all students who care about battels should participate." He noted that similar strikes in Cambridge colleges have been successful.
However, the MCR referendum, which took place on the same day, gave the opposite verdict. Until now the JCR and MCR adopted a joint policy, but decided to hold separate referendums as to whether to strike.
The JCR awaits the College's response.
24th May 2001