Solidarity in Wageningen during the strike on Monday 14 April against cuts in higher education. Photo: Wageningen action team On Tuesday morning, Geert Wilders (PVV) pulled the plug on the cabinet. The government is now caretaker and new elections are very likely.
This means that Education Minister Eppo Bruins (NSC) will likely remain ultimately responsible until a successor takes over from him. That could take a while: after the fall of the previous cabinet (Rutte IV), this interim period lasted about a year, as it did with the cabinet before that (Rutte III). There will also be no immediate changes to the agreements made by Bruins. After all, the budget cuts have already been accepted by the Senate.
Away with short-sighted policy
In any case, the universities hope that politicians will once again allocate extra money to education and research. The FNV trade union has announced that it will continue its protests and that the national strike day on June 10, next Tuesday, will go ahead. ‘Every party needs to know: we will no longer accept destruction. We demand investment—in education, in our future.’ The General Education Union (AOb) agrees. ‘With the fall of this cabinet, the additional cuts to education in the Spring Memorandum will be prevented for the time being’, says chairman Thijs Roovers. ‘We will continue the fight to restore education, because in our opinion, a new cabinet means no more cuts and new opportunities.’
The strike on June 10 will therefore go ahead. Due to announced strikes by NS train staff, the location has been changed from Malieveld in The Hague to Dam Square in Amsterdam.
WUR action team
The WUR action team also remains combative. WUR’s FNV union representative Annelies Coppelmans: ‘The urgency to make our voices heard is now even greater. On Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m., there will be a meeting to make banners. Everyone is welcome in the amphitheater next to Impulse. Bring signs and cloths to paint on.’
Earlier that Thursday, the Wageningen action team will meet to make arrangements for traveling together to Amsterdam on June 10. ‘No one has to travel alone because we are going together by train. Union members who sign up for the strike will be reimbursed for their ticket.’ More communication about traveling together will follow on Thursday via the Intranet and the WhatsApp group Stop the cuts @ WUR, says Coppelmans. ‘We hope to see many colleagues at Dam Square.’
