What's going on?
10 years ago students at Keele made an agreemant that allowed the University to rent the area now called Union square off the Student's Union for a decade. That period ends in September 2001, but the University now says it will not hand the space back from KFM control to students
Why are they betraying the aggreement?
Money, basically. Keele Facilities Management have been told to make bigger profits.
Why's it such a big deal?
The
End Game - KFM want a monopoly of campus outlets,
and ultimately a 'partnership'to run the Union services. Having broken
an agrreement made at a UGM (students' sovereign body) they now want to
rewrite the central principal of Union sovereignity. Does it sound like
they have our iterests at heart.
Trust
- Keele University Students Union (KUSU) deals with the University and
KFM all the time on your behalf. They cannot do this when the University
and KFM are prepared to break their word when they feele like it.
Money
- Getting Union Square back would hugely benefit students. This is
because money spent in KUSU is ploughed back into services for students,
like providing entertainments, the Independent Advice Unit, funding societies,
subsidising sanitary products, (and so on). In contrast, the money you
spend in Union Square subsidises Comus and Le Cafe, both built at a huge
expense for the benefit of staff and conference guests.
What would KUSU do with Union Square?
There's no reason to change what Union Square provides unless you wanted to. You can propose and vote for your Union's policy at UGMs and SRCs, so under KUSU it's your call. What KUSU won't do is sack any of the staff. And of course alcohol will be cheaper.
What will the boycott achieve?
The University accept they've lost the moral arguement - they'll only listen to balance sheets. Boycotting Union Square sends a message a message that we will not tolerate being double crossed by our own University, and that KFMs pursuit of profit above welfare has no place in a Student's Union
The campaign will be even more effective if you boycott Comus, le Cafe, The Italian Job, - and try to spend as little as possible in Thoroughgoods
What else is going on?
The Union Square fight isn't just about boycotting Union Square. Luckily the Sabbs are working hard behind the scenes to fight KFM legally, but they need help keeping the campaign alive and getting more people on board. Globalise Resistance members have been central to this helping distribute flyers and posters over campus, and the great sticker campaign which brighten up a couple of weeks of Wednesday and Friday nights in the Union ( big thanks to Nikki and everyone else that spent hours making those damn things), there was also a hilarious chalk attack on Union Square which may possibly have had something to do with GR members after a Wednesday night in the Union - unfortunately most of you didn't get to see the results as KFM had had it all removed by 8.30 the following morning. Over summer remaining members of GR are hoping to raise awareness over Union Square among staff and conference guests, building up the campaign to start again in September, as well as generally trying to iritate the hell out of KFM.
If you want
to join us email us at 