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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 25. 3rd October 1973

Sinecures in the Union

Sinecures in the Union

Dear Sir

I finally filtered through to me the other day that I wasn't the only one who had given up using the Union building, that there were thousands of others who never went into the place, and just spent the year complaining about the exorbitant fees. I understand the know-all student politicians (are they students themselves — do they talk to students — do they ever leave their exec cubby hole?) have been saying that its the increased workload, blah blah, that keeps us ordinary students out of the place.

Show how much they know. The fact is, the Union building stinks. Literally and figuratively. The north end mens' grots have never been cleaned, they're pungent and spread their reek throughout that end of the building. The cafe stinks, of fetid fat and dirty rubbish bins. The standard of maintenance throughout the building is sloppy. Dud lights wait weeks to be replaced. Grot doors can't be shut. There's never enough toilet paper.

Who's running the union? Who benefits? Who's ripping it and us off? Who are the faceless bureaucrats — the house manager who's never in his office? What justification is there for employing him, plus those nonentities down the darkened corridor — the managing secretary, his secretary, and the deputy managing secretary? Do they justify their wages, which are no doubt vast?

It seems to me, and to a hell of a lot of students that we're being taken for a ride by the bureaucrats, both student and management. They've ripped us off to the tune of a flat, or a nice office, or a nice wage (sinecures all round) and they couldn't give a damn about making the Union building a pleasant or worthwhile place for students.

Could they please resign and not be replaced?

Yours sincerely,

Joe Student.