Dozens of employees of the University of Groningen (RUG) are calling for a strike on Tuesday, March 18, in protest against the looming cuts to higher education. ‘A healthy university is the backbone of a thriving democracy.’
Dear colleagues,
In protest against a government that wants to push through historic budget cuts that are unnecessary, unwise, undesirable and illegitimate, the staff of the University of Groningen will strike on 18 March. This strike is part of a national movement that unites employees and students at institutions of higher education across the Netherlands.
We believe that healthy universities are a backbone of a thriving democracy. They promote critical thinking, independent research and informed debates, which are essential for an engaged society. The planned cuts threaten academic freedom, innovation, and equal access to education. A weakened university system means a weakened democracy.
On 18 March, we are therefore laying down our work and organising alternative actions. While we would rather be teaching, researching, or working on policy and processes for our institutions, the current circumstances demand that we also spend time and energy calling attention to the threats to education and democracy. As educators and researchers, we play a crucial role in preparing future doctors, engineers, teachers, and other essential professionals who drive society forward. Defending education ensures that future generations have the knowledge and skills needed to sustain progress and uphold democratic values.
The proposed budget cuts and policies about limiting access to education, steering admissions, and international participation threaten to harm programmes, entire fields, and universities as independent institutions. They will also have far-reaching consequences for workload, employment, quality of teaching and research.
As professors from several faculties, we call on staff to go on strike and on students to support activities held at your faculty and on the Grote Markt. Regardless of employment, every employee has the right to strike. Being involved in the strike does not affect your work appraisal. This is a legitimate strike, supported by the main staff and student unions and networks: the General Education Union (AOb), the Dutch Student Union, WOinActie, the Federation of Trade Unions (FNV) and Organise the RUG (OtR). Announcements of actions on that day can be found on the unions and OtR websites.
Together, you and your colleagues have the power to stand together and oppose measures from the current government that will have disastrous effects.
So join the strike – stand up for knowledge, for students, and for the future of democracy!
Show your support for the strike by signing this letter.
With collegial regards,
Anne Beaulieu, Viola Angelini, Nasser Kalantar, Bernard Nijstad, Lisa Herzog, Manuela Vecchi, Janet M. Fuller, Jan-Willem Romeijn, Boris Kuiper, Sean Gryb, Isa Kooiman, Marianne Franklin , Marijtje van Duijn, Milena Nikolova, Juliette de Wit, Rishiraj Kashyap , Rudi de Vries, Jutta Bolt, Ina Horlings, Maarten Gijsenberg, Susanne Scheibe, Michael Schwan, Claudine Lamoth, Susan Aasman, Hedderik van Rijn, John Hoeks, Malvina Nissim, Elkan Akyurek, Lucy Avraamidou, Elena Cavagnaro, Jessica de Bloom, Clemens Six, Luis Lobo-Guerrero, Dirk Jan Wolffram, Pablo Valdivia, Petra Hendriks, Marije Michel, Bettina Reitz-Joosse,Marie, José van Tol, Jelmer Pander, Iwan Merkelijn, Bart Ramakers, Dirk-Jan Scheffers, Titus Stahl, Sander van Lanen, Klaus Hubacek, Camilla Sutherland, Prajal Pradhan, Xin Sun, Malcolm Campbell-Verduyn,Jolien Mouw, Lidewijde de Jong, Sarahanne Field, Rodrigo Gonzalez Alvarez, Daniel Roggeveen, Nolan Heinrich, Richard Jong-A-Pin, Bettina van Hoven, Anastasios Sarampalis, Tiago Medeiros Furquim, Ally Lejeune-Staëhli, Rik van Noord, Monicque Lorist, Marline Lisette Wilders, Theisje van Dorsten, Saskia Damen, Mohamed Henriques, Vera Alexander, Sabrina Corbellini, Karène Sanchez Summerer, Maarten Derksen , Barbara Postema, Mónica López López, Rachel van der Merwe, Kathryn Roberts, Alexander Martin, Joanna Zienkiewicz, Alina Achenbach, Juan Albá Duran, Mijntje ten Brummelaar, Noah Hagenbeek, Jelte Olthof, Steffen Müller, Henk Mulder, Jan Albert van Laar, Massih Zekavat, Femke Hemelaar, Charlotte Gooskens, Richard Paping, Aurora Molesini, Hylke de Boer, Hanna van Loo, Konstantijn Rondhuis, Judith van Dijk, Martijn Egas, Koos Winnips, Linda Steg, Nataliia Laba, Stella Linn, Jeanette den Toonder, Hans Risselada, Thijs Lijster, Dineke Verbeek, Ward Rauws, Kiki Santing, Yelena Kilina, Arththi Sathananthar, Karen Hollewand, Anne Crutzen, Isobel Hogan, Judith Daniels, Peter Heeringa, Judith Venema, Piero Tortola, Theisje van Dorsten , Lukas Linsi,Dorina Antoons , Anne Floor Lanting, Karin Mast, Sarah Burke, Karen de Bot, Marek Neuman, Iris Loois, Alexandra Lorson, Antoon De Baets, Clara Mulder, Tim Zwaagstra, Gesa Kubek, Marcel de Jong, Aurelie Joubert, Arman Eslambolchi, Sofia Voutsaki, Senka Neuman Stanivukovic, Rasmus Steinkrauss, Peter Horvatovich, Martin Lüdtke, Lotte Piekema, Riemer ten Brink, F.J. van der Weg, M. Moltzer, Franco Ruzzenenti, Maria Wiertsema, Victoria Polaka, Caroline Dijkema, Johanna Schönrock, Emma Crossley, Arjan Frederiks, Femke Kramer, Eline Kos, René Veenstra, Kseniaa Robbe, Alejandro Martinez Mendez, Madelief Rivière, Andries Jensma, Marie Stessens, Lars Jansen, Peter Merx