06/01/2021
Streatham Young Labour supports the Rent Strike!
All over the country, young people are being stifled by the crisis of capitalism and the Tory policy. Youth unemployment is high, further education is in disarray; underfunded, and extortionately expensive, housing is a crisis too. Young people are under the constant pressure of eye-watering rates of rent, substandard housing, and indebtedness. Students face the same conditions. Instead of being given the support and incentive to develop themselves, they face dire accommodation, extreme financial pressures, debt and bleak employment prospects.
In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the universities and government have irresponsibly advised students to come to university and move into their student accommodation, in order to charge tuition fees and rent as normal. Students then found themselves in unsafe conditions, in accommodation unfit for purpose, unable to enjoy any of the university’s resources, nor the student experience, and were charged full rent and tuition fees. The university management and government have now shown how much they prioritise their finances before the health, safety and experience of their students.
At various universities, students are organizing in preparation for a rent strike including our local South London university; Goldsmiths. Students in Manchester have already secured 30 percent of their rent deducted for the first term and 10% decrease for the second.
Students at Goldsmiths are demanding a 50% reduction as well as improved security, support and quality of conditions.
Solidarity with students!
Streatham Young Labour supports the Goldsmiths Rent Strike!
Follow on twitter, retweet and send messages of support at https://twitter.com/goldrentstrike