The SRC is closing and standing in solidarity with USyd staff striking on Wednesday 2 September 2026 - here’s why and how you can too!
The SRC will be closed on Wednesday September 2nd, in solidarity with strike action being taken by Sydney University staff. If you have an emergency please call 000. For support with mental health issues please contact Student Life, Wellbeing and Support webpage. We hope that you are looking after yourselves while supporting your peers at this time. If you are in immediate danger please contact 000. If you are concerned for your safety contact on campus security on 1800 793 457 or 9351 3333.
On Wednesday 2 September, University of Sydney staff will be going on strike for 24 hours. They will stop all work and demand better working conditions and pay. As students, we should support our staff as fellow human beings, but also with the understanding that better staff working conditions creates better student learning conditions.
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) are currently negotiating with university management over their new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement, the collective contract that governs conditions and pay at the university. You can read more about the context and logistics of the strike in Honi Soit coverage here. USyd management are trying to introduce changes that would:
- Make it easier to fire staff
- Allow Al to replace jobs
- Introduce exploitative teaching positions with no research allocation
- Further attack intellectual freedom and freedom of speech on campus
Earlier this year, data from the most recent Australian University Census on Staff Wellbeing found that 70 per cent of USyd staff are working in conditions rated at either high (33 per cent) or very high (37 per cent) risk of psychosocial harm. A recent report by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) found that current USyd Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott “failed to act” upon corrupt conduct within the NSW Education Department.
So, on Wednesday 2 September DON'T GO TO CLASS and JOIN US ON THE PICKET LINE. That just means joining up with other students and staff on Wednesday 2 September at specific entrance points around the University, normally including City Road, Victoria Park and Parramatta Road. There will be music, food, fun, and camaraderie! Students should not just stay home on a strike day. We have a special role to play in strengthening the strike from the frontlines.
It is particularly meaningful for students to show up to support their staff with signs such as “Philosophy students support staff strikes.” To get involved ahead of the day and link up with other students in our course or with shared identities, fill out this short form from the SRC and Education Action Group (EAG) here.
Frequently asked questions:
Should I come to campus on a strike day? No, don't come to campus to attend classes or work. Instead, come join us to stand with staff on the picket lines to help inform other community members to not come onto campus.
What if I go to a satellite campus?
Come join us at the Camperdown campus! We will be working with students from our Conservatorium of Music, Westmead and other campuses to ensure that all students are informed, not disadvantaged, and able to join the picket if they wish.
Is going to an online class breaking the strike? Yes, it is. Some non-union staff may move classes online, but this is breaking the strike.
Will I be penalised for not going to class or not submitting an assessment on the strike day? The SRC and other student representatives are currently working to demand that the University assure students that they will not be penalised for supporting staff or any associated disruptions to classes and assessments.
What if I need to get to campus to access free and cheap food?
The SRC is looking to have food products and meals available on the picket lines for students who otherwise would be coming to campus to access subsidised food programs, so no one will be disadvantaged! You can also plan ahead of time by going to FoodHub on a different day or by checking out other food pantries like Addison Rd. USU food outlets will be closed on the strike day, so you will be unable to access normal deals and subsidies.
Won’t staff be missing out on pay?
Some staff will be (particularly lower-paid and casual ones), but this day of strike action will hopefully pay off with better working and pay conditions in the new University of Sydney Enterprise Agreement. If you have the means to help staff cover their costs in the meantime, you can donate to the official NTEU strike fund here.
What are staff actually bargaining and striking for?
You can find the union’s Log of Claims and updates on bargaining via the NTEU website here
What have previous staff strikes looked like, and why do students need to support them?
Find more information in..
The 2026 edition of the EAG’s Counter Course
The 2026 edition of WoCo’s Growing Strong (see the “Working Together: Feminism and Unionism on Campus” article)
How can I support staff?
- Email your teachers stating that you will be joining the strike and asking if they will be cancelling their classes on 2 September 2026. We will provide an email template soon!
- Make sure to join the picket and rally on 2 September 2026, drop by from 8am – 2pm
- Tell your friends, peers, and clubs & societies to spread the word – you can share the post on the @usyd.education.action and @src_usyd account