gramme of action in order to gradually acquire the experience and consciousness needed to defeat capitalism at the decisive moment of crisis.
The movements of women, lesbians and gay men and black people to fight their particular forms of oppression make an essential contribution to the struggle for a different society. They are organised around the principle "None so fit to break the chains as those who wear them".
The whole working class needs to fully commit itself to these struggles. Furthermore we fight for a strategic alliance between workers and these organisations which respects their legitimate autonomy.
By simultaenously building revolutionary organisations in each country and a revolutionary International we aim to guide and encompass the global interests of the workers and oppressed. By building a united struggle against exploitation and oppression we aim to ensure the survival of the human race. I AM WRITING in response to a letter by Andy Kilmister and Mike Pixton (SO 3) about an article I wrote about the recent HE strike (SO 2).
Firstly, I fail to see how a pay offer barely above inflation for the current year, and likely to be less than inflation for 1997-98, can be described as a "victory" for staff in Higher Education.
After inflation, a rise of 2.9 per cent for lecturing and administra. •tive staff and 3.9 per cent for man. ual staff for next year probably amounts to a pay cut for many staff.
It is true that manual staff have been treated in an appalling way by managers in HE for years, but is an extra 0.5% meant to set that treatment aside?
Secondly, Kilmister and Pixton pages monthly.
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Post Code comment that the "huge amount... required to restore the value of the pay of many sections of staff" was "never on the agenda". The whole thrust of last November's strike was the fact that huge injections of cash are needed for Higher Education as a whole and for stall pay in particular. The massive level of support for the strike demonstrated willingness by statt to actively campaign on this issue. Despite years of attacks, felings of vulnerability and despondency are beginning to be outweighed by this new mood of combativity. This offer which, although im. proved, still did not redress the years, it seemed only logical that the two year deal from the em. ployers should be rejected. Your marxist, internationalist view on a world of struggles and issues, 20 SPECIAL OFFER, one month only, 12 issues plus a copy of the new Socialist Outlook pamphlet Trade Unions in the Nineties (normal purchase price OVERSEAS SUBSCRIBERS: 12 issues for just £20.00. Please send me 12 issues of Socialist Outlook. I enclose a cheque/order for SEND JO, Socialist Outlook, PO Box 1109, London M4 2uu Union branches across the country were already preparing to step up the dispute. The ballot reingly in favour - reflects the fact that if you ask people a particular question (i.e. do you accept a bet. ter deal than an absolutely appall. ing one?) you are likely to get a particular answer.
When asked a matter of weeks previously if they were in favour of industrial action over continued falling levels of their pay, the same members of staff overwhelmingly said yes to that ques. ton too. In my articic on the dispute I did not mention the phrase 'sell-out", despite it being used as a headline above the Kilmister & Pixton letter. But now that you mention it...
Paul Urwin, London Age......