During the Easter weekend the National of Teachers Conference passed an amended motion which included instructs the Executive to work with other TUC affiliates to organise a national demonstration against priof public services".
The motion was passed with the support of the NUT National Executive. This would be a key step forward in the fight against the Blair government's privatisation programme and was prominently called for by civil service 117101 leader Mark Serwotka at the recent trade union conference.
Although less publicised than other private inroads into public services, the private sector is increasing its role in state education.
The motion nored "the 'outsourcing' of LEA services to schools and private contractors", "the use of PFI/PPP to fund and implement school capital OTO grammes." and even "the handing over of schools to the private sector".
The near unanimous support for action on privatisation reflected a shift by the trade union bureaucracy and even the representative of the TUC General Council Brendan Barbar, normally extremely compliant towards the Blair govern- and ment, was sharply critical of the government's privatisation policy. 1967" and Whether the NUT leader- return ship will ever carry out this people". conference decision is open to considerable doubt. Teacher shortage The other key debate was on teacher shortages, which are becoming chronic in many parts of the country.
In Westminster and Surrey, teacher turnover has reached 25% i.e. one in four teachers leave every yearmand some schools in Westminster more than 50% of the staff are supply teachers. ple suffering The shortage has placed an oppression. intolerable burden on many permanently employed staff and severely affected many students' educational progress.
The motion from Croydon NUT called for a minimum ference bulletin of 20% non contact time for all teachers and an end to cover for absent colleagues beyond the first day of an resolutions, unforeseen absence.
This position was sharply ysis opposed by the National Executive since it exposes their dramatic retreat last year on this key issue for teachers. Action on one day into cover would also dramatically expose teacher shortages, since students will be Nor sent home.
The most impassioned debate at the conference was on Palestine with a motion supporting "the immediate unconditional with- the drawal of Israeli troops from all the territories occupied in vetoed by the Chief Executive, Dave Burbage "the right of porting the motion despite for the Palestinian their organisation's opposttion. to tne An amendment from the right to return since it would threaten the "Jewish" nature Executive which essentially took a neutral position on of the Israeli state!! the conflict was powerfully Salaries opposed by Bernard Regan, Another important victory executive member for Inner for the left was the salary London, who stated that the debate. The Executive posiissue was about an occupier tion of support for the "charand an occupied people. tered teacher scale based on Courageously, Bernard said although he did not support continuing development" which is basior condone suicide bombing cally an endorsement for the one had to understand this Scottish McCrone deal. was an act of despair of peo- This deal despite a modest horrendous pay increase, increases the working time and commitIt was clearly a major victory to commit a union with ments of teachers. The left motion was agreed 220,000 members to a posiby sizeable card vote victory tion of solidarity with the of nearly 30,000. It called for Palestinian people. However a 10% or £2,000 (whichever as the Socialist Outlook conis the greater) for all teachers said the and a £6,000 Inner London motion had a number of Allowance. weaknesses. It noted Other motions were also "Based on United Nations agreed by sizeable card votes rather than a political and historical anal- against tion. The one on Foundation the conflict, it Stage supported the abolicannot fully satisfy the just tion of Key Stage 1 SATs demands of the Palestinian (compulsory tests for 7 year people. It was, after all, the UN which, without taking olds). Another motion on League account Palestinian Tables and SATs instructs opposition resolved in 1947 the to partition Palestine. does the mone and opinions on reinstating the act upon address the Zionist nature of boycott of SATs."
the state of Israel, which is at Doug McAvoy the heart of the dispossession and oppression of the The votes for action during Palestinian people." the An amusing sideline was widespread confusion the ordinary teachers with low Workers' Liberty supporters pay and teacher shortages all who were apparently sup- exerted considerable pressure on Secretary Doug McAvoy. statement at a meeting of London delegates that he had "not ruled out further strikes over London pay"