Teachers press on with
solid.
Still the Council have refused to give ground on this basic issue despite the support given to NALGO by Islington North and South CLPs, and a group of left wing councillors who are demanding a recall Council meeting to verse this policy
Indeed the only allies Islington seems to have are the Communist Party of Great Britain: one Stalinist hard-liner and ex-NALGO secretary Bob Ford drew up a document attacking the strike and advised members to cross picket lines. Another, Seamus Mulready, an estate officer at Cally Neighbourhood office, is scabbing.
MATSA (the GMBATU white collar section) is playing a scandalous role, having publicly attacked the NALGO action and defended Vi Howell who is one of their members. (MATSA is the right wing union in class warfare THE beginning of a new school year marks the renewal of action
y NUT members In pursuit of their 1985 pay claim of 12% flat-rated.
Action by NUT members first began in January. The NUM strike was still going on and for the second time in that 12 month struggle teachers too were in dispute.
NUT action continued with selectives strikes, an end to lunchtime supervision and refusal to cover for absent colleagues after the first day of absence.
Teachers became increasingly angry at the responses made by the employers and the government. The promise of "jam tomorrow" was seen as inadequate. Keith Joseph's offer of £1.25 billion in return for a contract agreement, with the additional threat of the availability of this money being conditional on acceptance by October, was rejected.
It is important for all public sector workers to note that the intransigence by teachers has proved that the first offer made by the employers is not the final offer.
The relaunch of NUT action this month promises to some extent the escalation called for by Easter Conference. Since then a number of weaknesses in the NUT's strategy have become apparent even to the leadership. The sweet-heart deals that the NUT entered into with Local Education Authorities who were prepared to say they supported.the claim have been acknowledged as failing to have any effect in negotiations on the Burnham Committee. These deals meant that NUT members in some areas were forced into a
Islington Council).
On August 19 the Women's, Police and Race Relations Units joined the strike, feeling that they had to strike to retain any credibility while the Council was busy rubbishing its antiracist manifesto.
So where now? NAGLO balloting its members for a boroughwide strike, the results of which will be known at the end of next week. If all NALGO members respond with the courage and determination of their comrades in Housing, etc., Islington will be in the same position as the shortlived SDP Council was in 1982
In May 1982 Labour swept 51 of the 52 seats in Islington after the SDP had confronted the unions. In London Labour Briefing this victory was hailed as "Fortress Islington" Now the "lefts" who took power are acting in reduction of action after the Conference call for escalation.
Refusal to cover for absent colleagues has had a variable effect partly due to the number of exceptions laid down by the NUT, partly due to the lack of support by other teacher unions who have continued to cover and partly due to the role of the Heads and Deputy Heads in NAHT (National Association of Head Teachers) and SHA (Senior Heads Keith Joseph: offer with strings. Socialist Viewpoint, No. 7, September 1985. Page 14
the same fashion as their
predecessors; and ex-revolutionaries
such as Alan Clinton (now acting leader) are defending racists, and attacking the strike as SWP-inspired (which is nonsense).
This is the most significant strike yet against racism and it has won
wide support. The strikers require moral and financial support: contact slington NALGO on 01-226-8230; 135 Upper Street, London N1.
*In 1982 the Council's manifesto on Race Relations stated that:
"Labour would treat very seriously any grievance against a Council employee connected with racial discrimination. Raciam will be considered gross misconduct which could lead to dismissal. In imPiniontwould be fully posited as To de Trade exact procedure to be followed." By JANE AISBITT Association) who have consistently undermined action by themselves taking classes refused by NUT members
The NUT is now calling upon its members to do nothing but teach; all extra-curricular activities are to stop. High schools are being balloted at the begining of term on "no day, no cover", which means that classes will not be covered even on the first day of absence. There are to be no exceptions to this rule except for absences due to union business. (Considering the lack of action by certain teacher organisations the definition of union is NUT or NAS/UWT). Also all members in the country are to be balloted for % day strikes to take place on an area basis but which will include all members in England and Wales. This will be the first time that all members have been involved in strike action since the campaign began. Strikes will once again affect all Local Education Authorities.
The employers are beginning to get worried by this further increased disruption in schools. They have responded with an "improved offer" (not yet revealed at the time of writing) which includes career structure and separate lunchtime supervision arrangements.
Nicky Harrison, leader of the employers, stated at the time of announcing this latest development that they "need to end the dispute". With continued action the employers will be forced into further concessions. This can only give hope to all public sector workers and strengthen