A call for extended strike action in support of the original £300 p.a. London Allowance Claim, and for the building of real links with other groups of workers in struggle against the Freeze, was passed overwhelmingly by a mass meeting of over 2,000 London teachers on 27 February.
The resolution was passed despite opposition from CP executive members on the platform, who attempted to disrupt the meeting. A physical attack was made on Eric Porter, an official of the Wandsworth Association and Editor of Rank and File, who was reading out the resolution in response to a demand by the majority of teachers at the meeting. EXECUTIVE EXPOSED The executive's subservient attitude to the Government's wage freeze policy was exposed for all to see at this meeting. They have accepted the E1 plus 4% formula for the national claim, and their opposition to a settlement on the London claim is solely due to the organisation and militancy of London teachers. The whole balance of the struggle now lies with whoever makes the first initiative. One of the problems confronting the left in the union is the attitude of the majority of teachers towards the legal restrictions of Phase 2. It is necessary to show them a way forward through the building and extension of real links with other organised and non-organised sections of the working class in struggle against the Freeze. Teachers cannot win their salary demand and beat the Freeze unless they help to change the balance of forces in society as a whole in their tavour and against the Government. Such links are already being forged in many parts of the country through Public Sector Alliances, Action Committees, etc. Teachers must play their part in these - in particular, they must emphasise that it is they who are defending the interests of the working class with regard to education.
ONE-DAY STRIKE Rank and File Teacher has already played an important part in exposing the bankruptcy of the NUT executive. Now it must provide an alternative strategy and leadership by systematically planning the next steps. At this point in time a one-day strike at the beginning of April (after Phase 2 becomes law) against the national claim and the London Allowance offer would be a big step forward; it would break with the executive's capitulation to the Freeze and reverence for the law, and would strengthen links between London teachers and national teachers.
By JIM DONOGHUE Teachers will become demoralised if they are used as strike fodder either by the executive or by the left. While extended action is possible in certain areas, what will be decisive is to challenge the executive's capitulation before the law" and give a lead which can be taken up in the rest of the country. A one-day strike may appear modest, but it can act as an important focus for explaining that the Freeze will only be beaten if workers unite in action to defy the law which legitimises it. Rank and File must therefore make strenuous efforts to mobilise nationally for action in April, before the executive has time to prepare the way for a sell-out at the Annual Conference at Scarborough in Easter week.
ALL LONDON CONFERENCE AGAINST FREEZE, 14 APRIL Following a call from East London Teachers Association for an All-London Conference of Workers against the Freeze, a mobilising committee meeting was held on Saturday, 10 March. A bout 40 representatives from 15 different unions attended the meeting, including representatives from Kings College Hospital Strike Committee, Briant's Colour Printing Occupation Committee, and observers from Westminster and Hackney Trades Councils. A steering committee to begin arrangements for the Conference (to be held on 14 April) was elected, and it was agreed that another mobilising committee meeting to finalise arrangements and discuss the agenda should be held on Sunday, 25 March.
The necessity for the working class to unite in the face of the Tory Government's attacks was the theme of most of the speakers, and it was agreed that this must also include groups like tenants, students, women's liberation groups, etc. Bill Freeman of Briant's stressed the need to fight within the existing workers' organisations to get them to back the conference; especially important, he said, could be the role of the Trades Councils.
Eight Teachers Associations attended the meeting in spite of the efforts of the NUT Executive to rule that the East London motion was against the aims and objectives of the union. Clearly the recent experiences of the teachers in their struggle over the London Allowance and the National Salary Claim have shown the rank and file, if not the executive, the necessity of uniting all those engaged in struggle against the Freeze.
For further details about the Conference, and the meeting of the mobilising committee on Sunday. 25 March, contact Jon Dureen at 480 6088 or 688 0750. last Saturday, 10 March. As one of its first tasks in helping to rebuild the solidarity movement in this country, the Conference voted overwhelmingly to begin immediate mobilisation for the national ISC demonstration in London on 5 May. It also urged support for the Trade Union Conference on Indochina being organised by the BCPV in Manchester on 25 March.
DOMINANT THEME The dominant theme of the conference was the international significance of the Indochinese revolution, which for more than two decades has been in the front line of the worldwide struggle between imperialism and revolution. By building a mass solidarity movement we can materially assist the liberation fighters by tying the hands of imperialism in its nomelands.
Fennis Augustine, former member of the National Executive of the Tobacco Workers' Union, stressed that it was not a case at all of somehow opposing activity on Indochina to the "bread and butter economic struggles of the working class. For as long as the working class remains dominated by chauvinist ideas, it will never be able to defeat its own ruling class: that is why it is so necessary to raise the issues of Indochina and Ireland consistently in the trade unions. These ideas were developed by Tariq Ali of the International Marxist Group. Other speakers included Lek Hor Tan, representative of the National United Front of Cambodia, who appealed for a redoubling of efforts in solidarity with the Indochinese revolution; and there were also workshops which discussed various aspects of the struggle in more detail.
SOLIDARITY BASIS The final session dealt with the basis on which the solidarity movement should be built. After discussion, a clear majority of the conference agreed to adopt the overall slogan of 'SOLIDARITY TILL FINAL VICTORY', on the basis that our position should not depend on the tactical shifts of the liberation forces, but should be based on overall support for the struggle of the Indochinese people.