THE Easter conference of the NUT will be debating Lambeth motion calling for unity with the National of masters-Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) into one single TUC-affiliated union.
This proposal will seem paradoxical to a large section of members of the NUT. The NAS-UWT was the union which entered into united action with the more ver pay yet voted by LOIC their ballot to accept the ACAS offer effectively sold out the pay campaign of 1985.
That very settlement, however, has caused crisis within the NASUWT ranks. Firstly, those who voted against the settlement will have felt Lambeth Teachers Association (personal capacity)
betrayed by their leadership. Secondly, as the NUT are continuing with sanctions such as not covering absent colleagues NAS-UWT members will feel personally vulnerable For both these reasons Inally members are likely to join the • NUT.
The NAS-UWT at their Easter conference are united action collaborating associations' and employers on conditions of serVICe , assessments, etc. The future direction of the NAS-UWT pull them towards close collaboration with these nonfessional Associate Pot fessional Association Teachers) or towards the NUT.
Unity A call by the NUT for unity will attempt to put a brake on the anti-union direction that the NASUWT has adopted give some confidence to those of its members who recognise the need for single TUC-affiliated During the pay cam ' paign, the experiences of memberships or the NAS-UWT and NUT have taught them that united trade union action give! strength. The period ahead will include a fight to see that the unity of action is translated into the formation of a singie trade union for teachers, thus strengthening our ability to defend the interests of all teachers.
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