SINCE 1979 the Thatcher government has embarked on a policy of increasingly dealing with trade unionism head on and through legislation. The majority of trade unionists development through the Prior and Tebbit laws — which started the process.
Education Bill, which goes to the House of Lords on 27 January, is a further drastic step towards direct state control of labour relations. If it becomes law it will shape future legislation to prevent trade unionists defending their interests.
The Baker Act would allow the secretary of state to dictate teachers' pay working. conditions, removing teachers' right to negotiate. Calls Luau the secretary of state can bypass the powers of local authorities with respect to The NUT leadership's strategy for fighting this is based on winning amendments in the House of Lords through propaganda campaign against the Bill. But this campaign is not a workable strategy at all. The House of Lords is not going to defend the working conditions of teachers or any other group of workers. Ken Livingstone's campaign to defend the GLC based on public opinion swaying the of Lords failed Only action can seriously challenge Baker's legislation.
In this respect the day stondon Teachers A one- the Inner tion (ILTA) on 13 January was exemplary. During a blizzard ILTA mobilised 3000 teachers on the Westminster The employers, the Inner education Name Address I enclose cheque/PO pay Action for £ registered a reaper the on or e Printed by East End Offset Ltd. (TU), London E2. are familiar with this But Kenneth Baker's Authority (ILEA), admitted that 6000 teachers were on strike.
The rally at Central Hall heard from exactly the sort of necessary to carry through the fight against the Baker proposals. Speakers cluded representatives from ILEA from GCHQ, from the CPSA, and from the Campaign Group of well as from the NAS/UWT executive and nember of the NUT na Jo a doza - a tional executive suspended officer of ILTA. This alliance IS in stark contrast the wishful thinking of the NUT executive and their reliance on the goodwill of the House of Lords.
There is no doubt that if the House of •LOTOS passes this egislation unamended the NUT executive will be under great picssure lo aur. But by then the teachers, will be in a worse position as they will be facing not simply proposals The Socialist Teacher leading force on the left in SUBSCRIBE Inland ble to Socialist Send to: Socialist Action Subs, PO Box S0, London NI 2XP.
•PO Box 50, London N1. that tie, has or cared for that fight. call for teachers to vote against the deal worked out at Nottingham between the NUT and the local authorities was supported ud a ballot Nur members and the 40 per cent majority of teachers who have been balloted voted against it. deal useless and divisive when Consent lie tack. The must its platform agreed at the 1986 national conference: no linking of pay and conditions.
Central Hall rally on 13 January approved a call for more strike action on 19 February. If the NUT executive is serious in fighting Baker it will put its weight behind this ac100 0 tin better still call frocat tion itself. authorities must be urged by the trade unions Labour Party not to implement Baker's 19 contractual proposals, including obligatory cover for absent colleagues.
The 13 January action showed the way forward. It showed that teachers are prepared fight. The NUT national executive must now return to action help mobilise the torces who can defeat Baker: the NUT on a national scale, the NAS/ the movement as whole. Support also needed from parents and educational organisations — Including the local education authorities themselves.
RATES Overseas for multi-reader Institutions)
----- pull-quotes -----
24 issues £10 48 issues £20
(48 issues only) Europe £24 Airmail £34 Double these rates