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Campaign members lobbying the County Council AGM In the following inter- way to avoid us. One 3/60 B view, Socialist Press asked three leading members of thẹ campaign to outline its problems and plans. They are Ted Eames (NUT), AnneMarie Sweeney (NUPE) and Ann McKinley (UPW).

SP: How successful was last week's lobby of the county council?

McKinley: Some

councillors crept in the back RESSED STEEL councillor asked us whv the trade unions were involved. BALALAM has tur , Sweeney: It seemed such a crazy question some people seemed completely floored! I was saying that the trade unions were the only ones to defend our rights. We didn't see anything of the Labour councillors. Everyone seemed really shaken by the trade union banners that were there. 17McKinley: One councillor shouted 'Get back to work'. Someone shouted back, 'We can't work, because we can't leave our children' SP: The Oxford and District Trades Union Council has pledged to send a delegation and to meet the nursery committee. What was the reaction to the eviction at the Trades Council?

McKinley: When the letter (from Brig. Streatfield, refusing to meet the delegation) was read out people were incensed by it. People realised that it did constitute an attack on the trade unions.

Eames: It was also notable that they were not prepared to fix the delegation meeting then and there. The officers have just written back to Streatfield saying that we want to meet him before July.

other SP: Moves are continuing within NUPE for industrial action over the closure. What are the officials doing?

Sweeney: Millar said he wasn't going to convene the district committee before May 31. He was going to the NUPE conference and I tried to get him . to raise the nursery campaign there. He said he might under any other business, but one of the things NUPE is discussing is nursery education.

He said none his of members had lost jobs through the closure because they had retired I. voluntarily. He didn't seem to see early retirement and cuts in hours as union business at all.

SP: What has been the response of UPW members who are not directly involved?

McKinley: Because I was involved it got other people interested and they ask how it is going. They might not get involved actively but many of them really care about nursery education.

movement SP: What now is the next major initiative?

Eames: There remains a need to broaden out the campaign to bring in people from other parts of the city, through leafleting. But the general orientation towards the labour movement is still there.

That - is the correct orientation and we must avoid any suggestion of stunt politics or liquidating the nursery campaign intr an amorphous