NUT must Dust racis' teachers
Socialist Press1980 1980-03-19Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 4 →
Read from the scan by machine and not corrected: expect misread words, and now and then a caption or a line from a neighbouring story. For anything you quote, read the scan.
Scan page 4
ghting the July 1980.
proposals must be seen of the. general attack on the health service in London.
defence committees 1A00 S With doctors and students fighting through their respective unions for the policy in of aCcreenon OT Tareatener facilities with supporting strike action to prevent closures.
In this tight the protessiona! layers of the health service must -both COHSE theory pledged to a DOlICY. Of occupations against closures funding NHS to be restored to pre-1976 levels, and protected intratior through a sliding scale of spend •ing. PEOPLE NOT PROFITS LISFON gathers pace, women will remain the chiet victims-both of the jobs lost and of the services slashed:
In Leicestershire, for instance, of the 1,800 jobs threatened by the council's £6 million education cuts; 1,790all but 10!-are women.
But while the Women's TUC is able to parade an impressive array of statistics to show the attacks now underway against women, it is of course unable to point the finger at those that have it in their power" to hit back and defend hard won jobs conditions and basic rights-the TUC and Labour leaders.
Only the building of a revolutionary leadership committed to the principled struggle for the interests of the working classincluding its most oppressed and exploited sections-can offer working women and men a way forward from unemployment and growing poverty to the overthrow of capitalism and a planned socialist economy.
Andrew triard (Rapora
School students in West London have met a blank wall of obstruction in their fight to drive out a racist teacher.
Stephen Brady, who teaches at Eithorne High School, Hanwell, was exposed in the Sunday People as a member of the extreme right wing League of St. George, and one of those who organised meetings for the leader of the Ku Klux Klan during his visit toBritain.
Photocopies of the article were handed out to school students by NUSS members and it was clear that there was a mass feeling for Brady to be removed.
But an attempt to convene a lunchtime meeting in the playground was blocked by teachers, despite the presence of several In 1976 when the Labour government's public spending cuts prompted the Tory dominated Kent County Council to close down Court Royal, an old people's home in the Tunbridge Wells area, the local Tory Council, in the face of mass protest action, was forced to defy the decision and oppose the closure.
The situation has now changed and if protest action alone could prevent closure of old people's homes they would have been saved a long time ago.
In a particularly cowardly attack by the Tories, Pembury Grange, a home for 'mentally confused' old people is closing down and the residents kicked out _and rehoused, some in expensive private homes which are unsuitable for the constant specialised supervision required.
A confidential document has shown that Pembury Grange is to close by September 1980 not 1981 as previously reported.
In reality preparation for closure is already underway, a waiting list for all the homes in the Tunbridge Wells area containing 60 names has been conveniently 'misplaced' by the Kent County Council and consequently vacancies arising at Pembury Grange are not being filled This coupled with adverts in the local Tory paper for staff at another home-due to be axed next year-could attract workers hundred youth and the press.
• A meeting called for 4pm was sabotaged by teachers sending students home one lesson early.
As rumours circulated that Brady had been sacked, OI resigned from his post, he told the local Ealing Gazette that he wanted to go back to the school to teach.
But Education Committee chairman Lady HennikerHeaton insisted that there was no indication that Brady aired his racist views at school:
Meanwhile the silence of NUT leaders on the issue is deafening. Where do they stand on the issue of racist and fascist teachers in school? It is high time the NUT joined forces with the NUSS to hound out Brady and his ilk wherever they appear. away from Pembury Grange resulting in gradual run down and an excuse for closure.
Workers see this as a deliberate tactic by the Kent County Council to undermine action taken in defence of the home.
One explanation for the County Council's refusal to save Pembury Grange is that being situated on the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells in acres of extremely desirable land. it would prove financially rewarding if sold for redevelopment.
It is now obvious that only direct action by NUPE and NALGO workers will save the home.
The Tunbridge Wells Cuts Committee and Constituency Labour Party see the only way to prevent closure of Pembury Grange is occupation by NUPE and NALGO members with supporting strike action from their fellow workers in other unions.
Trades council
In response to this resolution, the POEU and CPSA (P&T Section) have demanded that the Trades Council campaign for the same policies which are at present being discussed in union branches throughout the area.
To stop the gradual run down in numbers of old people and staff, NALGO must demand that the waiting list be handed over to them and arrange for vacancies to be filled immediately.
Scan page 5
PRESS
----- pull-quotes -----
Stop norp cuts
cuts in unbridge