Clegg: pay cuts?

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The Clegg report on teachers' pay, due to report at the end of this month, is certain to offer no satisfaction to the teachers demands for a restoration of the large cuts in real pay since 1975.

Leaks from the evidence to the commission suggest that in the casé of many grades of teachers in further and higher education the report will be a disaster.

Clegg's reservations have apparently "discovered" that most college lecturers are actually overpaid by their standards, though it is not yet clear whether they are going to recommend an actual cut in pay or just a withdrawal of the 7.5% interim increase granted from 1 January!

The leaders of NATHE, the further and higher education teachers' union, have jumped around in embarassment at the "discoveries" -since nine months ago they accepted Clegg despite serious opposition from some NATFHE regions, as a pretext for abandoning any serious pay struggle round the union's 38% claim.

The treatment of the NATFHE claim is also a lesson to the whole trade union movement on the trap represented by "pay comparability" exercises, tribunals, commissions of inquiry and the like.

A definitive instruction was applied only to blacking of rates demands. The members were demanding blacking of rent statements, all payments and accounts to everyone and the imposition of a levy on the membership to finance selected strikes in areas of strength such as the municipal air traffic staff.

The national leadership was basking in its new found popularity after months of criticism district meetings for their lack of action, and few of the branches were willing to spoil the near-euphoric atmosphere with warnings of caution.

Not defended Only lan. Wall, convenor of the NALGO Action Group reminded delegates of last year's Universities dispute and the failure of the organisation to defend a number of members who had been disciplined.

In reporting the emerging action at one branch, a delegate reported that the shop stewards were examining all items of post and deciding which could be issued without breaching the blackings. 'Never mind comparability, what• about workers control?' he asked.

It was a casual comment but a serious point. Stewards committees will have to take exactly this kind of control if the effect of their action is to be directed against the employers and not against those in most need.

However his remark sparked off the only unpopular speech of the day, when an NEC member attacked the concept of workers control and was almost shouted down.

This was the chance for a

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= = March 1980 Workers in the occupied Knowsley pla Mass opposition to the closure of the Royal Northern Hospital casualty department in North London has forced the government to postpone the closure date and set up an ''independent inquiry".

The casualty department of this busy hospital was due to close on March 1, as part of the programme of cuts planned by the Camden and islington AHA. closure was mounted the hospital, with pledges support from ambulance vers and other local trades nion branches.

Strength

The strength of the campaign forced the AHA to put forward a compromise proposal, in which the casualty would be kept open during weekdays only, but workers in the hospital: responded by Par: : tion and maintain a full 24hour service if any closure attempt was made.

At a meeting of hospital staff with health minister Vaughan on March 4, it was announced that the closure would be postponed pending the findings of an inquiry into the health needs of the area. .. Although this concession must be seen as a victory, it contains enormous dangers to the campaign in the very near future.

First, Vaughan's ploy has