Notts teacher

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On Tuesday afternoon while Eileen Crosbie, the nursery teacher in Nottingham was facing a five hour disciplinary hearing for refusing to teach an oversized class, over 2,000 teachers staged a half-day strike, and well over 500 attended a rally at the Albert Hall in the City The Chairman said at the outset that he didn't want the meeting "bogged down" by questions concerning actionwhich could be asked and answered at branch meetings!

Reinstatement

After four months the NUT should be calling the membership out on all-out strike until Eileen Crosbie is reinstated along with adequate nursery nurses.

This was underlined when, only three hours after the rally, the decision of Eileen Crosbie's hearing was that she was to be Now the NUT is changing its strategy and calling for no-cover action in primary and secondary schools if their classes go over a certain size.

In reply to a question. on rest of the staff in the school in such a situation would be asked to "retire to the staff room"

Weakness

The fact that management are more than ready to cash in on such a show of weakness was quickly demonstrated by the suspension of the headmaster and the whole staff of Brinsley Primary School.

The head was suspended for refusing to warn staff of disciplinary action if they implemented the no-cover policy for PHOTO NUT leader Jarvis classes of more than 30. The staff were suspended for refusing to work without the headmaster.

This is a frontal challenge to the NUT which must be met by all-out action if the union is to maintain even the pretence of fighting the cuts "and defending standards.

The membership are obviously willing to fight. Over 200 schools voted for action in support of Eileen Crosbie-but have been called out only one by one by the NUT's so-called PHOTO: John Sturrock, Report NGA leader Wade "action'' comm Itee.

The refusal of the NUT to lead this struggle in Nottingham is an echo of their refusal to lead a determined fight elsewhere as in Avon and Stafford, where the 'membership is plainly ready to take action.

Resolutions should be passed in local branches and sent to NUT HQ demanding national action not only on Eileen/ Crosbie's sacking but against all the cuts and their effects on education. PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report working class.

The lock-out is completely in line with. the employers' offensive in steel, in BL and on The model claim on which print shops are being allowed to settle locally includes complete flexibility between all NGA

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other teachers being suspended, Peter Kennedy stated that the