[In the aftermath last session's struggle by Scottish…]

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In the aftermath last session's struggle by Scottish teachers for a decent wage increase, the leadership of the EIS has organised a Special AGM on Saturday next to try to push through major changes the / negotiating machinery.

These include closer formal links with the NUT; retention of the element of compulsory arbitration in the machinery; and the establishment of a permanent pay review body.

Although some members of the rank and file have expressed approval of the first proposed course of action, it is doubtful as to whether there are any advantages from the standpoint of teachers' interests in moves towards unification with the NUT.

Evidence of the struggles of the past decade suggests that the bureaucratic leadership of the NUT has been even more successful than Pollock and company in stifling any aspirations towards a campaign for better wages and conditions by their membership.

Moves towards unification at this point would only be from the standpoint of strengthening the hand of the more conservative elements in the EIS leadership.

Although talk of "unity" and "joint action" sounds fine, PICKET the reality of the present situation is that closer "formal links" are no more than a bureaucratic manoeuvie.

On the other two issues there can be even less doubt. It was implementation of the device of compulsory arbitration that enabled the management to force teachers into acceptance of 14% earlier this How on earth can Keir Bloomer, the union's chief negotiator, argue for its retention?

If teachers are to break through that they can only de so through the determination of their own struggle and not by casting around for some loophole through compulsory arbitration.

Dashed

The same applies to the proposal for a permanent pay review body. Surely any doubts on this issue must have been dashed by the Thatcher government's recent decision to reject the findings of the Civil Service Pay Review Unit.

When that body proposed a 20% wage increase in the current pay round, Thatcher stepped in to reject the figure out of hand and insist on a maximum of 10%.

What good then is a permanent pay review body, however many "copperbottomed promises" are given, if governments ignore pledges of previous administrations, and even their N.U.PE. own pledges, and substitute pay norms in this arbitrary manner?

We are convinced that EIS members will reject this motion and trust to their own ability to secure a decent award.

Two issues which must be fully debated and adopted by the conference are those for united action with other public sector unions and for a break with any notion of linking salaries to jobs and conditions in future negotiations.

An estimated 5,000 teachers and anti-cuts campaigners joined an official NUT demonstration through Nottingham last Saturday demanding the reinstatement of victimised nursery teacher Eileen Crosbie.

Sister Crosbie was sacked by the Education authority for refusing to teach an oversized nursery class without adequate assistance. The staffing levels had been reduced by spending cuts.

A South Wales miners delegate conference voted unanimously last week to recommend a vote against the Coal Board's 13% offer.

But instead of calling for a strike vote they called for "new and more realistic negotiating".

And at the weekend the The settlement date for the annual pay review at Fords is supposed to be this Monday, 24 November.

But the company has followed on its savage disciplinary moves with an insulting 7½% offer tied to a demand for greater efficiency.

Yet when asked about strike action, Ron Todd of the TGWU said "we shall not go rampaging about like a lot of old bulls.

Todd declared the union leaders are prepared to discuss But NUT leader Fred Jarvis was heckled by angry demonstrators as he evaded the most obvious question: what are you going to do next?

Over 200 Nottingham teachers have declared themselves willing to take part in indefinite strike action to force Crosbie's reinstatement-but the NUT has called nothing but partial protest actions.

Until that fight is taken up in earnest by the Union many teachers will shrink from taking a stand on the cuts for fear of sharing Eileen Crosbie's fate. mine a decision of governing body.

The Scottish miners have in turn called correctly for the democratisation of the union. They want a change from the position where right wing representatives of a minority of miners are representin miners by Executive pened with "greater efficiency" (speed-up) in exchange for the shorter working week.

So much for saving jobs. The unions have rejected the 72% offer, clearly expecting a slight increase. Fords have said they will not pay more than their competitors. This means a rise of no more than 10% with inflation running at 16%.

The company is using a Leyland-style threat to close close its UK operations. And union officials are responding in a way that makes it clear they are ready to impose a Leylandstyle betrayal on the Ford workers.

Moss Evans says he supports the firemen: how about the TGWU supporting its own members and the firemen by fighting for all-out action in defence of living standards?

P&O, the shipping company, has proposed to the crews of its three Dover-based ferries that they take a wage cut.

This amounts to £25-£30 per week off the pay of ratings in order to reduce costs'. This has been rejected by the unions.

And unions representing 30,000 Heathrow airport workers have rejected a call from British Airways for all its UK based staff to accept a pay freeze for six months and then a 7.5% rise.

able to outvote those majority of 14 votes to 11 on the Committee-as hapthis pay offer.

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