Natfhe in Retreat Cuts Hang Over Eis Conference

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The issues of cuts, possible redundancies and school closures stand at the forefront of the agenda for this year's annual conference of the EIS, Scotland's biggest teaching union.

In anticipation of the large number of resolutions on these points, the leadership has produced a report from an ad hoc committee on the implications of falling school rolls which, whilst highlighting the government's criminal use of falling rolls to cut education facilities, jobs and standards, suggests solutions which are potentially disastrous.

In particular the proposal that more power to fight cuts should be devolved into the hands of regional executives, could open the way to a cop out by the national leadership when action on an overall Scottish basis is necessary to wage a meaningful campaign.

Two resolutions which are particularly worthy of support are those from Dumbartonshire on fixed term contracts and from Morayshire on the enforcement of smaller class sizes.

The former calls for the implementation of a policy of refusal to take the classes of non-replaced fixed-term contract teachers.

Almost all primary teachers employed in Strathclyde over the past year have been given such contracts which deny them any permanency or security in their employment.

Discussions are now proceeding on the future of 1,000 such jobs in Strathclyde and more immediate threats are posed in other regions. The Dumbartonshire resolution is a timely response to these threats and a decision in its favour at the AGM would be a step in the right direction.

The Morayshire proposition is the sting-in-the-tail amendment to a resolution which specifies smaller class sizes than are at present accepted under the terms of the teachers' contract.

Action The amendment demands that if the management do not accept such class sizes (eg. a maximum of 25 in primary classes, with the exception of the intake class, and 25 in the first three years of secondary) then the union should proceed unilaterally to their implementation.

Such a resolution, calling, as it does, for action and fixing a date upon it, will be fiercely resisted by the right wing determined to do no more than make a show of protest about the cuts and their impact without committing the union to specific course of action.

The resistance of the right wing to campaigning in defence of educational facilities was exemplified recently by the decision of the Glasgow Local Association Committee of Management by 22 votes to 15 to refuse to back the campaign to defend nursery facilities in the Gorbals where two nurseries are under immediate threat of closure.

This weak-kneed approach is in vivid contrast to the determination of parents in that area to fight to defend and extend nursery facilities.

A delegation of the parents involved in the occupation there which began on Monday last will lobby the annual conference on its first day, calling upon delegates to support their campaign.

The decision of the Rank and File to allow them to speak at their fringe meeting on the Thursday afternoon shows that at least a substantial number of teachers favour being involved in a campaign to defend educational facilities.

Another key issue at the conference will be the debate on a referendum on the question of affiliation to the Labour Party. The resistance of the right wing to such a move will have grown more vociferous as an increasing number of them have recently joined the ranks of the SDP (Shirley and David Party), the latest recruit being Keir Bloomer, Silver tongued advocate of the right wing and now Assistant General Secretary Designate of the Institute.

(Increasingly trade unionists and Labour Party members are asking themselves whether the Institute HQ at Moray Place is the Scottish recruiting agency for the Social Democrats).

Whatever the outcome of the vote whether or not to have a referendum. the debate on Labour Party affiliation is only opening up within the union and will be pressed forward in the period ahead. religiously condemned but the relationship between Ireland and the cuts was never explained.

The President referred to the delegates as 'freedom fighters' whilst ruling out of order two emergency motions from Inner and Outer London concerning the genuine liberation struggle in the occupied six counties of Northern Indeed the NEC's 'internationalist' standing ovation for the speaker from El Salvador never threatened to cross the sea to the H Blocks of Long Kesh.

Cash limits

NEC members correctly identified a number of features of Tory control in education. By 'capping the pool' they have placed rigid cash limits on money available for advanced further education and proposed that polytechnics and higher education colleges be centrally funded and conbut never related to the cuts struggle as a source of strength in a confrontation with the Tory. receivers following Labour group refusal to implement cuts.

All cuts resolutions adopted requested that the Tories change their policy with no perspective towards Labour groups and councils.

The right wing is greatly assisted in its ability to avoid the neeessary struggle around the Labour Party by the SWP inspired College Rank and File group whose attitude is one of indifference to the developments in the Labour Party.

The SWP's contribution to this much needed debate was a fringe meeting entitled Can the Labour Party bring Socialism?' Here, they failed completely to tackle the reality of a mass influx into the Labour Party and its leftward thrust.

On the pay question, conterence witnessed a massive feeling from the Important fringe meetings were held on part-timers, adult education, El Salvador and women's rights.

A useful gay rights meeting heard Barry Prothero, the NCCL Gay Rights officer describing the large number of cases referred to the NCCL each week, indicating, of course, that these represented only a small percentage of cases of discrimination against gays.

Crucial area The modest attendance at this meeting reflected the immediate need for work in this crucial area within the union.

Over 60 delegates attended a meeting to discuss NATHE affiliation to the Labour Party and a petition was circulated and well supported during the conference.

Prominent • Communist Party members opposed attempts to change the rule allowing the President absolute discretion on emergency resolutions and spoke against moves to weaken the straightjacket of Rule 25 which requires a 51% vote of all branch members before the NEC will consider declaring a strike official.

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