The Workers Socialist League

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The Workers Socialist League was formed in December 1974 to struggle for the continuity of the principles of Trotskyism in Britain and towards the rebuilding of the In the daily struggle to take the demands and principles of Trotsky's transitional Programme into the trade unions, the WL has been at the lorefront of the fight for the sliding scale of wages, and work sharing on full pay - demands which at the 1975 T&GWU Conference were the only alternative to Jones' £6 pay plan and the wholesale acceptance of redundancies by the bureaucracy: In today's fight against the TUC's 42% pay cutting proposals this demand for a sliding scale of wages (rising according to the rising cost of living as assessed by trade union committees) is the essential basis of consistent opposition.

In the Health Service WSL comrades have led the struggle for a sliding scale of NHS spending, for the start of workers' control of the service (beginning with opening the books of the Health Authorities), along with the fight to end all private practice. Perhaps more important we have led the growing call for strike action to defend the NHS against the cuts and to implement these policies, fighting those like the ASTMS leadership In local disputes also, WSL comrades have tested and developed the demands of the Transitional Programme, putting forward in every case the only real opposition to the Stalinists and the right-wing. Our struggle for the "open the books" demand in the motor industry has won a mass At the same time we have put forward a policy to fight unemployment, calling for unity of employed and unemployed through In doing this our comrades have been forced also to lead struggles for trade union democracy against the bureaucratic manipulation of the Whie these interventions have developed the Leagues's grasp of Trotsky's Transitional Prog amme there has been a consistent drive to deepen and enrich the movement's understanding of the history and the present cnsis of the Fourth International, as an essential part of any We urge all readers who agree on the need for revolutionary leadership and the demands we put forward to find out more about the WS and Fourth International. who substitute the words for the action.

response.

the fight to mobilise the trade union movement.

The WSL is the only movement that transitional demands, going beyond mere trade the political issues to workers.

Stalinists and right-wing.

serious initiative towards its reconstruction.

join our fight in the labour movement. fights consistently for union militancy to pose

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CIALISI SS.: Wednesday Ju 2nd, 1976 misers STRIKE TO SUPPORT GON DDESCOUNCILS must The occupation of all 10 teachers colleges in Scotland and of at least 95 out of 140 in England, all within the space of ten days, Is a major step forward in the fight against the Labour government's economic policies.

The wildfire spread of these actions confirms the disgust and anger which exists throughout the working class against the cuts in living standards which the government's policies are inflicting through wage control, unemployment and cuts in spending.

The occupations spread as soon as it became clear from official announcements that about a third of new teachers in England and over 60% in Scotland would be unable to find work this year.

ONLY TWO These are average figures. Some areas are even worse. In Bradford, for instance, only two out of every 70 teachers qualifying this summer have jobs. In the surrounding area only 15 out of 255 have jobs to go to.

This has absolutely nothing to whatever to do with erroneous calculations of the birth rate, as the government with the support of the capitalist press is trying maintain.

It is entirely the result of the Labour government's refusal to maintain and develop educa ion services.

More teachers relative to pupils could mean full employinent for teachers, smaller classes and higher educational standards.

The Labour government, in all practical senses, is against all those things.

SHAMED The National Union of Students Executive has now finally called for the extension of the occupations, though for months they have offered no lead against the cuts until they were shamed into supporting these occupations by a movement which was already strongly underway.

A fight must be conducted inside the occupations and throughout the NUS to prevent the executive from retreating when the going becomes difficult. This requires the construction of a national coordinating committee to spearhead the struggle, with delegates elected from occupations.

In the immediate situation, the teachers' unions have a special responsibility. The statements from the executives give every sign that they intend to duck this responsibility in practice.

NATHE

NATHE general secretary Tom Driver has said that his union supports the students, will oppose new proposed cuts and fight every college closure.

But there is no sign that his student teachers on May 26th march unemployment in London.

opposition will take on the form of real action to support and match the action of the students.

A fight must be taken up in NATFHE to demand strike action locally and nationally in opposition to the cuts and in support of the NUT The same goes for the NUT. The reasons for the new disciplinary regulations (which threaten members taking action not sanctioned by the executive with expulsion) will become very plain as the struggle against the expenditure cuts develops.

Already Fred Jarvis, NUT general secretary, has gone as far as he dare in trying to weaken the action of the student teachers.

He issued a statement supporting their objectives but not their actions.

Apart from Fred Jarvis' impotent words, the only action which the NUT is supporting is that •JO IFS, NO BUTS.

NO TO EDUCATION CUTS NO DISTRICT against of not covering for teachers for more than three days.

This action, which was spread to Surrey last week, has only been introduced on a limited basis in a few areas. It should be made national immediately.

But actions of this kind are no substitute for strike action in support of the students' occupations and against the spending cuts.

The demand should also be taken up through the teachers' unions and the occupation committees for the opening of the books of the educational authorities as a basis for teachers' control of manning levels.

CAMPAIGN

At the same time it must not be forgotten that education affects the whole working class, not simply teachers. Trades Councils and local union branches must be mobilised in the broadest campaign of action defence of education.

ITOVED Charles Clarke, NUS President.

The Labour government has met these occupations with contempt and hypocrisy. Higher education minister Gerry Fowler said that he had every sympathy with the teachers but would do nothing because the government's policy was to cut education spending.

BOOED

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ACHERS WERCROWDED CLASSES