[Fifty black youths demonstrated outside Brixton police station…]

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Fifty black youths demonstrated outside Brixton police station on June lst when Victor Johnson, a local shopkeeper, was arrested after being stopped and searched by Three others who went to his assistance were also arrested after a bottle was thrown at police who then called in reinforcements.

Harrassment of the black community by the police is a common feature of life in Brixton. But the speed and determination with which the youth organised the demonstration is an indication that such harrassment will not in future go unopposed.

An fad hoc' defence committee has been formed with plans for further pickets and a public meeting in defence of the "Railton The Lambeth Council for Community Relations has called for a public enquiry into relations between the police and immigrants in the borough after this and other recent incidents of police harrassment. But the defence of the black community against police and fascist harrassment is a class question. Lambeth Trades Counci, Lambeth Labour Party and local trade union bodies must take responsibility, for launching a workers enquiry into police harassmilitancy of their members were revealed at the special delegate conference on the student teacher occupations on June 5th.

Pressed by constitutional resolutions to recall the NUS conference (which by the constitution they were obliged to do within 6 weeks)

they called instead their ad hoc delegate conference, at which colleges of education and universities with education departments had 3 delegates each.

Other colleges and universities were allowed observer status only.

Immediately the conference opened their ruling was challenged by an observer from Heriot-Watt University which although having no student teachers has been in occupation in sympathy.

The conference supported- his call for all constituent organisations of the NUS to be allowed delegate status.

This was the first blow against the Executie's plan to contain the action within the student teacher section.

They argued that the present action had to be "consolidated" -and then ended tidily "with a show of strength"

They should all end on the same day said the Broad Left instead of "fading gradually"

An overtime ban has been called by the Joint Shop Stewards Committee at Monkbridge Forge, Leeds, in an attempt to save the jobsof 355 workers declared redundant.

Monkbridge Forge is owned by the giant International Nickel company of Canada. Many of the company's smelters have been hit by a series of long and bitter strikes which must have left the employers with little room for manoeuvre in Britain:

The firm makes the majority of turbines manufactured outside the USA, but its high quality product the Concorde has come under increasing pressure from lower grade machined turbines and from carbon fibre turbines.

had planned for June 15th to lobby Parliament. The composite amendment in opposition to their position argued that it was the trade union leaders who through their deals with the Labour government were allowing unemployment and education cuts and therefore the major focus had to be on the lobby of the TUC on June 16th.

The composite position also argued for the action to be spread to the whole NUS membership in order to strengthen and broaden the fight, and that NUS should act with the rest of the trade union movement.

These positions won the vote - the Broad Left screaming out for a recount and making accusations of non-delegates voting etc. After a recount the Executive had to concede defeat, by 171 to 169.

Then the full extent of the Executive's manoeuvrings emerged. When asked if they would carry out newly agreed policy they declared that since the conference was 'not the constitutional NUS conference they were not mandated by its decisions, but would only take advice from the conference!

The central importance of the teaching unions was discussed will be equally tough in its profits in Leeds.

The overtime ban is not enough to fight this. The stewards must fight for the opening of the books of the company in order to expose the full international ramifications and workings of the firm to all the Leeds workers.

This will establish the case for the nationalisation of the firm without compensation - many of the machines are already owned by the government and leased to Monkbridge Forge.

There must also be serious preparation to occupy the plant to prevent the sackings going through. The redundancies are only the prelude to further attacks for the whole workforce. While those sacked face a long period on the dole, those remaining would face a 58,000 more teachers would be required nationally.

The conference agreed that NUS should demand that NUT executive implement this, and also extend their refusal to cover' actions nationally. It was also agreed to demand full trade union rights for unemployed teachers.

Action must now direct towards opening the books of the LEAs to elected committees of students and trade unionists. Local teacher union leaders must be forced to break from the policy of 'negotiating the cuts' pursued in many areas.

NUS President Clarke Further inquiries would reveal the massive sums paid out to educational suppliers, school building firms, and examination boards.

Instead of cuts in the budget there must be a huge injection of finance into education, along with all other sections of the social services, and a sliding scale of expenditure to protect these services from inflation.

The educational suppliers and building firms must be nationalised, instead of vital social services funds going straight into the pockets of private shareholders. *The 'Broad Left' leadership of Leeds University Students Union (where there is a large Institute of Education) called a special meeting to discuss the fight - at 4 hours notice!

When only 30 students attended, they then claimed this showed that nobody was interested. When a WSL member demanded why there had been no warning, no publicity or campaign for the meeting, the Broad Left members and the Executive walked out of the hall.

Militant students are now fighting for the 250 signaturec For instance, the emerger motion on the student teac occupations ties its support for 1 students' demands to support the NUS Given the retreat of the N leadership over this issue, 1 NATFHE leadership need hi little fear that its backing for N actions will actually commit it any concrete action.

The policy on the sit-ins si sequently adopted by the execut is a clear example of where su resolutions lead: the NEC say th understand the reasons for t students' action; but they give not a word of support, let alone, they call on NATFHE members take any action.

On the question of pub spending cuts as a whole an enc mous resolution declared absolu opposition to the cuts and instru ted the NEC to take 15 forms action. But not one of these invoc tions to 'urge' ', 'encourage' , 'resis 'oppose give the close attention to' really commits tl executive to do anything but tal for which it needs no encourag ment. The strongest words of ti resolution ask the NEC to resist t effect of cuts 'by all appropriat means'. . It is left to the executive t decide what is appropriate.

It is clear that very strong feelin exists in the union against th Labour government's economi policies. This was shown up by th hostile reception received Education Minister Fred Mulle when he addressed the conference Mulley displayed the grosses cynicism by advising studen teachers who would be unemployer next year to go find a job some where else. He did not . voluntee any advice to the other 1¼ millio! unemployed.

REJECTED

The Outer London Regioni Counci of NATHE ha overwhelmingly rejected th Labour government/TUC wage cu policy and many other regions hot the same view. The clear majorit of NATFHE members who oppos the government's economic policie must realise that resolutions lik those passed at the conferenc represent no more than pape opposition.

The task is now to take up fight in the union to demand tha the national executive organise national strike action until th policy of cuts has been reversed This is the 'appropriate action'. Bu it is one which the national leader ship, for all its earnest profession of anamnátina "ll ammia --laaid :

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