Now build the fight to defend living standards

NEU Conference at Easter took the very big step of setting us on the road towards a national strike to defend our living standards.

That vote is just the start of a lot of work, if we are to carry the fight to this criminal government and defend our members.

The government’s proposals to the School Teachers Review Body are an assault on every current teacher- who will see their real terms living standard cut over the next two years, in some cases by over 10 percent.

It could be even worse, with latest figures showing inflation (using the RPI measure which includes housing) now hitting 9 percent – the highest for 30 years. The government’s Office for Budget Responsibility suggests inflation is likely to rise more, by  at least another 2 percent as the year goes on.

This huge squeeze on living standards comes after the average 17 percent cut in teachers’ living standards over  the last decade due to pay freezes and below inflation rises.

No trade union can allow members’ living  standards to be hammered like that without doing everything possible to mobilise a fight.

It’s not just teachers. Support staff are being hit even harder and across society we will see the biggest cut in living standards for a generation- unless we fight back.

But to do that means a razor like focus in the coming months on the organising and building we need to do if we are to beat the Tory anti-union ballot thresholds and be able to win a strike ballot.

We will, as required under union rules, have an internal indicative ballot starting 1 October first. If that shows enough support and indicates we stand a chance of beating the legal ballot turnout thresholds we can then move to an actual national strike ballot.

So what do we need to do in the coming weeks?

Build 18 June national demonstration

A key first step is to mobilise members around the TUC’s Saturday 18 June national demonstration in London on the cost of living crisis.

The bigger that is the more it can fuel the mood that resistance and fight back is possible, and that can help drive the organising on the ground needed to win any ballot.

In every area outside London we should be contacting other unions and booking coaches or even trains over the next couple of weeks for that demo.

Then few must fight to get tickets sold and create a sense of movement and momentum.

In London we need days of action in which, with other unions where possible, we mass leaflet transport hubs or shopping centres to build the 18th June.

The national union needs to produce massive amounts of publicity for 18th June- flyers, stickers, posters all hammering home the message that we need a huge turnout of NEU members for the demo.

Everywhere we should also be looking to have public meetings on the cost of living crisis in May, working with other local unions and with supportive politicians to begin to mobilise the anger on what is happening to living standards.

These can be the TUC “town hall” meetings, but we should have these everywhere even if the TUC isn’t having one on your area.

And in every district we need a meticulous plan, using the models sent out by the national union, to drive organisation down into every school both for the demo but also to carry the arguments and build the organisation needed to win the indicative ballot with a big enough turnout.

This should include school meetings but also pay briefings for members and reps. And in every area we also need to build and organise the NEU Left too- pulling together the best activists.

We will be holding a national NEU Left members meeting soon, and that will be followed by local meetings around the country. Why not join us and get involved?

Stand up to Homophobia – solidarity with John Fisher school strike

NEU members at John Fisher school in Southwark, London are striking from this Thursday 28th April  in what is a crucial battle for all NEU members. It is also a vital fight in the fight across society to stand up against homophobia and defend LGBT+ rights.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark prohibited a well known LGBT+ author from speaking in the school- explicitly on grounds of his sexuality- also also removed the school’s governors. 

This action is something that really belongs in the era of Section 28- the infamous anti-LGBT+ law pushed through by Thatcher’s government in 1988- and which was in force until its eventual defeat and repeal in 2003

It is inspirational that NEU members are prepared to strike over the actions by the Archdiocese and it shows that Catholic schools can be places where an inclusive curriculum can develop and thrive.

It also shows that non-LGBT+ people can lead on taking on homophobia/biphobia/transphobia.

It is vital to send messages of support/solidarity either personally, or better even,from your own school NEU group or, even better urgently, so they get there before Thursday’s strike, to the rep

[email protected]

It really matters.

Waltham Forest strike wave continues

The mini strike wave in the east London borough of Waltham Forest continues this week with NEU members at two schools our on strike again this Tuesday 26th, Wednesday 27th and Thursday 28th April

Members at Walthamstow Primary Academy continue their dispute over Pay and workload.

And cleaners at Connaught school for girls on strike over TUPE transfer

Send messages of support to Waltham Forest NEU district secretarries

[email protected]

[email protected]

The spirit needed to build the fight we need

Over 200 delegates at NEU conference packed into an exciting NEU Left fringe meeting on Sunday evening, with conference in Bournemouth about to get underway on Monday morning.

In an exciting meeting chaired by joint NEU Left national secretaries Lucy Coleman and Emma Davies, a key note speaker was Jeremy Corbyn, who won a standing ovation for his passionate speech about building the fight we need: “Don’t wait for electoral politics” was a key part of his message.

We also heard from RMT president Alex Gordon, who as well as talking about the outrageous treatment of P&O workers, also told of ballots which could see an effective national rail strike of over r50,000 RMT members this summer.

PCS president Fran Heathcote also spoke, explaining how the union had won a massive turnout in an indicative national ballot- and that the union was now planning for moves to a full action ballot.

Her message was very relevant given a key vote at conference will be on whether the union should move forward to an indicative national ballot on pay.

Julie Copeland, an NEU rep from Preston spoke about how they had “started a rebellion” in a fight over academisation, and that everyone could start their own rebellions against the attacks we face.

Jodie Mallier-Ridley, and NEU rep from Coventry, and a member of the NEU Left steering committee explained what the NEU Left was and argued for people to join and help build a democratic and active left current in our union.

With a packed and outward facing agenda conference this week gives a chance to shape the approach we need to build the fight back we must have against the attacks we face. We will post daily updates from conference on key decisions and fringe meetings.

Our conference bulletin outlining what the NEU Left has to say on key conference debates is here:

http://www.neuleft.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/NEU-Left-Conf-2022-web.pdf

If you are not already a member of the NEU Left please join by visiting our website

www.neuleft.org

Here is the voting recommendations for NEU Conference in Bournemouth as agreed at a national NEU meeting just before conference. S means SUPPORT; O means OPPOSE; LTC means LEAVE TO CONFERENCE (ie the NEU Left meeting did not agree a position on this).