London Labour Briefing no. 102

UPPLY TEACHERS SACKED IN |

TEACHERS BALLOT FOR

STRIKE!

London schools have been plunged into chaos. A national NUT Leader has described the crisis as the worst in ILEA’s history.

At the end of last term teacher unions concluded a class size, non contact-time and cover agreement with ILEA after a long, hard bargaining process. While not entirely satisfactory, it did provide for the first time a class size limit of 30, afforded teachers some non-contact time and limited how often they would be called upon to cover.

Most importantly, the deal provided for the “maintenance of the current level of supply teacher provision”.

During the schoo! holidays, without consulting the unions, ILEA introduced a new system of allocation of supply teachers to secondary schools, whereby each school would be responsible for managing tl local financial management by the back door!

Every secondary school in London thus

suffered a drastic cut in its cover provision.

Supply teachers were sent home, or told not to report to school. Most had many

years’ service with ILEA.

This was sacking in anybody's language. ILEA admitted that it had “sloppily calculated” how many supply teachers could be paid for by the budget allocation of £11m. To compound matters it rapidly reduced its numerical commitment to supply teachers from 973 to 720, and then to 587.

By Mike Loosley Secretary, Inner London Teachers’ Association (NUT)

Secretary, School Teachers Joint Negotiating Committee (Staff Side)

ir own supply teacher budget:

Under union pressure it “registered” 141 posts to bring the figure to 728. While officers of the Authority play mathematical games, many teachers are sitting at home forced to claim dole.

Our position is clear. The Authority, by this action, has abrogated the agreement signed in July and nothing short of a full restoration of the 195 missing posts will be good enough.

ILEA has been forced to admit that they have wrongly sacked 190 teachers. They

A CUTS PANIC

now propose to re-employ them but only because of legal protection under the Employment Protection Act. However, this leaves a further 160 teachers they are still “consid 1g”, despite assurances that anybody with a year’s full time service would be re-employed. They have reneged on this.

London teachers cannot accept this sort of behaviour from the largest Labour Authority in the country; one which still professes good employment practices. They will have to work very hard to restore the shattered confidence of London's teachers.

There is already low morale, because of government-inspired transfer and dismemberment of London’s education service by April 1990.

The NUT is now balloting its 13,000 London members on strike action. We hope that, even now, ILEA will step back from the brink of a thajor confrontation. They should “restore” the 195 posts, so that we can work together to overcome the severe problems attendant upon abolitio

If ILEA does not co-operate we will not shrink from defending our members’ jobs and our children’s future education.

LABOUR— TAKE THE POWER:

Lee eT ee

London Labour Briefing No, 102 October 13th-26 Page 2

Greater London Labour Party

Whose Conference is it?

day altogether).

‘This would be preceded by 2 series of six half-day workshops: “The Executive

Just once a year delegates from all London's Labour Parties and affiliated trade unions get together to yould invite an ‘expert tolead thrash out policy, and jhe discussion (eg Nick debate (in comradely ~ Raynsford—HousingXic). fashion) the latest witch-

: Bodies hunting proposal. : Who'dforgothat mostscia- _“Allaflisted bodies not mptilating of experiences: the resented af the commencement Greater London Labour of workshops would lose their Party's Anaual Conference? motion/amcadments. “Only delegates representing affliated bodies wo ad subBy Jim Thain titted motions or amendments Hackney North & on the appropriate subject Stoke Newington Yo ty Suning Onion cLP Committee (SOC) woald deterrine which motions fll within Thewarnowmovesafonto the area covered by the alter the format of this workshops” phenomenal event almost ————————— ‘beyond recognition. Greater London Labour

But why? Pecheps aglance at Party Conference: some of the recommendations Mun isthe

made by Executive members hn ‘Hammersmith Town Hall ce Patker, Elaine Gibbon and De Deadlines:

Dave Prior might ycid some

Pe November 18th: Motions The current format is January 11th:

criticised: “Conference is too Amendments

ep), Ge mos tax In pemeraiae

Ratoni 74 Nominations

SON RS aoe

ecutive ... individuals use con- 4 a ee

jeunes fom aah

a platform for specches =. These _workshope Will

“points of order’ which should produce policy sstements, mo-

not be allowed». emergencies

take up too mock tame Becmse “Conference is too Conference itself

long’, it is “therfore recom- “One hour's debate would be

mended thatthe conference be allocated to each of the six

policy areas. Bach would comfeeave by « member ofthe Ea cutive presenting the EC's

hold from 7.30-9.30pm Friday night and from 9.30am-5.30pm ‘on Saturday” (eliminating Sun-

policy document snd the two “The amount of time allo- ‘lected motions being moved cated for emergency motions then seconded. ‘would be $5 minates” “Emergency motions accepted atthe Conference itself thave to relate to oocamences “Attra geoeral debate there Which took plac i the proced- ‘would be rights of reply by the img month only. Imovers ofthe motion and Ex- yn ‘ecutive before moving to a Cynical yore.” A cynical mind considering Remaining motions [to be these proposals might come up pitied by the SOC] would with phrases like “eiling of belisted by he SOC and atime debate,” “superficial discus cof one hour would be allocated sin” or"rubber stamping” But tohear them” {daw your own conclasions

BY-ELECTION NEWS

Help Needed!

‘Alter 2 years of waiting, Labour has the chance of winning back” Tower Hamiets Council for Labour. Following the resignation of Cir Pat Fletcher, first from the Liberal Focus Team and subsequently from the ‘Council, Labour is aiming to win back a seat in the traditionally Labour Lansbury ward. A Labour victory will leave the Liberals/Salads/Democrats hanging grimly on to the Mayor's casting vote in full Councit; ‘but will also give Labour control of a majority of the Liberals’ decentralised neighbourhoods. A Labour victory will also affect the balance of power London-wide on the ALA.

‘Canvassing is from Bow & Poplar Party Room, 172 East India Dock Road from 6pm Monday-Friday; from noon on Saturdays (for leafietting the adjacent Chrisp St. market with celebrity assistance) and from 11m on

Debate

There have been a numberof by slections recent: Lewisham, Haringey and Hackney, with mixed results for Labour. Labour Briefing will be examining these elections in the next issue. If you wish to contribute to this assessment, phone 01-733 7016 to let us know.

POLL TAX

Don’t pay; don’t collect —

demonstrate!

Party Conference may not have voted for the “red flag of defiance” on this issue — as urged by Mr Jimmmy Mo-

The Poll Tax makes a complete mockery of any idea of a progres-

sive taxation system.

It is a regressive tax in teagan ope line with Thatcher's overall yet hens forces philosophy of giving more considartherrealimpications to those that have and elise taking from those who PoP

have not. The call not to register, not to collect, and not to pay has

been cupportedby 18 Labour

By VALERIE MPs, Pressure must be put COULTAS ‘on more of them to join this:

This ruthless ruling class resistance. theft is to be backed up. at

‘enormous cost, by police leviedby the most repressive pevipear Meng Rawred Tateal

The Tax will be collected by unworkable by mass protest. Community ir

They will have access to from the grassroots of the ‘every conceivable piece of labour movement on this data available — electoral issue.

register, DHSS, Vehicle

Licensing, Council housing Axe

waiting lists, Worary member-

‘ship —to identity those liable Ser. Build the Stop the Tax move-

Strategy

The only strategy capable ference (see back page of of defeating this outrageous- national Briefing for details). ly inequitable tax is to build a Don’t pay. Don't collect. mass non-payment cam- We can win the moral high paign. ground and stop Thatcher

‘The majority. at Labour i

MARCH and RALLY

John Fraser MP Stuart Holland MP Jeremy Corbyn MP Cli Joan Twelves Cllr Linda Bellos

Council t

‘At 1.20am on Friday 30th == At a recent NALGO branch September, High Court meeting, Ivan Beavis, the proSheriffs, police and private _cutschair, was ousted and amocontractors finally broke fe ag continued support ions SP threes © the brary occupations was Fieckece taeartes Scania, despne veiled teatsof Fee eer by hep “eins fomnion a les at hited thugs toaded

Motions from previously books onto BRS trucks and ‘ supportive ward parties aretumthen set about the remaining {120i ihe Chie Whip's of shelves and fittings with crow- icc" in opposition to cuts

ee policies and oppressive tactics. ‘Both Hackney GCs have conBy Peter Chowney demoed the library evictions

Hackney. North ee ee Stoke Newington forcing cute. CLP Pethap! most worrying ofall forthe ledership sits declining : support within the Council ‘The 200 day campaign by Labour Group. Although thisis local people to keep their ser difficlt to ateess until another vices open was finally over. round of cuts comes up for rubBut with this supremely io- ber stamping thoe prepared to sensitive act of municipal vat speak gut in favour of the dali, the Council leadership —jeqdership’s policies seem to be may have played their lest wild reduced to a hard core of politicard. Within the Party, trade ca} thugs and popular local hate ions, Labour Groopandeven fun in the cloistered inner sanctum “Most significantly, Jim ofthe Council frontbench itself, Chrystie, previous leadership Gissent is breaking through. supporter and Chair of the The library oocupations have Pubic Services Committe has forced the hand of the Council tone his cap into the anti-cuts leadership. They have jp fenieater st poy y follow demonstrated that cuts policies cnt UR Tan oro can only be enforced by enlist. gephatt can’t keep a £16m ing the authority of the central yeficit under wraps for ever; state andthe inevitable brutality ee be nay ‘which that entails, pied Astheyretwatfarherintothe me ne council dogmatic mythology of a 2 : a “balanced budget", the letdership to their deepening leadership's fervour for ‘T* Das ssa past, Puddephatt has offset disbelldoaing, Grousk sapopale or ihrcagh ‘evangelical da

. plays of personal charisma. inaviciouscirleofsecrecyand oe eee ie peson

pats F Tittle hard informatica Saree Peay me sabes: comes out of the Town Hall, but eacing.

He and the Deputy Leader finance department moles now grunt the invective wad reveal a current year deficit Of gu Chief Whip, Peter Watson, £16m and a plan to close SX ar GCs. Watson has all the more libraries. charisma of a contipede; the

New policy documents power of the leadership over the propose an assauit on homeless Party is slipping away. people to reduce expenditure. So as autumn gales blow Overcrowded lettings, substan- away the last few tom page dard properties and restrictive scattered outside the repos. acceptance practices are alll sessed libraries, there are chanbeing considered. agex blowing in.

This is arousing dissent The smashed and boarded within the Council workforce. buildings stand ax public Housing allocation workers are _ memorials tothe false of the on indefinite strike over at- capitulstory cuts policies of a temptstochange workingarran- Council that once masqueraded gements without negotiation; as socialist, Resistance grow day care workers are escalating ing all the time, unstoppable ax ction ageinst unplannedcutsin the coming of winter: we are social services. going to win!

Community or,

“Where there is oppres- armed struggle.

sionthereisresistance” Any realistic analysis of was the slogan raised in the balance of political forces the Six Counties 20 _ inBritain shows the rightcon-

‘solidating its power with unyears ago when the sdidating ts power with un-

dees iecir teacher, other hand, the let is in fs. to defend theraselves. “"*¥-

While the left has involved

itself with the dissemination

~ of ideas, working class resis-

By Graham Smith tance has centred on pract-

cal work solidly based on our

Hackney _ ‘communities’ opposition to Community the forces of repression.

Defence Black working class com-

aes ‘munities have had to look to

their own resources. In defending their interests, they have had to confront state racism and the criminalisation of the inner

Resistance can take many forms — survival, public demonstration: uprisings, organi

In recent y

defence, and, ultimat people have died in Stoke

peters on the brink

: A rebel speaks

Iwas born in Hackney just after World War I. My parents couldn't afford books; like most in the 30s, my father was unemployed upto six months a year. Sot ‘got my books from the local library.

Now lam a pensioner. Ilove reading, but, like most of the kids in the Borough, I can’t buy many books, not even’

‘So how does our “caring” Council “support” us? By closing lending libraries, reference libraries and school borrowing schemes.

How can they condemn elderly and disabled people toa life without books? And young children are too ‘small to travel further afield on their own.

Yet its our money that provides the library service. I've paid rates to Hackney Council most of my life. But this Council isn’t interested in how we think our money should be spent.

So for the past six months | have done my best to help people by occupying my library. I've never done this kind of thing before but ! was determined we ‘wouldn't lose this one without a fight!

Iwas livid when I heard they'd sent the bailiffs in in the middle of the night, smashing down doors and disturbing the whole neighbourhood.

But I've learnt a thing or two over the past six months and I shall be more than willing to help fight any future loss of services: libraries, laundries, nurseries or whatever.

anises self-defence

SAVE OUR, LIBRARIES -“ oa

The libraries on the fast day of occupation. PHOTOS: Martine Stoad

London Laboue Briefing No: 102 October 13th-260h Page 3

Commemorating the anniversary

Wednesday October sth was the third anniversary of the death of Cynthia Jarrett.

‘She died at the hands of DC Randall, during an it legal search of her home by Tottenham police.

The next day, fierce fighting followed the police's attempt to break up a peacaful demonstration. During the police's attempt to execute their military-style “contingency plan for control of disorder’, PC Keith Blakelock was tragically killed.

The subsequent trials resulted in 49 convictions, the sentences ranging from 412 months to 30 years.

‘Mark Braithwaite, Engin Raghip and Winston Silcott received life imprisonment for the killing of PC Blakelock. Their convictions ‘were obtained through false and often self-contradictory “confessions” forced from them after long periods of detention, during which they were denied access to their

three at their trial, Families and friends know that they were scapegoated.

This year there was.a commemorative vigil on Broadwater Farm in the Memorial Gardens dedicated to the memories of Cynthia Jarrett and PC Blakelock. A local church choir attended, with members of the families of the men scapegoated, and representatives of local community organisations.

The Defence Campaign, Labour Party Black Sections, and the Campaign Group of Labour MPs hosted a fringe ‘meeting about the frame-ups at the Labour Party Conference.

MPs Tony Benn, Bernie Grant and Jeremy ‘Corbyn, and representatives from the Guildford Four Campaign and the striking P&O Ferry workers called for a public enquity into the events of 1985, and the campaign of police terror which followed them.

For further information contact Broadwater Farm Defence Campaign, clo No, ‘79 Tangmere, BWF Estate, London N17; tel. 01-885 3752.

(Taken from BWEDC press release)

‘Amnesty the Burnham Committee hhave cast serious doubts on the safety of these convictions. No proper evidence

No all-out strike

throws all out of work

All 765 employees of existing workforce. They stood

— Defence Association. ‘Trevor Monerville Campaign, To the majority of Hackney aibueter ‘sbsolutely no chance, jraand Colin Roach. Within lished groups, including the solicitors and baristers, en- Colin Roach was murdered. | TOWNES | COSRSIEB artheCouncil'sdetemnination Hays of the station's demol- Newham Monitoring Project sured justice prevailed — We need to remember | department are facing ‘cad Ae coma os ua in 1987 Tunay Hassan and East London's Com- against a police fabricated those who have suffered and | Sack. seco mies daca atid ied at Dalston police station munity Alliance for Police Ac- case. died in police custody. The <apeniea trove wodcting; Tes here Stoke Newington countability, the HCDA has Wherejusticeisnotgained =HCDA will organise anal! paula Watson _ District Auditor has been asked been established as a _ inthe courts campaigns play commemorations every Sage to investigate on the grounds of Earlier, Trevor Monerville ‘@deration. ‘acentral partin informing the January. Westminster South unfaircompetition. had brain surgery after iaelense ‘community of the truth. or CLP ‘The whole afair bas brotally jing held in Stoke practice For example, the tnepiset — exposed local NUPE Officials. lewington police station. feo sioner ok hes sen eaten: It was they who strenuously But the Hackney and , The bases of the HCDA’s afterhe was shot inthe foyer _, We are alco preparing Lady Porter's Tories, ever resisted calls from a rank and work are the many instances of Stoke Police the future. Armoured | ia the Thatcherite file organisation, Westminster Btoke N a Sd ete Neen oda Landrovers, used extensive | have sold off the Comncts Se oeatiation, Wexminaer r Geicemmceniice vordietof suicide. The Roach ly in the Six Counties, now | street cleaning and refuse col Wr", Sena Oe Oe Injured ‘The Importance of cam- Family Support committee Paifol London's strests.The | ection servicefor $12 million. Sov Ne aig plane, paignsis evident. The recent established beyond doubt ew Stoke Newington police | The five year contract hax “cells River tri Following a successful cquttalof Trevor Monervile that Calin Roach could not station is due for completion | gone to MRS Environment. @ ors the entirely bogus in-house rchlt march remembering and others of 32 serious have shot himself. oes Private company set upby three onder idea, and stood idly by he dead and injured in criminal charges was largely e The police have turned | ofthe Council's senior officers, ‘onder Hes and Sood ily by january of this year the due to the efforts of the Police their backs on community | Tan Rose, Dave: Meredith, and

demands for accountability

The police version of by buikding a fortress in our events, backed up by the in- midst complete with 200 ‘quest, is no longer believed. cells.

Trevor Monerville Campaign.

Most such cases result in convictions and lengthy prison sentences. ‘Yet the

revor Monerville Campaign ind Hackney Anti-Fascist ction began building the

Community

jackney

stewards were sacked.

‘Their jobs are safe. It's their wretched members who now face the dole queve.

Bob Zear, all assistant directors

in the cleansing department. ‘The only rival bid was an in-

house tenderfrom the Council's

Advertisement/Poster

KINGSTON COUNCIL

MUST

GES

DEMOLISH

OLDITZ!

Defend our environment!

== CUTHERE So<- -

J. Hayball, Chairperson, Chessington South Branch Labour Party 17 Leas Close, Chessington, Surrey