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NUT votes for strike action over
pensions
23 April
NUT
conference voted almost unanimously (with only two abstentions!) to
start a strike ballot against the ConDems� attacks on their pensions.
The strike day is likely to be on June 30th � already
pencilled in by other public sector unions like UCU, PCS and ATL. An
indication of the militant mood of delegates was that the NEC�s motion
which called for a ballot was actually amended to strengthen it
further � committing the union to escalate action into the Autumn term
and beyond if the government doesn�t back down. It also emphasised
the necessity to coordinate action with the other unions on June 30th
and reach out to those still weighing up action, calling for the TUC
to organise a one day general strike in the autumn.
Many
speakers talked about how the giant TUC demonstration on March 26th
has given members confidence that they can fight and win. The
conference was clearly lifted by the decision of the ATL to ballot
their members and gave a standing ovation to their general secretary
the night before. However, teachers also recognise that they can�t
take their members� votes for granted, not least in a traditionally
moderate union like ATL. This was reflected in the second amendment
which called for joint preparatory work with ATL before and during the
balloting period. Attention will now turn to the NASUWT conference,
which debates this issue tomorrow, where a motion to ballot will be
put from the floor.
Unfortunately, conference didn�t take the third motion from NEC member
& NSSN Anti-Cuts Campaign committee member Martin Powell-Davies which
also called for all unions taking action to organise regional
demonstrations on the first strike day to reach out to workers not
taking action as a concrete step to building for a 24 hour general
strike. This idea was raised in the debate. However, the mood of the
conference indicates that there is every chance that June 30th
will see hundreds of thousands of workers on strike and many cities
seeing solidarity demonstrations. |
