Build the national strike, then step up the ght

T
he NUT has announced a national one day strike on 26 March. Every teacher must now work at out to build that strike and make it a huge success, with lively militant protests across the country on the day. Not before time, many activists will say, that we can work to build such a strike fed up of the delays and postponements. It is 27 months since our last national action, and though we had some brilliant regional strikes and protests last year it is national action that is our strongest weapon. only way we can beat Gove. NASUWT members should do what they can over the next week to press their leaders to join the strike. Everywhere NUT members need to nd ways to help colleagues in the NASUWT to be out with us on 26 March. Some in our unions leaderships believe we cannot beat Gove and the best we can do is wait for the general election and a Labour government. We all want to see the back of the Tories. But the record of Labour-type governments in France and Denmark in the last two years of austerity measures and attacks on workers including teachers shows we would be foolish to rely on Ed Miliband. Gove can be beaten. Despite his attacks and bullying bluster he has gone from being the Teon man of the government to a weak link in the Coalition. Scandals over Free Schools, outrageous comments over World War One, and now his public falling out with Ofsted chief Wilshaw have weakened him. Stepping up the action is the key to breaking Gove and his assaults on teachers and education. That lesson was made clear last year when Chicago teachers in the US took on and beat their mayor. They showed that building up towards an indenite strike, walking out and staying out until you win, coupled with a determined eort to win support from parents and other workers, was the most eective way to win, and win quickly.

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Decision

Leaders of the NASUWT meet again next week to make a nal decision about whether or not to join the strike. They had pledged to strike with the NUT if Michael Gove did not retreat in his attacks on pay, pensions, conditions and education. But it is right that the NUT has decided that we will strike without them if necessary because taking action is the

Escalation

Members know that one day is not enough to win. So NUT conference in Brighton, just a few weeks after the 26 March strike, must debate what escalation should look like. Of course public campaigning, taking up wider educational issues, and resist attempts to scapegoat and divide using racism, will all be part of any escalating campaign. But at the heart of any battle that hopes to win must be hard hitting strikes including national action of more than one day at a time. So lets build the national strike on 26 March and then step up the ght so we can beat back Gove.

Egyptians protest against military repression

Marxism

2014

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