Wandsworth 3 The aftermath of the struggles against Phase 2 are still with us. Three members of the Wandsworth Teachens Association of the NUT now face charges of professional misconduct arising out of disturbances at a rally held in Central Hail on 27 February in the middle of the teachers' struggle over the London Allowance. Although the charges have been laid by an individual member, we cannot ignore the role of the NUT bureaucracy in this matter.
The Central Hall meeting indicated a deep hift between the capitulationist line of the burcaucracy and that of a large section of trachers who wished to pursue a militant policy with the object of smashing the Froces It was the bureaucracy's refusal to allow debate on a motios putting the militant case which was the immodiate cause of the fracas from which these charges This meeting was only an Indication to the bureaucracy of the existence of a large militant layer, in the NUT which was extremely critical of the mishandling of the alaries struenie. And the burcaucracy l utilizing the present period of downturn so try to nip this current in the bud. It hopes that the example made of these militants will be enough to intimidate other sections of the tank and file: It in no accident thut at the recent nation al conference of the NUT the autonomy of local associations was attacked and evere restrictions placed upon them. The ascutive's prejudicial handling of this dreulated to local associations, their selasal of legal aid, etc., demonstrates the complete identity of this attack with those on local autonomy.
Of course, what is intended is to lay the basis for a deal with the Tory Government over mase 3u une tant agarest nach deals in Inextricably linked with the defence of the Wandworth Three. As 15 June, the date of the next court appearance of the 24 building workers on trial in Shrewsbury for their picketing activities, approaches, there are increasing signs that the trade union movement is not going to allow the capitalist state to get away with its attack on these militants.
Last weekend the editorial board of the rank-and-the bullding workers" paper, met and decided to call on the Midlands and North-West regions of UCATT to support a national conference in defence of the Shrewsbury 24, which would he convened by the defence committer set Dave Jackson (third from right), secretary of the Defence Committee, at building workers' meering in London on Tuesday. up in North Wales for these militants. The defenco committee itself has recently put out a call asking for the settine up of local defence committJackson was speaking at meetings arranged by the Joint Sites Committee, to mobilise support for the mass meeting of trade unionists they are holding at Central Hall, Westminster. The Joint Sites Committec has recently decided to sponsor a Londonarea defence committee, to which other organisations in the working class movement can then affiliate. At one meeting addressed by Jackson, some 150 militants from five sites in Central London took a unanimous vote pledging industrial action in support of the 24 when they finally appear in the Crown Court, A wide variety of actions are being planned throughout the country for this Friday in solidarity with the Shrewsbury defendants.
The Liaison Committee for Defence of Trade Unions is holding a apecial meeting of its executive at Salford on 23 June, and has invited delegates from the main shop stew ards committees across the country to attend. It is expected that this meet ing will agree to convene a recall conference of the LCDTU, which will have as the two main items on its agonda the organisation of opposi tion to the Government-TUC talks and the defence of the Shrewsbury i of these developments indicate that a mobilization of the entire working class movement in defence of these militants is at least i real possibility. The capitalist state will be warned "hands off the Shrewsbury 24". The most important job we have to do over the next few months i to make sure that as widespread and powerful a movement as possible is built on the national level, through out the whole working class, to carry this tight through to the finish. Victimisation threats are being made by the authorities at Sussex University after Rudents there succesfully stopped an American military serviting social scientist. Professor P. Huntingion, from speaking at a lecture on the 5 June.
Now the Vice-Chancelior's adviser at the University has askad staff members to pro vide the names of staff and students involv ed in the demonstration. This is obviously • prelude to attempte a victimisation. A faculty meeting was being held on Wednes day, 13 June, at which attempts were ex pected to censure certain members of faculty. These moves will only be beaten back if a movement of aven groater farce than that which stopped Huntingion from speaking is mobilised. It is essential that the victories of the past week do not end in defeat for thoee who have genuinely shown their solidarity with the Indochinese people.
Committal procondings for the Coventry 7, arrested after the police raids on alleged Rapublican pympathisers mid-April, ware due to start this Friday, 15 June after being postponed from Monday. A mass piccet was being organised by the Defenca Committee.
Meanwhile, over 1000 Orangemen marchec through Coventry last Saturday in the annual perade of the Midlands Provines of the Loyal Orange instrution of engand This is the first time that Coventry has been singled out for this honour in what was an obvious attempt to intimidate the local irish community and those who have been supporting the Coventry 7. Many of them wore, in effect, armed, reported the Coventry Evening Telegraph and shoppers wanting to cross the ros wara manhandied.* But the police did not lift a finger. Small the poper that, I'm afraid the impression I got was that they wore thare to look after the marchers? Certainly the behe