On Tuesday 12 November the biggest ever Union meeting was held at Swansea University. Two thousand students voted by two to one to continue the week-old occupation in defence of victimised philosophy students.
Three weeks carlier the call for an occupation could muster only 400 votes. So why the change?
DIRECT ACTION At the end of October the six victImised students, who had twice boycotted examinations in the philos ophy department, were recommended by the students union to sit exams conveniently provided by the author ities. They were given assurances that changes would take place and there would be no victimisations.
But the militants at Swansea were prepared for victimisations, and responded quickly. The defence committee, in opposing the decision to sit the exams, called a series of action forums to defend the six. On the day of the cxams the forum organised a boycott of lecutres.
When the results' came out, with Tive of the six students still victimised, an emergency forum, attended by two hundred students, was called. At this meeting the IMG and various independents argued the need for Immediate direct action. A big majority agreed. The building housing the philosophy department was occupied.
Within five hours the occupation was ratified by the Union council, and three days later 1,300 students at a Union meeting voted to occupy the administration building.
The mass of students were thus drawn in behind minority direct action. At a university like Swansea with no tradition of struggle the issue on its own was insufficient to Ancillary warkers from the Portsmouth Thros thousand students marched through Edinburgh last Friday, With hundreds of teachers out on strike there was a great opportunity to build links between students and strikers.
But the Scottish NUS Executive ref ased to allow a speaker from the All-Scot tish Action Committee to bring greetings from the teachers. Furthermore, they pushed a motion through the Scottish NUS conference the following day supporting the Education Institute of Scotland as opposed to those actually in struggle, represented by the Action generate action, The students always took the line of least resistance.
But the determined action of the hard core found a response among the mass of sympathetic students who were unsure of which way to move. To have taken a formal approach and waited for a Union meeting would have meant letting time slip away tunity would have been lost. It is vital to strike while the iron is hot. SUPPORT Support has however been forthcoming from other directions A Trades Council delegation has visited the occupation, while the Swansea Fords shop stewards committee has passed a motion of support. The solidarity of the local trade union movement is vital for the reinstline, making support from other students nationally very important. The weight of the NUS must be brought to bear. For this reason Swansea students have called a national demonstration for Wednesday 27 November. Messages of support and donations lo the occupation tund should be sent to the Occupation Committee. which calls for a minimum wage of £30 similar struggle. But because of the scabbing role of the Broad Left, there has not been the same mass invoheient or saccess as at Swunses.
paper, Lie Morning Star, on I'riday 15 November, It is argued that the way to solve academic problems is by more student participation in decision making. They sec the student world through rose-tinte spectacles.
The supposdd aim of this policy of participation is to mobilise Lhe mass of students. Surcly only the blind or the mentally infirm would fail to soe that it the masses.
It is a pity that such action was not Laken at Kent. The blame for that mast be laid squarely at the door of the Broad Left, who failed to act on the mandates given by three Union meetings to take RESIGNED The IMG at Kent had continually argued the nood for direct action to reinthe oppor- state the victimised. The members of the IMG on the Union executive, including the President, John McGoown, felt they coull no longer remain on an executive that had failed lo defend its members.
but failed to bother with the facts. In his letter of resignation McGeown said!
with those forcos prepared to take this essential principle.
It was to try and win the reinstatement campaign, to establish real democra cy, and defend the Union, that MeGeown and two other IMG mcmbers resigned -from the executive. It wus not-as the capitalist press clanned the to the awakening of the now legendary silent majorily as moderale opinion. In an article in the Communist Party's was direct action of Swansea that mobilised The capitalist pross latched on to this, I consider it necessary to abgn myseli action to pot the reinstatement cam paign back to the fore of campus life... NAME.... The International Marxist Group has always fought for the full accountability of Union officers to General Mect ingo, When clected...to post of Uition President, I pledeed mysolf to uphold The picket deserves the support of The picket must be soon as the first FOREIGN:
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