tinued crosion of students" living standards as a result of inflation and the education cut-backs.
the IS and the CP agree on the merg ing of the two campaigns, something for two ycars.
forward at Margate to combat the decline in student living standards on all levels came from those colleges backing the IMG line. This amendment called for a sliding scale of grunts, tied to a student cost of living index; for E850 for all; for the abolition of all the anomalies in the grants system; and for the Labour Government to reverse all the cutbacks.
SLIDING SCALE The demand for a sliding scale, to give studats immediate compensation for inflation, came under heavy attack from all sides. Not only did John Randall attack the sliding scale in his introduction to the debate, but he was promptly followed by two other prominent members of the executive - Al Stewart of the CP-dominated Broad Left, and Terry Povey of 1S.
For once the executive stood as one, to make sure that the membership who clected them would have no compensation for intlation. Since they themselves had no proposais for making sure that students do not have to continually chase after the effects of inflation, they have in practice committed students to accepling » real drop in their living standard Posey even went so far as to call the sliding scale reactionary. How is it reactionary to make it clear that students have no responsibility for the present inflationary crisis and do not intend to be made to pay for it? Perhaps Povey could explain wbether the 'automatic cost of living regulator' put forward for white collar workers in a recent issue of 15 journal is reactionary? NEAR VICTORY?
claimed that students were on 'the threshold of total victory! Nothing could be further from the truth. One delegate was head to shout 'sit down Kitchener", Victory for Stewart can only mean real and price increases of 305 and more; the chopping of money from the discretionary award budget; and the loss of over one filth of students income due to inflation. Some threshold that is!
With victory apparcotly so close at hand, it is hardly surprising that the Broad Left put forward no militant campaign of direct action. on Reginat with tha Dan bad m conference was how to fight the conIt was good to see that now both which the IMG has consistently argued But the only coberent strategy put sting in your face.
HARD LINE action this term.
shirk that task.
NAME...
Al Stewart, in an inspired moment, a local, area and national basis, linking up with those equally affected by the cuts such as teachers, school students, porters and building workens. In fact the Broad Left seemed so confident of total victory that they did not even see the need to call for a national rent strike.
As one speaker described the executive's campaign, it's like a balloon. Full of hot air, nothing in it, drifting aimlessly and then bur The motion which was passed will yet again leave students lead erless at the start of next term. But Just as over the past two months, the authorities can be expected to take a hard line in pressing through the curbacks to shift the onus of paying for the cash crisis onto students and college workers.
The executive showed this term their inability to lead the campaign Now it is up to the militants in the colleges to ensure that next term sees an extension of the 150 collepes which have already seen direct that.
If the executive fails to provide an effective leadership then those fighting at the base will have to take this job on themselves. The IMG srudents, as tbey have shown in all the strugges this term, will not Subscribe to Red CALL FOR ALL-OUT TEACHERS The East of Scotland Teachers' Action