The 26-12 NUT executive vote last week against joining Unison members in schools and local councils on strike over pay on 14 October was wrong, and damaging.
It misses the chance to pile on pressure through joint strikes to win real gains from this weak and rapidly crumbling government – one which last week even saw dozens of its own MPs desert it in a parliamentary vote over the bedroom tax.
The exec did vote to consult members through what is in reality a national ballot starting 15 September on up to two days of strike action before the general election.
We must all fight to make sure that ballot is won handsomely – and that will take energy, enthusiasm and hard work. We need to then work flat out to make those strikes as hard hitting and effective as possible.
But the exec vote – which saw even some key figures in left groups such as the Socialist Teachers Alliance join with exec members to their right in voting against 14 October- is more than just a missed opportunity.
It signals an explicit shift away from seeing our strike campaign as one which is about ramping up action to win real gains now from this government.
Instead it signals that for most on the NUT executive strikes are now an adjunct to and subordinate to a political campaign focussed around the general election and what may be in manifestos before and policies after the election.
Our 10th July strike alongside Unison, GMB and Unite members in schools and councils as well as civil servants and firefighters showed that action works. Within a fortnight of that Gove was dumped by Camron because he was a liability – and our strike campaign was a key factor in that.
That victory should have been the signal to step up action this term to quickly win more gains from new education secretary Morgan.
Many on the exec argued that we couldn’t call action on 14 October because we are balloting members. That’s rubbish – and they know it.
We could have called action on 14th October under our existing ballot and said to members that this was the first step in an escalating campaign and the ballot would then determine the shape of the escalation.
Equally it would have been easy – if the political will was there – to ensure the consultation was done and concluded in time to include 14 October as the first strike on our campaign.
Others argued that the 10 July strike was weak in some areas and that this meant we couldn’t call more action before the new ballot. There were weaknesses – alongside many strengths too – and let’s not forget that 10 July was the final nail in Gove’s coffin!
But even in weaker areas members know that Gove went – and this could have been the basis for arguing that action works and if we wanted to get Morgan to make real changes to policy now was the time to step up the pressure.
Some suggest that given there was a majority against action on 14 October on the exec – which there was whatever the left had done- there was no point in splitting the vote. But surely one responsibility of the left is to say and vote for what it thinks is right and make sure members know who is responsible for any failure to call action – not simply go along with and vote with those people?
No one is pretending that winning members to strikes – whenever they are – is a push over. Of course it requires argument and serious and hard work in every area. But the message “ we sank Gove now let’s sink his policies” could have rallied members effectively if the union leadership and executive had led a real drive for it.
The failure to strike officially on 14 October will cause damage in many areas and schools where members will not understand why in July we were out with other school staff but this time we are not.
The ballot question we will get is on up to two days of strike action before the general election. This falls short of the “series of strikes throughout the autumn term and beyond” that conference voted we should put to members.
Nevertheless the simple fact is that we have more chance of winning any gains by fighting than not. So it is vital that we now throw everything into n the ballot, using the Stand up for Education manifesto and stalls, with meetings in as many schools as possible.
Part of that too should be pushing for maximum solidarity with school colleagues who will be striking officially on 14 October. We should discuss in every school the old trade union principle about not crossing picket lines. Whether we win that or not, some form of solidarity with striking colleagues on 14 October is possible.
In schools this term too teachers will find out about pay progression . And anywhere teachers are held back we should push for the paid official strike action the national union has said it will back.
And of course we need also to remember the world does not end with our pay and conditions – and keep up the campaigning on wider educational polices and crucial questions such as solidarity with Palestine too.
Stefan Simms, an NUT executive member for outer London and Socialist Workers Party member
