Sue Slipman on problems facing the left in the union.
This terin the Tories bave taken Nos With 5o, med bers the forward in the Tories are the largest political force in the the student ear from Conservative Party entral Office BOG sizeable topanons iro prvate moustry the Federation of Conservative Students has taken the offensive. ao acomand, ine rus nas lec and won several campaigas to diaffillate universities from the including St. Andrews ad Edinburgi . In the rest of the yuntry the FCS plays lip servk so the unity of NUS, but has at he same time initiated a string of from Tinancially supporting the firefighters or arikers. A male member of the the Women's Conference two weeks President of the National Union of Students and Communist Party executive committee member — threatened to bring in scab labour to break last week's strike by staff members at the union's headquarters. This type of incident - combined with vigorous press atlacks against student unions — is the backdrop to the NUS conference taking place in Blackpool this weekend. REDMOND O'NEILL reports *Dave Wilks, national chairman (sic) of the FCS, summed up in a recent press fatement the major with Tory advances. eres of the FCS in his view ve ilustrated backing it has won from the Broad Left majority national executive of the NUS on every major lisue this term.
Thus it bas been Sue Slipman who has repeatedly lent her name to the press witch hunt against She started off the term by condemning the anti-fascists at LEWIS SAL. and finished autonomy. middle of the term was fiäled with her threats to kick out unions apposing Zionism.
DUCASHI Iroad Left/Tory motion will ti to thaw pastion of No pintorn Cascists. unholy dun will also oppose any dents' right to control their own unions.
All is not well in the Broad Left JUNCIEN Party militants are dismayed by the de leadership and the Tories. These stand leit unity unity against the right. They find The pro- swalka, full CHEAP CORN the After all, the Broad Left led the fight to wrest the NUS from right arnund a campaigo to throw ou Nus Constitur el. 'no politics" clause from the FCS and the Broad Left leader Cantons who bas fascists, oppos dionisin, or support the right o women to close medines lo mien The left al Blackpool will be made up of all those delegates who retuse lo po alone with Sur curnent NUS And speakers from this attempts — - by 841582418 EXOTICA and Communise Part are trained to underbout face a bit bard to contract within which we are money".
and can't do funds. The Today the of the SSA. Slipman's historie compromise".
The lask of the left will be to turn movement out veniber towards the firefighters, and to the defence of the union's own especially in further erison education colleges. This entails a sustained campaign againse th the Courts, loca education auhorities, and Dow, the public accounts conmmittee to limit the autonomy of student Sue Slipman's comments don't give grounds for comfort. In a CUECO CON LE SECUE t this way: "Our autonomy doe signify total freedom: oL Sudent union consulutions are with the public siven the powerto operae on me popue s In other words, unioes will be WANTED expected to accept a local auth- NESSES: orty or college veto on what the six months"
Faith thei Socialist Students Alliance will be fighting at BlackAugust. process of uniting the student left on the basis of fighting policies. Lewisham A nationally co-ordinated campagn to oppose all attacks on union control of union Funds will medical be the centrepiece to the efforts Broad Left walk-out The Women's Conference o the National Union of Stud enes ended in disester for the Broad Left on 19-20 Nowhen executive merrbers Kay Copp-Brown and Sue Rob- spured a Conference decision to exclude men, ond wulked out, declaring the meeting anconstitutional.
They were joined in their walk ou by a handfal of women and a male member of the Federation of Conservative Students. It wa: his disruptive tactics which firs prompred the vote for a womanConfercos.
The frustration which women union members feel executive's bandling of the campaign is best summed up in their Be gor a woman presiden And a toker women's conference URGENTLY: WITCHINAWOR -Lambeth magistrates for the pleasura o reing kicked by police officer the Lewisham anti lascist demonstration on 13 Lockwood, a delegale to the All Campaiga Agains Racism and Fasciam, and an unampo tone producio endentem his in juriee, but the court preferred to is something sou con stiff..
Despire the undemocratic ace ions of executive members women from aver 40 colleges remaned ro discuss motions and elect the new women's commThe majority of the campaign 3 not prepared to let the NU hide away, or label th tons of Copp-Brown and Robert roel of the fallare part and of the Broad Left to put . ward perspectives for an active campaign. They are prepared to bureaucratically 4H-HO grouping active in the campaign.
Delegations to NUS Confercnce will demand chat these manoeuvres are rejected and that the decisions and newly elected nised.
convict him on the ludicroun charge of 'assault on an unknown He ls appealing against both conviction and sentence, but has ta locete the other three or fou comrades who were ahoved CHANIHIN High Road, pestthe police alation n Ladywall Road, shortly befon an 13 August Socialist Challenge Envcioso.
Lockwood - urgent.