We have submitted the following two motions to the next NEC meeting please send any questions or comments to students(at)respectcoalition.org.uk
Stop the War Coalition
NUS NEC believes:
1) That the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan remain the most high profile and significant political issue in the news and popular opinion
2) That the Stop the War Coalition is a broad organisation encompassing the huge majority of peace, anti-war and trade union organisations.
3) Stop the War demonstrations have mobilised millions of people and thousands of students with local demonstrations, meetings and events.
4) That the Coalitions aims are as follows,
"1. The aim of the Coalition should be very simple: to stop the war currently declared by the United States and its allies against 'terrorism'. We condemn the attacks on New York and we feel the greatest compassion for those who lost their life on 11th September 2001. But any war will simply add to the numbers of innocent dead, cause untold suffering, political and economic instability on a global scale, increase racism and result in attacks on civil liberties. The aims of the campaign would be best expressed in the name Stop the War Coalition.
2. Supporters of the Coalition, whether organisations or individuals, will of course be free to develop their own analyses and organise their own actions. But there will be many important occasions when united initiatives around broad stop the war slogans can mobilise the greatest numbers.3. The Coalition shall elect a steering committee which reflects the breadth of those involved to carry forward the aims and objectives. Local groups should have regular, open and inclusive meetings.
4. We call on all peace activists and organisations, trade unionists, campaigners and labour movement organisations to join with us in building a mass movement that can stop the drive to war.
5. We are committed to opposing any racist backlash generated by this war. We will fight to stop the erosion of civil rights."
NUS NEC further believes:
1) NUS has backed almost every national activity of the Stop the War Coalition and had speakers at all the most recent national demonstrations.
2) The coalition is currently re-launching its student work with a focus on activities in universities. Our national president is speaking at the first activists meeting on Saturday 8 September.
3) Many members of the NEC and NUS are under the impression we are an affiliate but we have actually not discussed the war at annual conference since 2003 due to our own internal failures around annual conference.
4) The Society and Citizenship zone meeting agreed in principle to support the upcoming international peace conference on Saturday 1 December and Stop the War Coalition university tour with comedian Mark Steel and ex-SAS Officer Ben Griffen.
NUS NEC resolves:
1) To include the Stop the War national meeting on 8 September in our next mailing to students’ unionsTo agree in principle to affiliate to Stop the War (£200) and request that the NUS president sits on the steering committee on behalf of NUS. If necessary to refer the question to the next Society and Citizenship Committee.
Support Our Post Workers
NUS NEC believes:
1) That the NUS have consistently campaigned against the privatisation of our public services.
2) The Communication Workers Union’s (CWU) ongoing action has involved 130,000 workers in strike action to break the pay freeze in the public sector and halt the devastation of our postal services.
3) That both the government and the Royal Mail management have refused to back off from the harsh new conditions, pay cuts, 40,000 job losses and over 2,000 Post Office closures.
4) That as a national union whose members are both part of and dependant on public services we are clear about which side we are on.
5) The TUC supports the postal workers in their dispute and has called on others to do the same.
NUS NEC further believes:
1) That it is a disgrace that Royal Mail bosses can say that post workers are “25% overpaid and 40% under worked.”
2) That the CWU dispute has to be seen as part of a wider fight to defend public services and break Gordon Browns public sector pay freeze (a freeze on pay increases of 2% - half of the inflation rate).
3) That this dispute may be drawn out and solidarity and wider public support may well be key.
4) That the national CWU demonstration on the 21st August (assemble 12 noon, Clerkenwell Green) will be key in rallying CWU members and joining up the dispute with others in the public sector.
NUS Resolves:
1) To support the national demonstration and advertise it on officer online and the brief.
2) To draw up advice (with relevant NUS staff) on how students’ unions and sabbaticals can get involved with local CWU supporters groups. (Rob Owen to lead.)
3) To encourage officers to visit picket lines with messages of support from NUS and local unions.
4) To write a letter of support to the CWU executive stressing our attempt to build solidarity in line with the TUC’s wishes.
