Manchester - July 1st 2007 - Conference for Education Workers
Jun 3 2007
Manchester AF are hosting a conference for Education workers on July 1st. The conference is being held with the assistance of comrades in the IWW and Solfed.
So far we have agreed to hold workshops on:
Casualisation in education
the exam system
ID technology in schools
fighting the state's plans for academies
We'd like sessions on:
the struggle at Crichton and are hopeful of running one
organising the Education Workers Network (looking for a Solfed contributor).
The conference is open to all sympathetic to its aims of bringing libertarian education workers together in a non-sectarian manner.
please email manchester [@] af-north.org for more details.
Jun 4 2007
#2
Am I missing something here?
A few months back there was loads of discussion about this project on Libcom with a fair bit of enthusiasm from different groups and individuals, followed by a well attended meeting at the bookfair. Is there any reason education workers, etc, on here are not responding so quickly to this thread, or am I just being paranoid?
Come on you lot!!! Who's coming to this one? I'll have a chat to the education workers job branches in Leicester, see if they're up for sending anyone along. I'll try and be there as well.
Jun 5 2007
#3
Hi,
Not an education worker but this will be raised at Clydeside IWW branch meeting tomoz.
Jun 5 2007
#4
Cheers. We'd really appreciate a speaker on Crichton.
Jun 5 2007
#5
I'll be along, but don't let that put anybody off 
x357997 wrote:
It seems as if the conference aims to organize workers into two differant unions and influence them with one platform. I'm pretty confused by it...dont see anything wrong with it other than confusing teachers - who havnt been around the radical block a few times - coming to the conference looking to organize and if any organizing takes place then wont it be difficult because of the row that may happen between SolFed and IWW. Or am I missing something?
As far as I'm aware, the conference doesn't aim to organise workers into SolFed or the IWW particularly. In any case, I can't see there being a row between SolFed and IWW, they seem to be pretty friendly with each other.
Jun 6 2007
#6
And SolFed doesn't claim to be a union.
Jun 6 2007
#7
yarr yarr i should be there! looking forward to it very much. i asked scottish wobs about a speaker on the crichton struggle but so far no response - dundee, you're good at kicking arse! 
Jun 6 2007
#8
x357997 wrote:
It seems as if the conference aims to organize workers into two differant unions and influence them with one platform. I'm pretty confused by it...dont see anything wrong with it other than confusing teachers - who havnt been around the radical block a few times - coming to the conference looking to organize and if any organizing takes place then wont it be difficult because of the row that may happen between SolFed and IWW. Or am I missing something?
mate this isn't about organising anyone into a union. it's a get-together of libertarian/class-struggle left education workers to discuss the issues, and how we can move forward and co-operate.
Jun 6 2007
#9
John. wrote:
And SolFed doesn't claim to be a union.
indeed. perhaps x3 was meaning that IWW advocates that people get active in the IWW and solfed are more interested in militating within the mainstream unions?
Jun 6 2007
#10
Quote:
solfed are more interested in militating within the mainstream unions
Nah. Inside & beyond, mate.
Jun 6 2007
#11
Well as a wob I've found it to be really productive to be working with solfed members on the healthcare workers thang. The education workers conference looks excellent. Look forward to getting feedback from it.
Leave sectarianism to the trots - the groups are means to an end, surely, and the growth of either is irrelevant compared to increased class consciousness, militancy etc? ;P
We have several UCU members involved in IWW, including Crichton Campus members - but all your other focus/workshops so far seem to focus on school level? (unless I've missed something?) Might be worth trying to balance that out to increase your scope?
Presumably you're already involved / in contact with http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/anarchist.academics and http://knowledgelab.org.uk/wiki/Main_Page
Is there a website I can send to folks who I think will be interested?
Jun 7 2007
#12
Thanks for the advice Ginger. We've not contacted those sites - not knowing abou them.
The casualisation discussion refers mostly to higher and tertiary education. Exams applies across the board. Academies obviously refers to schools as does the ID one. Not a bad balance, I think. But then I'm biased, being a school teacher.
Jun 7 2007
#13
the button wrote:
Quote:
solfed are more interested in militating within the mainstream unionsNah. Inside & beyond, mate.
apologies a hundredfold!
Jun 7 2007
#14
Is this worth advertising wider?
When I first heard of it there was a comment about limited spaces, which is a bit of a shame really.
You were also talking about a Solfed contributor, as anyone stepped forward yet?
Jun 7 2007
#15
The limit is 35 - 40 - which is still quite a few. Nbody from Solfed has stepped forward yet.
We'd have no problem with it being advertised around libertarian circles.
Jun 7 2007
#16
The limit is 35 - 40 - which is still quite a few. Nbody from Solfed has stepped forward yet.
We'd have no problem with it being advertised around libertarian circles.
Jun 7 2007
#17
yeah go for it, advertise away!
but no riff-raff though...
Jun 7 2007
#18
I've just had an email from a comrade in Solfed. He's reminded me that the Solfed/EWN have offered to do a session at the conference. Specifically it will be on how they have successfully organised at Manchester University. So apologies to SF comrades.
Jun 8 2007
#19
Jun 13 2007
#20
Thread title corrected, please include date and location info in thread title.
Jun 13 2007
#21
soz comrade administrator .....
Jun 14 2007
#22
No guarantees but i'll try and make it along to this one, the workshop on the exam system seems potentially to be of real interest to me.
Jun 14 2007
#23
great. look forward to seeing you there.
Jun 14 2007
#24
i can't go up on the saturday but won't be able to get there till 1pm on sunday! aargh!!!!
anyone driving up from london??
Jun 14 2007
#25
Two AFers driving up on Saturday
Jun 14 2007
#26
yeah, got your email - thanks - will really try hard! 
Jun 20 2007
#27
A reminder. The conference is in 11 days time. I would like to send out a few documents in advance. If you intend to come, please email me at manchester[at]af-north.org or pm me with your email address.
Jun 23 2007
#28
Here are the details of the Education Workers meeting.
Date: Sunday, July 1st.
Venue:
Mill Street venture Centre, 491 Mill Street, Openshaw, M11 2AD. Multimap address is: http://www.multimap.com/maps/#t=l&map=53.47624,-2.19197|16|4&loc=GB:53.47624:-2.19197:16|M11%202AD|M11%202AD
It's about a mile and a half from Manchester Piccadilly Station. Either walk or get a taxi. It shouldn't cost more than £4 - we'll give a lift to the station at the end of the day, it'll just be too much of a rush in the morning.
Start time 10.30am (coffee and meet up), finish 4.30 pm (giving us time to tidy up before we go).
Confirmed sessions:
Exam system (document to follow)
Academy Schools, how can we fight them (document to follow)
EWN at Manchester University
The 'New University': Relevent education vs. Revolutionary education.' "
Waiting for confirmation:
Crichton Campus Conflict
We have two meeting rooms - one large, one small. So discussion can take a workshop form.
Please contact me if you are coming - a pm will do or an email to manchester@af-north.org. That way we'll be able to provide lunch for everyone!
Please circulate this message to others who have expressed an interest.
See you.
Jun 25 2007
#29
many many many many apols knightrose, but i'll be unable to make it. everything seems to be against me getting there. 
hope it goes wonderfully well 
Jul 1 2007
#30
The conference took place today. It wasn't hugely attended, but the discussion was excellent. We focussed on examinations, academies, universities and EWN organsiation in Manchester Uni. The common threads that ran through these discussions were surprising. A fuller report will follow. In the meantime if anyone wants to join the education workers discussion list, send an email to manchester@af-north.org
It seems as if the conference aims to organize workers into two differant unions and influence them with one platform. I'm pretty confused by it...dont see anything wrong with it other than confusing teachers - who havnt been around the radical block a few times - coming to the conference looking to organize and if any organizing takes place then wont it be difficult because of the row that may happen between SolFed and IWW. Or am I missing something?