In its usual cowardly and dishonorable way the Labour Government has decided to stand firm against the teachers. This reflects a cynical calculation that they will be easier to defeat than say the postmen.
As explained before in this paper the struggle of the teachers has extremely important social consequences. It needs to be added that the defeat of the teachers would be a victory for the whole incomes policy and a defeat for the labour movement. It would encourage the Government to stand up against other similar sectors and undercut the developing militancy among public employees.
Committees of support for the teachers should be established where ever possible; the trade union defence committees should aggressively advocate the teachers' cause. Their struggle is ours and we cannot afford them to be defeated.