Campaign to Defeat Fees

The Campaign to defeat Fees is contacting trade union branches for support and who better than the National Union of Teachers?
They can be contacted by email at socialiststudents@hotmail.com and they have a web page
www.socialiststudents.org.uk









Dear Friend,

We are writing to you to suggest that you invite a speaker from the Campaign to Defeat Fees to your trade union branch around the question of building a campaign that can force the government to scrap all university fees and fund a quality education for all.

Fees of £3,000 a year were introduced in 2006. As a result the average graduate’s debt is expected to rise to £22,000. A survey of Vice Chancellors showed that the majority now want to raise the cap on the fees to £10,000! The student experience is based on poverty and debt. Education workers are suffering from cuts, privatisation, and increased pressure. Socialist Students launched the Campaign to Defeat Fees (CDF) in November of last year to bring together everyone who stands for free education and opposes cuts, closures and privatisation. So far we have support from the NUS and a number of local student unions and hundreds of students across the country. We believe that it’s time to fight back to defend our public services.

We believe that fees could have been defeated if the NUS leadership had led a concerted mass campaign. Unfortunately that was not the case. Socialist Students welcomed the NUS demo in October where, despite the inadequate slogans and mobilising in many areas, it was clear that there’s a huge number of students who were serious about wanting to campaign on the issue and to fight against all fees – not just to maintain the status quo. So we launched the campaign and hope to work with all who oppose fees and privatisation.

We think a mass campaign can force the government to retreat – but it will need to be broader than just the students currently at university. This campaign, to be victorious, will have to learn the lessons of the French students and youth. Through their collaboration with the trade unions and working class they forced the government to retract the hated CPE law. This law would have meant that workers under-26 could be fired for no reason in the first two years of employment. We want the trade unions, with their experience and authority, involved from the start to ensure that this campaign is as strong and effective as possible.

Trade unions have always played an important role in fighting for education as a right. Enclosed is a copy of the resolution we ask trade union branches to support. Hopefully you will agree and decide to organise a meeting or debate in your union branch and to support the CDF. You can contact me at the e-mail address or phone number above to arrange a speaker from the Campaign to Defeat Fees.

Yours in solidarity,

Matt Dobson
Socialist Students national organiser