Four-point plan chases cost of living

THE FOUR main aims of the National Union of Students' grants campaign —the biggest ever run • in the union's history-will be to: • WIN grants for all students. • GAIN increases of up to £I00 a year to keep grants in line with the cost of living increases. • OBTAIN full grants for married women students. • ABOLISH the present means test.

In October 1972, the NUS estimated that for grants to retain their 1968 value only, they would have to be immediately increase l by £65 a year to £510. Students ready for militant grants campaign 'LONG and militant' e National Union of major cities Piecework clash delays US contract STOREKEEPERS at CAV Acton, west London, are refusing to issue components for an important US contract because of a pay dispute.

The men have put their case to union officials, and a works conference on the issue is expected to be arranged shortly.

Under CAV's interpretation of the Tory pay-control law, piecework values on jobs agreed before November 6 last year are frozen, but new work is still subject to mutual agreement.

storekeepers are pressing for an increase because change in their method working. Tories take Clyde bank rent THE TORY government is going today with attempts to get i controlled Clydebank town coul Glasgow.

If granted it will order the council to instruct their officials to prepare the implementation of rent increases within a fixed time limit.

Failure to comply with any such court order against them could result in the councillors being jailed for contempt.

Clydebank is one of seven Scotland still refusing Housing Labour councils throughout rents reinancial Provisions) (Scotland)

There are over 9,000 council tenants in Clydebank who have not had to pay the increases due last October.

The Tory government has already struck back against the council, which is 14-7 in favour Since then, however, the union has made a new estimate, based on cost-of-living increases since December last year. The new figure they estimate for the minimum increase is now £105 to bring grants to f550 a year.

Other students have rejected the NUS executive's estimate, pointing out that what they need are immediate cash supplements to the present grant to enable them to exist for the coming year.

At present only those students on Bachelor of Arts or Diploma of Education courses have grants as a right.

throughout Britain.

The students are grants of £510 a maximum of £456. NUS president Mr Digby Jacks told reporters all parts of the country. The NUS is canvassing for wide support and government.' court ibourIcil in campaign for higher grants was launched I Students yesterday at six special Press co •Students are more concerned and more been at the union's London headquarters yesterday: about their grants than they have ever Forty students' unions are already staging rent strikes and canteen boycotts in a bid to force the Tories to raise grants. Massive demonstrations and rallies are planned over the next few months for expects backing from teachers' organizations, trade unions, trade councils and the TUC.

Mr Jacks challenged the government to deny the justice and strength of their demands.

He said: 'There will be a long and sustained militant campaign from the student body because that is the only way we think we can get justice from the Miss Tish Collins, from Walbrook College of Education, said inflation had so undermined grants that some students were forced to live on 5p plates of chips.

And. Miss Judy Cotter, from the University of London College of Education, claimed students had to go without food, sleep OUR HOUSING CORRESPONDENT non-implementation.

Housing subsidies to the tune of £320,000 have already been withheld, forcing the council to borrow the money at high interest. This is almost certain to result in a rates increase to cover the cost. • The feeling against the Tories in Clydebank over the rent increases is one of extreme bitterness.

When the Secretary of State for Scotland ordered a public inquiry into Clydebank's refusal to implement, tenants and trade unionists stormed the meeting, waving their banners and forced the proceedings to a halt.

Nevertheless, the government Other students, like those on Ordinary and Higher National Diploma courses, are subject to 'discretionary' awards. cretion on the focal disof the local education authority and this varies widely from area to area.

Consequently in some parts of the country students would not get a grant for a particular course, which they might get easily somewhere else.

The union is demanding that all students get the same grant, irrespective of their courses. demanding minimum full year against the present rebels to court

HANNIGAN

Grants for married women are totally inadequate for their needs. A maximum grant for married woman student is £275 a year, unless her husband is also a student.

Even the £275 is subject to a means test on her parents-though she is not dependent on them in any way.

Such a low figure makes it impossible for a married woman to exist at university or college unless her husband is willing and able to afford to pay for her.

The union's executive statement points out:

IAN on floors and give up all entertainment to survive on existing grants.

Mr Jacks warned that if the Tory government refused to increase grants this could only mean a policy of contraction in the further education sector.

The NUS claim, which will cost £20.6m to implement in full, was submitted in September and there will be further talks between the two sides next month.

Commenting on the effect of Phase Two of the Tory pay plan on their claim, Jacks said it would declared the council in default as a result of the inquiry and has now proceeded to take court action.

First moves were made last Saturday when a petition was lodged on behalf of the Secretary of State in the Court Session. This morning, counsel for both sides will argue the case.

A similar procedure was adopted last month against Glasgow. And the subsequent threat of contempt of court was enough to send the Labourites there crashing and led to a big majority in favour of implementation.

Clydebank Provost Robert Fleming yesterday told me he thought his council would probably decide to continue 1TS opposition to the rent-raising Act 'It confines higher education to those women whose husbands are both well-off and approve of their wives having higher education. It is doubly discriminatory: it discriminates against women and it discriminates against the poor?

Finally there is the issue of the means test. 'To get a grant at all, students have to subject their parents to a means test, the union explains.

If parents' yearly income is over £1,100 money is deducted from the grant.

Theoretically, parents have to make up the rest.

ASKS STUDEVIS NONS OBEY be up to the government to decide when to pay any increases.

He said: "Ideally we would like the money now, but it is more likely the government will raise grants for 1973-1974. We just want action from them, that's The grants campaign will be the biggest ever mounted by the NUS and it comes after a unanimous recommendation from the union's annual conference at Margate last year.

In addition to raised grants the NUS is demanding full grants for all students in further educawhen it meets tonight.

'The majority of councillors have expressed their determination to carry on, whatever happens in the court, he said.

'There is no doubt rent increases would lead to a lowering of the standard of living for the tenants, especially as the increases are going to be automatic year by year.' At the same time, unemployment in Clydebank was running at almost 10 per cent, added Mr Fleming. • The six other Labour councils in Scotland standing with Clydebank are Cumbernauld, Cowdenbeath, Barrhead, Saltcoats, Alloa and Denny and Dunipace. Inquiries have been completed into each of them. But the results are not out as yet.

But if they can't afford to or refuse to do so, then the student has no means of obtaining it-unless he institutes court action.

At the same time, students are prevented from making up the extra money from other sources.

If a student earns more than £100 a year during term time, he has to pay back the extra to the local The system also leads to hardship for parents and younger children in their families—since a sizeable portion of their income goes towards grant expenses alone.

NUS president Digby Jacks militant action, 40 long and challenge to the Tories. With him, Tish Collins and Judy Cotter from London colleges of education.