Widespread rent strikes in Scotland

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TENS of thousands of council tenants in Scotland are on rent strike.

Among them are some 5,000 tenants in Renfrew district who are refusing to pay a 35 per cent rent increase, and 1,500 in Dumbarton who are withholding a 46 per cent rise.

Next to CND, Scottish Tenants Organisation tastest orowin orcanisation ocondro Delegates from 88 tenants groups attended its first AGM last week.

here was an angry response Donald Dewer MP spokesperson on housing. argued against the strikes, on lue basis that there were 'proper means' of dealing with the rent rises.

The most warmly Dundee councillor Frank Christie. opposing Chase homes wilbe plintone bo pur Slates by d cial sector areas of the recently-formed the to opposition hardly he meetings democratic greetea speaker Tommy sales, refusal to rates by so hassite paper top the massive Labour council justifies this on the basis that half its rates come from the commerRenfrew district is one of the main the Numerous local meetings were held before several thousand tenants voted overwhelmingly not to pay rent and rates rises The Labour councillors' excuse for a 35 per cent rent rise is that they claim there would not be working class support if they defied the government confirmed by the TACT of many as thousand tenants forced the council to reduce the rent rise from a planned 57.5 per cent.

Macnamara, the organisers of the strike in Renfrew, says that the struggle could be toughened by a Freets will the el utide ront the full rent. that Setback for NUT leaders THE executive of the teachers' union received a major The union's right-wing leadership wanted to suspend stanwould have strengthened its ability to discipline members who take But the conference voted io reject this move. The background to the debate was the disciplining of the the South London teachers who have been suspended from the union because they called on NUT members to support a half-day strike by Lambeth The executive ruled out of order attempts at the conAgainst the advice of the union leadership, delegates passed a motion declaring 'deep concern' over increased • The motion said teachers had a 'prime responsibility' to speak out April 1981. •Page 15