[ENS] ENS Gathering, Democracy and Campaigns Update

[Tom Dale]

Hello everyone!

1.  ENS gathering: this Saturday, Leeds
2.  Draft democratic structure: PLEASE check
3.  Boycott Coca-Cola campaign: urgent appeal for solidarity
4.  Keeping up to date with NUS & ENS

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1.  ENS gathering: this Saturday, Leeds

12-6pm, Leeds University

We will be discussing ENS's campaigns including on education funding
and workers' rights, as well as our intervention into next year's NUS
conference. For more information email daniel.randall at nus.org.uk.  We
expect around 40 people to turn up, and it'll be a great opportunity
to take the pulse of the of the student movement; and participate in
its reinvigoration.  If you'd like to stand for an NUS officership
with ENS, it'd be an especially good idea to come.  Or if you would
like to stand, but can't make the conference, drop me an e-mail.  See
you there!


2.  Draft democratic structure: PLEASE check

ENS aims to be an alternative to the top-down organised groups
operating within the student movement - few of whom even bother to
have a formal public constitution.

A draft constitution - Organising Principles & Operating Procedure -
has been posted on the website, here:
http://www.free-education.org.uk/structure.shtml.  At the gathering,
there will be time to discuss and ammend the document, so it best
suits our needs as activists and as an organisation focussed on
reinvigorating the fighting left in the NUS.

It would be really useful if people could read the document
beforehand, and think about what changes, if any, you'd like to make. 
If you'd like to join our discussion list, over which you can raise
points about the draft if you like, e-mail me back.


3.  Boycott Coca-Cola campaign: urgent appeal for solidarity

NUS Services Limited are on the offensive against the campaign for
solidarity with Colombian Coca-Cola workers.  The boycott campaign
aims to repeat the success of worker-led boycott campaigns in the US,
by forcing Coca-Cola to respect workers' right to organise.   This is
being endangered by NUSSL's 'constructive' engagement policy - which
really means talking to Coca-Cola alot.

The campaign to boycott Coke is not a large one; we don't have
anything like the resources NUSSL has.  If the grassroots of the
student movement doesn't respond, the campaign will fail; but if we
get organised, we advance the struggle for workers' rights in
Colombia.  If your SU hasn't passed a motion against Coke yet, please
do e-mail me back: UK Students Against Coke can provide model motions
and briefings.


4.  Keeping up to date with NUS & ENS

The ENS website has a couple of features it's worth checking out every
so often.  ENS Women have their page here,
http://www.free-education.org.uk/women.shtml, and you can contact them
by e-mailling mary.partington[AT]univ.ox.ac.uk

Daniel Randall's NUS NEC blog is updated regularly, and provides an
insight into the internal workings of NUS:
http://www.free-education.org.uk/nus.shtml.