London Labour Briefing no. 119

BROADWATER FARM

On Friday, September 30th, some 200 police wielding axes and sledgehammers swamped Broadwater Farm Estate in Tottenham in a sham “drugs rai staged for the benefit of a

credulous media. Another 200 police were kept nearby in

reserve.

In an attempt to exploit Thatcher/Bush “drugs war” rhetoric, the cops notified the media well in adavance of the raid and spread preposterous stories about “crack barons” plying their wares in front of little children.

In fact, a total of 34 people were arrested, a handful on “serious” drugs offences (supplying), a few more on “possession”, and the rest on public order offences (i.e. self-defence).

The contraband drugs seized amounted to two grammes of cocaine and 1.5 Ibs. of cannabis: not much for police to show after subjecting Farm residents to several hours of brutal interference, knocking down doors, emptying cooking pots, examining children’s nappies, and strip searching at least one young woman, forcibly separated from her four-month old baby. ee

By Todd N. Hamm LL

The real motive behind the raid was tne announcement, only days before, that the Poilice Complaints Authority had decided that Detective Superintendent Melvin should face disciplinary charges over his handling of the PC Blakelock murder inquiry (see London Labour Briefing, last issue).

This was a severe embarrassment to local police who cooked up the drugs raid in another attempt to brand Broadwater Farm residents as anti-social criminals unworthy of justice or human rights.

As the Broadwater Farm Defence Campaign said after the raid, “There is no doubt that the police came here for one purpose — to criminalise and terrorise the community.”

During the raid the police threw an impassable cordon around a one-mile square area of Tottenham. For twelve hours afterwards they kept the Estate itself sealed off, stopping minicabs, pizza deliveries, and

LABOUR

COPS

RAID

casual visitors.

A heavy police presence was maintained on the Estate throughout the week following the raid.

This latest example of police barbarism seems to have galvanised the previously demoralised Broadwater Farm community. Within days of the raid, several hundred angry tenants attended a meeting called by the BWF Residents Association.

On October 6th, a picket of Tottenham police station called by the BWF Defence Campaign to mark the fourth anniversary of the 1985 uprising, attracted 400 people, most of them from the Estate or the nearby area.

The Defence Campaign is demanding the dropping of all non-drugs related charges and has challenged local police to answer questions about the raid at a public meeting. Q

TAKE THE POWER!

London Labour Briefing No. 119 October 11th-24th Page 2

Local Government Round-u

freezing of vacant posts. Despite this, the Council wants staff to care for the same numbers of children.

On October 6th, Islington Council suspended Children’s Day Centre Managers indefinitely without pay and locked out the rest of the staff from all thirteen centres in the Borough.

AS g result some 150 NALGO memebrs are on indefinite strik

These workers have shown consistently, at mass meetings and in an official ballots, that they are opposed to the cut the service the Council is making.

Workers argue that they must aintain a statt/chld ratio of :4 in order to provide good and sale chiidcare. The new ratios ‘would make that impossible and would especially jeopardise Preventative work.

Managing Neighbourhood Officers are also out on strike and the priority will be to ensure thattheir workisn't covered, and that support is built throughout the branch.

Parents continue to be supportive and have lobbied both management and Councilots to make clear that they too are demanding the Council runs the service on present staf/chitd ratios.

Support the Lobby of Labour Group, Islington ‘Town Hall, Upper St, 6.30, Monday 16th Oct!

By Terry Conway Islington North CLP

Over the last two years the centres have lost more than one quarter of their staff through the

Reinstate Derek Relph!

concemed, other than Derek, being personally interviewed by the leader of Tower Hamlets

Collins even offered to fund a private prosecution if the scabs felt that way inclined.

Even those well-known supporters of trade urion rights, the local constabulary, visted’ the ‘scene only to leave aimost as quickly as they artived, finding thatnothing untoward had taken place.

The Council suspended Derek on charges of “assault” and as this was a clear breach of the national retum-to-work agreement, national NALGO supported continuing limited strike action.

The District statt-side and employers’ body were called in at the trade unions request toinvestigate. They highlighted the {ailure of the Counel to follow its ‘own procedures.

Finally, even ACAS. got involved, with the union prepared toaceeptbindingarbitrationwith an independent disciplinary hearing. Buteven this the Council refused to accept.

This left no alternative other than ful strike ection, which was supported by NALGO nationally who agreed finance the dispute.

You may have thought the local government pay dispute ended nearly two months ago — but net in the SLD-controlled London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

Since October 2nd, over 2,500 striiking local gov ment workers have brought services to 2 standstill, fol lowing the victimisation of NALGO’s branch secretary, Derek Relph, by the increas” ingly anti-union SLD Council.

This is not the first time that Tower Hamlets SLD have attempted to ‘out-Tory” the Tories.

Tower Hamlets, in the East End of London, one of the most deprived areas of the country, has been selling off Council housing and_ privatising whatever it can. This is the root of the Council's victimisation policy.

Tower Hamlets NALGO and Derek Relph in particular have been vociferous and sucessful in fighting many of the Counci's more ludicrous proposals

During the summer's pay dispute, Derek was involved in a picket line argument with scabs Which ended with the individuals

Year of Action on Ireland Terrence MacSweeny

commemoration march Amarch and rally will be staged on Saturday October 28th to commemorate Terence bere ew republican Lord Mayor of Cork, who in Brixton prison on October 25th 1920, after a oe -day hunger strike. ‘The march will start from Kennington Park (Oval tube) at 12.00 and pass through Brixton. Please try to get your trade union, Labour Party branch or ‘other organisation to support this event which has been Initiated by South London Year of Action on Ireland.

‘The ballot was 75% in favour of indefinite strike action until Derek was reinstated.

‘The disciplinary hearing was held on October 4th-Sth, and found Derek “guilty” of gross misconduct. This is normally 2 straight-forward sacking offence, but sold strike action has

‘even Tower Hamlets from going this far.

‘They opted for issuing Derek with @ “final waming™ which means that they can sack him without further recourse to disciplinary procedures.

The branch membership wil not accept the decision of a politically-motivated kangaroo court. On October 6th it voted

‘overwhelmingly to continue strike action until Derek receives justice

‘SLD Tower Hamlets Council, ‘throughout its shor if, has cut local services, squandered milfions of pounds and attacked basic trade union rights. This is 2 dispute Tower Hamlets NALGO must win, for the sake of the union but aiso for local People.

Victory canbe acheived. Every effort must now be made to ensure that the present support given by NALGO nationally is maintained and that stronger links with other trade unions and the local community are forged.

ondon Weighting

NALGO accepts peanuts

By JO SMITH

‘The NALGO leadership has just thrown away the chance of winning a substantial increase in London Weighting for its members.

With annual negotiations on the London Weighting about to commence, NALGO’s London Metropolitan District reccomended that the national leadership submit a claim for £3,000.

London's Local Government workers now get £1,584 London weighting, which compares poorly with the £300 minimum paid by banks and building societies or the offer of £2,500 by British Gas.

Yei, at its last meeting, NALGO’s National Local Government Committee refused to support the Met District claim. 18 members of the Committee abstained, 5 voted against, and only the 3 London representatives Voted for.

Instead the Committee accepted the employers’ offer of a tise of 8.8% — without NALGO even submitting its own claim.

NALGO branches should send resolutions condemning this decision and calling on NALGO to submit cost of living supplement claims in other areas of the South East. These should be negotiated by the union district concerned.

After the successful national pay strike several London Nalgo branches now find themselves forced to take further strike action in defence of basic union rights and working conditions.

‘The good mews is that the

town hall managers have had a tougher fight on their hands than they bargained for.

Tower Hamlets Nalgo is on all-out strike since October 2nd following the suspension of Branch Secretary Derek Relph for allegedly abusing scabs during the national pay strike. ‘Ata disciplinary bearing Derek was given an official “final warning”. This verdict was rejected by a mass meeting of 1000 members on Friday, October 6th, at which only sixteen people voted to accept the disiplinary bearing's judgement and return to work.

In neighbouring Newham, 150 Nalgo members in the Social Services department have been out on strike since the end of September demanding reinstatement of Dominic Wil-

is, departmental: convenor. Management allege that Dominic altered the date of a colleague’s resignation letter. In fact, the colleague in question has admitted to making the alteration herself.

‘This attack is the culmination of six years of harassment of tunion activists in Social Services. Itcoincides with the summary dismissal (without any hearing) of a gay man accused Of failing to disclose a criminal conviction which did not affect correlate to his work.

Meanwhile, Branch ‘Secretary Carolyn Sikorski has also been subject to continuous

NALGO members ari and growing in cont get the placards bac}

petty harassment by management, Newham Nalgo is about toballot on all-out strike action, ‘The ballot will be preceded by a one-day strike on Wednesday, ‘October 18th, when the ruling Labour Group is scheduled to meet.

‘The Branch leadership see all these attacks as revenge for the successful pay strike and for local action against draconian ‘management methods.

In Islington, 150 nursery

Defend Mic

tors spelling outathreatto shoot Michael were painted on a wall ‘opposite his family residence.

Over the past two years Michael Owen, a young black gay man from Lewisham, has been subjected to a campaign of intimidation and vilification.

By Terry Clayworth Lewisham Councillor

He and his family have had abusive phone calls, letters with death threats, and hostile graffitiand posters have gone up on walls near his home. ‘Onone occasion huge rediet-

Neither Michael nor his family have done anything to provoke such violence. They are being subjected to this simply because Michael is out as a gay

trikes

DSS guidelines recommend a 1:4 ratio for under fives but the reality of “caring” Islington (Council cuts will bea 1:12 ratio after sickness and leave are taken into account.

‘The nursery workers are determined to fight off these ‘cuts and are enjoying the full Support of parents.

Housing estate managers in Camden won a claim for an extra 18 staff after a 17-week strike. However, soon after retuming to work they were ‘compelled to take action again in support of NUPE boiler workers who. are striking against a 40% cut in jobs and an unachievable increase ia productivity. The boiler section hhas been gradually run down and is now threatened with privatisation.

At the end of August the Labour Council issued a 90-day notice terminating all agreements. In order to break the NUPE strike it is trying to get private contractors to tum on and repair beating systems, The Nalgo estate managers are refusing to co- operate with the

private contractors and will : oon be threatened with suspen-

taking action sion.

ence. Time to

Siito ues! ‘Messages of support and

donations should be sent to:

‘Tower Hamlets Nalgo, c/o Newham Nalgo, Eve Road, London E.15.

Social Services Nalgo Strikers, c/o Newham Nalgo, Eve Road, London ES

Nursery Strikers, c/o Islington’ Nalgo, 2 Orleston Road, London N.7

Boiler workers, c/o Camden NUPE, Arlington Road Depot, London, NWI.

prkers in all of the Council's rtcen nurseries were out on ike from Monday, October h, after the suspension of msery managers who refused admit new children in order maintain a decent ft/children ratio. On paper ratio is supposed to be 1:4 tthe Council’s faifure to fill cancies has meant that some gups have nine children for ly one staff member. The

jael Owen!

mination that his persecutors have shown in pursuing him and

n and Is active in fighting for cklesbian and gay liberation.

Sadly, Michael's experi his family. 5 not unique. Ant-gay attacks In harassing and intimidating jon the increase across Lon- lesbians and gay men the bigots

3, fuelled by AIDS hysteria hope to divide the black com-

f Section 28. munity, to weaken the fight against raciem, and isolate

Different those who are srugglngto gan |Michae¥scaseiedilerentat Ghatevor gromes and trom

itis in the sheer level of orsation involved in the camgn against him and the deter-

whatever sources. ‘Support the campaign to detend Michael Owen!

Time to regroup

London Labour Briefing No. 119 October 11th-24th Page 3

(C8 Stove French jis enthusiasicaly n a Lambeth Anti Pol Tax protast buming of Registration forms.

Following the Lambeth Labour Group meeting of October 9th, where a further £2 million was to implement Poll Tax, Councillor Greg Tucker and I have resigned our respective positions as Chair of Management Services and Chief Whip. Even the Leader’s previous half-baked strategy of resist- ‘ing Poll Tax until threatened ‘with surcharge was dumped. It had taken a DofB Section 114 order to frighten Councillors into baying the Poll Tax ‘computer. This time just a letter from the Chief Executive reminding Councillors of their

‘The last option proved successful when the right split the difference and went for £2 million.

‘Ten Councillors voted not to spend a penny more on the Poll Tax.

‘The LCC argued that nonpayment in Scotland was having no effect and that it was no greater than the rates backJong would usvally be.

“duty” did the trick. By Cllr Steve French ‘Unfortunately, Leader Joan

‘Twelves gave no recommends-

tion but presented four “op- _ Once again attempts were

tions” for Poll Taxexpenditure: miade to “minimise” the impact

‘of Poll Tax, and “good practice guidelines” were agreed, including a commitment not to

£2.25 million; £1.9 million; zero; and “whatever the Group

Lambeth Briefing Meeting “What’s ‘left’ in local government?”

Monday October 30th, 7.30pm

Lambeth Town Hall

use distraint (warrant sales) ot attachments of earings.

Ratecapping scab Janet Boston argued passionately in favour of attachment of eamings as the effective way to collect the Tax. She managed to ‘win support from a lone LCCer.

However, it is unlikely that Councillors will stick by a commitment not to use distraint ‘when threatened with the law.

‘The £2 million agreed is in addition to the goverment grant of £800,000 which is already accounted for. This is despite pledges by the leader- ‘ship not to spend any more than the Tories give to implement Poll Tax.

GLLP conference

timetable Greater London Labour Party (Regional Council) Twenty Third Annual General Meeting, Friday/Saturday 2nd/3rd March 1990. Last date for receipt of: emotions — ist post Friday 17th November 1989; *amendments to motions — ist post Wednesday 10th January 1990; *nomination for election of Officers, Executive Committee and Standing Orders Committee — ist post Wednesday 10th January 1990; *compositing — Saturday 27th January 1990

Last date for receipt of delegations — ist post Wednesday 7th February 1990

‘The cave-in of the left leadership in Lambeth shows how even the Labour left has failed 10 attune to the upswing in the class struggle. Many formerly militant Party activists now reluctantly adopt a defeatist ine as a result of New Realism,

Regroupment of these forces is essential if the Labour Party is to take up the challenge that faces local government in 1990,

To this end Lambeth Briefing hhas called a Lonidon-wide meeting to discuss rebuilding the fight in local goverment, We ‘would welcome attendance of all anti-Poll Tax. Councillors and candidates for next year's elections.

Londen Labour Briefing No. 119 Octaber 11th-24th Page 4

Dolly Kiffin’s unscheduled — departure

i jolice The report contains In February, over 300 Farm Duca teezrecen poms | heats costes ee eae

Teatyled “community, usivstified assumptions, and making four specific comSe eee tin ftad ty <titical ommissions. plaints against Kitlin's leader” Dolly Kiffin had t0 jt ig short on anything that management of local volunbe escorted from the ES- couldbe called hardevidence tary groups. tate under police protec- and its presentation and The petition was presented tlon after she was attacked timing indicate that it has at to Council leader Toby Harris, by furious residents ac- ways been seen as 8 political who ignored it. Instead, he ak cusing her of being an “in- property tobe used against a lowed Council officers’ time former”. Particular political figure. to be taken up with the witch-

Kiffinwastakenbypoliceto _ Kiffin’s vendetta has its hunt against Martha, one of

‘aplacoolsafety"tromwhich ‘roots in Martha's refusal to. his most formidable o} she later made het way to a Colludewithher in sackingsix ponents inside the Labour Plone bound for Jamaica. Workers at one of the volun- Group.

Kiffin has been the lynch- '@ryprojectsinquestion.Mar- All this came to a head pin in-a sustained smear {ha backed the workers, a8 around the Vauxhall by-elecEmapaign against left-wing did their trade union, and in- tion controversy, during Haringey Councillor Martha sisted on paying them. which the Guardian quoted

Unimately the Council was “party sources" to the effect SRE SE sa, , = Seemor. forced to offer all of them al thatMarthawes-underimves, 204K had afingorn every pi on the Farm: thi the shortived "Movement for Givi Rights and

By Mike Marqusee mative work. tigation” by police and the

M Kitfin was not prepared to District Auditor. Haringey Labour tolerate such a challenge to. This was not tue, though Docklands

i her dictatorial regime. indeed Martha has stated Briefing the years she had bullt up 2 repeatedly that she would

system of personal domina- welcome such investigation, This campaign has in- tion over a network of local which would be impartial

volved Haringey’s right-wing voluntary groups. She came compared to the hatchet job Councilleadership, top Coun- 19 regard itas her prerogative performed by the Head of Incil officers, Walworth Road todecidewhoshouldwork for ternal Audit.

apperatchiks,and others who which project for how much Marthahas already forced

tear Martha’s principled under what conditions. focal newspaper to retract politics, her genuine base in in this she was aided and one smear story about her.

the Tottenham community, abetted by senior Council of- with Kiffin’s unscheduled and her growing stature on ficers, who alledtochallenge departure in disgrace, perthe left. these practises andeachyear fsps the right-wing wolves

Back in February, under renewed susbstantial grants wilt realise they ate on 3

pressure from Kiffin, to the groups under Kifin’s hiding to nothing and will Haringey's Head of Internal controfwithout querying their drop thelr hideous sanders ‘Audit compiled a confidential jack of democratic account- Sd get on with tackling the

report which claimed that ability of their inadequate eenonsanicress, £104,000 In grants to four financial records. onene the people of i ring in jets and would onl; voluntary groups in Totten- Earlier this year Kitfin was. arvvny The London Docklands se of jets. On the one hand, tobringin jets and would only ham was “unaccounted for” convicted of obstructing the Development Corporation ¥¢ want the airport to suc- use quiet propeller-driven —and implied that Martha, 2s course of justice when she is in a mess about whether ceed, but on the other we do aircraft. Treasurer of these groups, was found to have destroyed Note: ifyouwouldlike Se Roma Ge ity London not want to jeopardise hous. At thetimeexpert evidence was responsible. Broadwater Farm Youth As- more detail on the smear {Sis-"Airhort in the heart of img We hope a compromise suggested the airport could Kiffin, who was the Chair of sociation accounts. ‘campaign against Martha ‘Bed eerkteaten Docks. canbe worked out soon.” not be economically viable if the groups in question, sup- Her murky monetary affairs Gsamor, Haringey Labour New OS™ 5, naka coamanion te ca Camennlain ies oe Eyses Neca cl eeeeni Soc apy cer acces rae, Wrictinghenpeepereds | Tone Pees cguerty Mnly 4 sare. Sven i ib iy, Mevkm ore aise Ma ap cr rd dossier on all the relevant LDDC were to agree to the deceitfal game, and objectors,

and was the only source for her response was to step her “ pressures. s . the allegations against ‘outlandish public attacks on events, available from the use of jets but insist on halv- predicted it would only be a

tha. Martha, bebe es Eu ing the number of flights, this matter of time before the would still be plagued by company tried tobringin jets. By John Turkie economic uncertainty. Jest btore he was booted N.& Stoke Mowlem, the airport out of the Departmen aires Laas operators, have lost nearly ‘Transport, Paul Channon : cont £10 million and the two air- agreed a redesign of the East lines using it over £7 million London River Crossing since it opened little more bridge to allow jets to fly in. The Tories are pushing for than a year ago. Under the revised plans, more housing. The LDDC All three say it could take the central span of the bridge recently announced plans for five years for the airport to —at240metresinstead of 350 3,000 homes on the south side maken all-round profit, and metres, as recommended by of the Royal Victoria Dock. thenonly ifthe present banon _the Port of London Authority But the airport — a Tory jet aircraft was lifted. dangerously narrow. Mlagship — will close unless “ The CBIhas now swangiits A hazardous, one-way sy5the LDDC allows jets tofly in. weight behind the jets lobby. tem will now have to operate Some LDDC members fear In a letter to Transport along this busy stretch of the that the sale ofthese homes— Secretary Cecil Parkinson, it Thames. already uncertain because of insiststheplanis vitalnot only All of this means that the the current slump in the local for the airport's survival, but LDDC will bow to the inhousing market — will be for the overall success of the evitable and allow the we threatened if jets are flying redevelopment of Docklands. airport's expansion. Protestors gather to watch planes taking off from the per eh a emg gentlemen STOLport. Now bigger, noisier jets are threatened: but find An LDDC spokesperson sTOLport” (Short Take Of homes of local working class the LDDC in a quandry. See article, right. confirmed: and Landing) only got the g0- people, particularly around “We do not yet have a ghead afler assurances from Silvertown and North Wool: definite policy on the Future Mowlem thatit did not intend wich, will be blighted by jets.