London Labour Briefing no. 120

Bn i Maciel

Hundreds of hospital beds in the capital are already closing; hundreds are to be

kept closed, and hundreds more are at

risk as London's 29 Health Districts

face a “cash crunch”.

The latest crisis is reminiscent of the disastrous autumn of 1987 which led to the closure of 1,000 beds across the capital and up to 5,000 closures throughout the country.

Many of these “temporarily” axed beds have never reopened — meaning that the present round of panic cutbacks and closures will have an even more severe effect on Health Authorities already functioning on overstretched and inadequate capacity.

Among the biggest cutbacks already announced:

ISLINGTON DHA is cutting 65 beds at the Whittington and Royal Norther Hospitals, along with 16% of outpatient clinics. Up to 50% of routine surgery will be cut to forestall a predicted overspend of £1.6 million.

*MERTON & SUTTON DHA is to close 87 beds, including the total closure of the Wilson Hospital and the casualty department and remaining surgical ward at the Nelson Hospital, to save £1 million.

*HAMMERSMITH & QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S Special Health Authority is closing 37 beds for 6-8 months and implementing across-the-board cutbacks in efforts to redress “the worst financial position since the inception of the SHA” — a projected overspend of £2 million.

«BEXLEY DHA has cancelled all waiting list admissions to Queen Mary's Hospital, Sidcup, for at least five weeks, on top of sweeping permanent cuts in community and other services totalling £440,000.

*PARKSIDE DHA, which had escaped some of the worst aspects of the crisis by use of AIDS funding and money from delayed developments last year, has closed a 20-bed

ward and Grand Union paediatric ward.

CITY & HACKNEY DHA has brought in a swingeing package of cuts including the closure of 75 beds at Barts Hospital, reductions in outpatient nursing staff, and cuts in ancillary services.

BY JOHN LISTER

London Health Emergency

*LEWISHAM & N. SOUTHWARK DHA has been implementing closures for “financial shortages” as well as nursing shortages — totalling some 95 beds in July (35 for financial reasons, 60 because of nursing shortages).

Despite the boasts from Health Secretary Kenneth Clarke that there would be a “quite spectacular boost in health service spending” during this financial year, the financial problems that are forcing cuts in services arise from government underfunding of its own pay awards to NHS staff, cash limits inadequate to meet NHS price inflation, and increased need for health services.

Initial indicators suggest that London’s Health Districts face an inflationary squeeze and pressure on services roughly equivalent to around 2% of their budgets.

With the NHS budget for the capital’s 29

Districts and Special Health Authorities fixed at £2.3 billion, a 2% shortfall adds up to £47

ion — posing major problems for many of the largest Authorities.

The bed reductions now in force have already brought a crop of “red alert” and crisis conditions, long before the start of winter cold weather admissions.

*EALING Hospital in June was forced to turn away all non- emergency patients and even some emergency cases, followed by a period of cancel all further admissions. The DHA

now facing a £1 million overspend.

*WHIPPS CROSS Hospital in WALTHAM FOREST has just emerged from a 10-day “red alert” in which all non-emergency admissions were cancelled.

*HOUNSLOW’S WEST MIDDLESEX Hospital, functioning with 150-160 beds closed, is frequently diverting emergency cases to other hospitals, especially at night. One victim is RIVERSIDE’S CHARING CROSS Hospital, whose A&E new referrals leapt 35% between December 1988 and June 1989.

*The new cutbacks in MERTON & SUTTON have brought grave warnings from top surgeon Derek Parsons that “especially if there is a bad winter, St Helier Hospital might only be able to deal with emergencies and very urgent cases.”

Continued on back page

LABOUR— TAKE THE POWER!

9» 120 October 26th-November 7th Page 2

In a move deliberately imed to protect LCC Councillors, the NEC has suspended the Lambeth LGC. _ Regional Party officials will now be sent In to run solecYon meetings and write the

Although all Councillors had been placed on the panel automatically, the mere fact of “asking them to come and talk to LGC representatives on a voluntary basis has been described by national officials 12s a ‘serious breach of Party

Which rule says the LGC ‘can'ttalk to Councillors, they will ‘not meke clear.

The Manifesto has been ‘taken over because of sup- ‘posed “lack of consultation”.

This is despite the fact that ‘ératts have been openly under [preparation for aver a year, with ‘circulation throughout the local

arty on at least three different ‘occasions,

‘The crime seems to be that the LGC has not circulated .documents to every member of Labour Group ot asked the ast res eon hia:

Pirate ceplay of ts were of

“natural justice”, the NEC

cision to suspend the LGC was taken on the basis of unsubstantiated complaints from LCC Councillors without inform. ing the LGC, giving it no chance to put its side of the story.

Only now formally made known to the LGC, the suspension was decided three weeks previously at the NEC before Conference — slipped through tacked on to the agenda under AOB.

‘What happens next is still not clear. The three CLPs have yet

By a special correspondent

But confidence is hardly inspired by the fact that the Regional Organiser being sent intorun the selections and write the manifesto was up till recently a fully paid up member of the Lambeth branch of the LCC. National officials have already madeit clear that they will impose their version of selection procedures rather than the ones. Used locally over many years. In particular, the idea that

up shortisting meetings, Wal- ‘worth Road is to allow it so that fight wing Councillors can be reselected without the fuss of having to answer questions at selection meetings.

Lec shut down

ability is uphold,

Whatever tricks the right try, activists in the Borough wil be aiming to mobilise the membership of the Party to ensure that ‘open and democratic account-

CELEBRATION!

Benefit for the Guildford Four

November 5th,

Red Rose Club, Seven Sisters Organised by Islington

Tickets/info from Maggie

8pm

Road, London N4

North CLP

Barker (272 6201)

LCC moves exclude le

Eight left-wing Party members have been excluded from the panel of approved Council candidates by Haringey’s Local Government Committee.

‘This follows a bizarre “triple Jeopardy” procedure that makes the way Clause Four ran NOLS in the carly 80s look a model of democracy.

In an attempt to streamline the old system where each and every potential candidate was interviewed by the full LGC, candidates ‘were asked to fillin anew question-

‘This was then scrutinised by the LGC Executive Committee, with doubtful cases being referred tothe

procedure — and worse yet, the ‘ease with which it could be manipulated by the witch hunting cabal ‘which controls the LGC BC.

Fourteen would-be candidates ‘were alledtoindividual interviews by the EC — 13 of them becanse it ‘was alleged that their answer to one particular question needed “clarification”.

Life on the Greater London

Labour Party Regional Ex- ‘ecutive has not been terribly ‘exciting this year.

‘The GLLP Is firmly under Kinnockite control and the sheer bblandness of the meetings makes keeping awake rather dificult.

Membership figures show that London CLPs are getting smaller. Formost membersof the Executive activism” is a dirty word. Sharp suits and pretty frocks are the order cof the day. | One might be forgiven for think- ‘ng thatthe LCC project of “cleanjing up" Labour in London was now complete and that all we have to do 4s just sit back and wait for the ‘General Election.

However, the last Regional Ex- ‘cutive tecting was unusually interesting — and revealing.

‘A statement on lesbian and gay sights was produced, and, afte minimal debate, adopted. Then the difficult question of what to do witt stares.

‘Send it out to LGCs to guide thy manifesto process for 19907 Anob

ious course, you might think. Bu at this point a particularly sharp saited LCCerleapt to herfeet to sa ‘what the rest of them were probab Ty thinking

If we send out such a statemer saacccompanied by other state ments on front-line services anv

particularly on dirty streets we ‘would appear to give it dispropor Sonate importance.

The message was unsubtle

enough. In no time all sorts of people were piling in to support the ‘new position: we must send out statements on everything ot nothing at all.

GLLP General Secretary Terry Ashton capped the debate by saying that we certainly didn't want lesbian and gay rights “queering the pitch” for Labour. Even Assistant Regional Organiser Margaret McDonagh had to smirk at that

By Mor Herbertson

‘The vole to send the paper out immediately was lost. We were told that similar broad guildelies 00 all issues would be drawn up over the next six weeks and all of them will be sent out together.

By whom? With what resources?

To what effect — since the same L.CCer who raised the inital objection to sending out the statement hhasnow been seconded part-time to Regional Office from her full-time job at Walworth Road to help run the 1990 local election campaign?

InHaringey anumberofleftcandidates have been vetted and found “unsuitable” forthe election panel.

In Lambeth the LGC has been suspended and control over the ‘manifesto and selection processhas been handed over to the national Party and the Lambeth Labour Group.

"The power dressing and intellec-

‘tual inanity would be amusing, the homophobic remarks would be

pitiful, if

“cleaning up” the GLLP really

[I's got nothing to do with rabbish in the streets and everything to

Shhh! Don’t tell ; anyone... .. London _ Labour backs lesbian and gay rights!

do with closing down democratic procedures, centralising power, and promoting an ever more reac”

it were not so clear what tionary type of politics.

Still, the meeting wasn't completely boring, which made a

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 — Ast post Wednesday 7th February 1990

‘This question was whether there any circumstances in which -y would not follow Group

All 13had already indicated their “understanding of and willingnessto sign Standing Orders. But they had also indicated that in all honesty there might at some time in the foture be an occasion in which they would have fo consider other fac: tors.

Some mentioned defence of the Manifesto, some mentioned “bottom line” principles like compulsory redundancies or letting Council premises to known fascist groups.

By MIKE MARQUSEE,

All were dragged before a fall meeting of the LGCEC and grilled, in some cases for up to 40 minutes.

They were subjected to repititious questioning by various LGC EC members, who asked ‘again and again what the candidates ‘would do in this, that, or the other hypothetical situation.

Tn the course of this candidates ‘were drawn into political debate on Iegality and stetutory responsibilitis, Pll Tax implementation, cuts, Irish issues, the relative ‘weight of national v. local Pasty policy, of abstaining v. voting against the Group Whip.

‘This was all very interesting, but ‘quite irrelevant to the question in rand

‘They were asked again andagain if they would abide by Group Policy and a number were accused of dishonesty or evasiveness.

In an atmosphere of palpable hostility and distrust, a times descending into rade disorder, this browbeating method gave the ‘whole affair the menacing air of « political inguisitioa — which is ex- ‘actly what it was,

‘This is proved beyond doubt by the wildly inconsistent decisions made by the EC.

‘Two candidates who said quite clearly that there were occasions when they might vote against Group Policy and two others who stated categorically that there were issues (not traditional “conscience” issues) on which they would have to abstain were voted directly onto ‘the panel.

However, others who said no ‘more and no less were rejected.

One of those who was accepted. ssid that he would abstain on group policies on housing and travellers — because “gypsies make themselver intentionally homeless” and “young black women get themeelves pregnant” to get Council homes.

‘The Executive voted wnani- ‘mousty to let him onto the panel.

‘This same Executive voted with ‘equal unaninimity to keep Mandy Mudd off the Panel.

‘This was even though she had shownberselfin her interview tobe ‘2 good deal more in tune with Party policy and more aware of the Pasty'sdemocratic procedures than the aforementioned would-be Labour Councillor.

‘At at the full LGC 00 October 18th the candidates rejected by the Executive made clear their resent- ‘ment at being, in effect, tried in advance for a crime they hadn't yet and might never commit

‘They also made clear that they had signed the standing orders in ‘good faith and that they intended to cary out Group Policy.

‘They were being penalised because oftheir honesty in refusing'o give a blanket guarantee that on all, ‘occasions in the coming fouryears, inpolitcal circumstances as yetunknown, they would always be able

LESLEY LEE of Hither a critical eye over Ler Leader Steve Bullock’ Councillors and the Committee.

The report starts in a very electoral way —campaignIng is seen only inthe context of getting Councillors elected.

On the Poll Tax, it is

itbelongs while committing yourself to “implementing the tax as effi ciently as possible"?

Local people ars bound to blame their “efficient” local Labour Council.

Indeed, Labour Councilors will be seen as acting as the

‘London Labour Briofing No. 120 October 25th-Novemibor 7th Page 8

‘Mandy Mudd: one ofthe loft wingers excluded by the right.

o abide by the Group Whip. ‘They pointed out that this was ually tue forall applicantstothe that in fact over the past four

all bat four of the siting

ar Councillor (left and right) baker te ‘whip at one time or

Pe cialis ecu ould swear absoluteunconditionindefinite loyalty to policy ax

et undetermined (the manifesto has yet tobe discussed by the Party,

ese agreed). ‘Nonetheless, the overwhelming hrajorty ofthe LGC voted to reject ofthe eight candidates who before it: Seamus Carey,

Pave Chanter, Jane Connor,

chard Heffeman, Mandy Mudd,

Bcott Reeve, and Peter Tomlinson. “These commades will not be per jtted to submit themselves to ards for selection, although

veryone in Haringey knows that ry and all of those candidates ould be more competent, more -ommitted Labour Councillors nan a large proportion of the ent Labour Group.

tel

Questions pile up for Toby Harris

“Kangaroo court” is the only 9 he Head of Intemal Audit con-_ «Why did Toby Harris authorise that the Council Leader and Dolly iL word for the joint LGC ccming the investigation be was theuse of Council resourcesto pur- Kiffin have failed in their atempt EC/Labour Group EC which asked to cooduct? What were the se for over a yearn investigntion 10 get me locked up. met on October 16th at implied parameters of that inves- based solely on the allegations “Even the Frand Squad refused tigation? made by a single member of the to help them... What's needed is « *Why have the allegations public—and one with an obvious serious poli against Marthanever been listed on self-interest in the matter — when the issues raised by this affair, not paper? Why has Martbaneverbeen not a single complaint had ever st the ones singled out by the given 2 list of the allegations, een made by the management Headof Intemal Audit.” espte her repeated requests? | committees, workers, or clients of Former Council Leader Steve “Why did the Head of Internal any ofthe four voluntary groups? King strongly criticised the manner BriefingNo. 119 mow, Marthahas Audit fail tocontact directly any of «Why did Toby Harris fail to ac-_in which the report was compiled. been the victim of a amear cam the four voluntary groups in ques- knowiedge the petition seal tohim “You have allowed uncor- ‘aign initially Launched by dition a any time during his inves- by over 300 Broadwater Fam resi. roboratedallegations agains one of Credited Broadwater Farm dictator tigation? dents making four complaints our comrades to float around for

Dolly Kiffin and sustained bj about Dolly Kiffin? over a year. You never even Council Leader Toby Haris and, Why dhe caly writetothem at ""CWhy has thre never been any provided her with alist of the al local LCC hacks. the conclusion of his investigation investigation into the attempt by _legations.

: ing on —!Ourgethem tomakecomplainis Dolly Kiffin to sack six workers You made no effort to even tell Conaber leh accompanied ty 2 Seth Marthatothe Fri Squad? from 4 grantaided voluntary thevoluirygroupstha ty were banister, who was not allowed to “Why did the Head of Intemal project, despite promises to the _underinvestigaion.

pas ‘Aut fil to investigate the role of | Labour Group thet the whole mat. ‘The fact that Martha as a black All will be appealing to the "Toby Harris reiterated his ver. Council officerswho vetted and ap- ter would be looked into? woman and a well-known civil Regional Executive and a com- sion ofeventsatlength andclaimed Proved the allegedly unsatisfactory «Why is Martha Osamor still rights activist feels she would get a plaint about the procedure willbe {hat the problem war simply %o0UNts ofthe four groups over & being pressed to “answer” (un- fairer deal from the police and the ‘made to the National Executive Marte's fefusal io “co-operme” Petiod of four years? specified) questions about these al- courts than from the Group leader Conmnitios: ‘with the investigation mounted by _, "Why did the Head of Intemal _jegations when Dolly Kiffin, from ship tells us a great deal about the In this case, some applicants the Council's Head of Internal Avdit fail to question in any way whom they all derive, has left the present set-up in Haringey.” were clearly “more equal” than the role of or evidence given by country, following her conviction Cl. King proposed that the ere, ei nadenosccretofthefactthat Dlly Kiffin, who was herself the ig cour on charges of obcimcting whole matter be referrd to the fall Most were asked to do no more pe Couneithadmads epeatedand ©°S8%al0ry on all the cheques in- the course of jusice and the attack Labour Group, This was defeated. than fill inthe questionnaire (and (oCo"rSstat efforts to ge the, Yolved in the allegedly “unac- on hee by Broadwatcr Farm reei. _ Itead,thetwoECe votedtacall

beet He aryeien wt pete lier) ee ee ees ne Soak oe amen Recon Seer en eee ey eineenocey ie aes seater ae ee ee Gmup Crt vote Heed pet rerrhrapy ee Senman ast cf te Aico caver quer Altis mesting cn Ochor 16h,” ating othe Oe BCreal oe ae oe : Sate coe ite, wena tunity to question any of the other. By Mike Marqusee members bout his report? “The reason for this hearing is Watch this space... previously broken the Group Geen CLP THE GREAT DEBATE ee SOCIALISTS AND THE STALINIST STATES

‘was of course simply a means by of Martha's thorough reply and which the LCC-dominated right- through the points raised by the

rhemuattickep te litoffte ninentyofiComcitonre=t A debate between Socialist Outlook

Do they seriously think the Poll “in the dock” answering questions

Tax sod the sow Howsng and —adntnssmai atmo’ § @ndl Socialist Organiser about the

Finance legislation will disappear cabal but before the entire Labour

aaced abbas Lato Crap? SARS ag bes us walt nature of the Socialist States.

Monday 6th November, 7pm

|Green Branch casts isham Council October report to cal Government

rif of Nottingham to Maggie tcher's Prince John. Steve's pledge to do “our ut. ost to protect the most. vulble groups" is vague, insut- .. and worthless. You just "do that at the same time as g down every last poterPoll Tax payer and fining for not registering. Jibs leeder'rportiswenkon

the fact that in East n at least the Party or-

the Leader’s report

Institute of Education Student Union, Bedford Way, London WC1.

ganisation is crumbling and Itdoes however veer close to several Labour Councillors now arguing for PR which is, of i | represent wards in which the course, not official Labour Party Party never meets. policy. Watch out, Steve, people: Ls

How are all these wonderful can get expelled for that kind of

new policies going to get thing (or at least suspended ered on the doorstep

Frclinee celia oe Labour Briefing is looking for a new worker to ost Kiar fois desta join our animated collective in the office. Practical dialogue and co-or-

iaucoen oo Go Pony onto the Town Hall is just as important as the maniesto process.

Skills employed by the collective incude: copy typing (touch typing), sub-editing, desktop publishing (Ventura Publishing), book-keeping

‘Some Labour Councillors and a variety of general office skills including manual dexterity and a seem to be sightly complacent Lenore sense of humour. sere oem Bore ‘ : Coulditbe thatrepresenting’a Up the Counci—butsuchgood NE a eu LCR Dn ue ee Re cihintirhinpkenimidalbisdamoeme some of the skills needed. If you can offer some of the above skills,

comfortable? Tesufts, not on promises printed 3 : abe Lepr tendon hapa pete eal preg onc and are interested in either a part-time or a full-time job, please countabilty. Finally, one refreshing aspect phone us on 01-809 3927.

“The section on democracy is the absence of personal at and electoral reform is interest tacks, something which was ing and deserves wider discus once a regular feature of ‘sion. Leader's reports.

conden Labour Briefing No. 420 October 26th-November 7th Page 4

NEW CASH CRISIS CLOSES LONDON BEDS

sontinued from front page

*HAMPSTEAD DHA has restricted »werspending by the continued closure of 121 acute beds axed following the closure of New ind Hospital three years ago.

HARINGEY DHA has kept 125 beds “temporarily” closed, supplemented by another 108 beds closed for the summer roliday.

*WEST LAMBETH has still not reopened 137 beds at St Thomas's Hospital closed temporarily” in 1987.

‘*And, almost unnoticed, ENFIELD DHA has seen running on the basis of continual rounds of temporary closures, reaching over 160 beds juring the summer, but now averaging 100 deds.

Meanwhile some of the biggest cutbacks rave yet to be decided: the districts facing almost impossible shortfalls this year — BLOOMSBURY (£7 million) and RIVERSIDE ‘£5 million) — have yet to announce plans to jeal with the situation. TOWER HAMLETS DHA has rejected a cuts package drawn up by management to meet a projected £2 million shortfall.

‘A survey of Health Authorities across the capital shows again and again the common causes of the current cash crisi

This year’s pay awards to all grades of NHS staff have exceeded the amounts allowed for, leaving Health Authorities to pick up the tab.

On top of this, the underfunded implementation of last year’s clinical grading of nurses’ pay is now working through as a fullyear cost to Health Authorities.

Price inflation, as usual led by the drug industry, continues to run well in excess of

the arbitrary 5% allowed for in NHS cash limits.

A conservative estimate of 7% actual price inflation saddles the NHS n: unfunded £260 bill; amount approximately £25-30 million in London’s Health Authorities alone.

‘Nursing shortages and shortages of other support staff, both chronic and severe in many London Health Districts, help sap morale of NHS staff, increasing turnover, and also increasing reliance on more expensive agency cover,resulting in heavy overspend figures, especially in acute nursing.

*With hundreds of private beds lying empty in both commercial and NHS hospitals, district after district is reporting a “shortfall” in private patient income, notably Camberwell (£200,000), Lewisham & N. Southwark (£200,000) and most catastrophically Bloomsbury (£750,000).

*Frantic efforts to reduce or contain hospital caseloads have run up against 2 continual increase in demand for services, resulting in more and more Districts treating more patients than they can afford under existing cash limits.

All this even before the White Paper is implemented. What will happen when “market forces” are unleashed on London’s health service and any capacity for capita-wide planning and distribution of resources is undermined?

“Taken from London's Autumn Crunch, by London Health Emergency, available from LHE, 446 Uxbridge = W12 ONS for £4 (including post and packing).

At the time of going to press Tower Hamlets Nalgo’s 2500 members are still on all-out strike against the victimisation of Branch Secretary Derek Relph.

But the fate of the strike now hangs in the balance after Nalgo’s National Emergency Committee voted by 71on Tuesday, October 24th to withdraw financial support on the grounds that the branch had exhausted all the Council’s procedures and that no more could be gained.

The Branch Executive, however, disagrees.

‘They will be putting a motion calling for the continuation of the strike to a mass membership meeting to be held on Friday, October 27th.

A motion calling for a return to work will also be on

One hundred and forty NALGO members in Islington’s nurseries are now in their third week of strike action aftera lock-out by the Council.

‘On Tuesday 23rd October, Social Services Department and the Neighbourhood Offices took solidarity action for the day, closing many offices and day centres across the Borough.

‘As we go to press, the branch AGM on October 26th was due to debate a motion calling for a one day strike across the Council on November 2nd, with activists hopeful that it would be passed.

Essentially Islington Council is trying to force through a worsening of ‘working conditions in the nurseries after reducing staffing levels by 25% over the last year.

‘The Council are particularly concerned to attack this group of workers which has a history of militancy going back toa four month strike four years ago which wrung concessions on staffing levels and pay from the Council with which they were extremely unhappy.

Workers have been clear

that they are not prepared to

earlier this year.

‘The Branch Executive feel this is an unacceptable decision. Nonetheless, the loss of national financial support and general weariness after a four week strike make the result of the mass meeting un-

predictable.

In neighbouring Newham, Social Services NALGO members are still on unofficial strike to protest at the suspension of Dominic Williams, their Stewards Com-

mittee Convenor. The rest of the branch staged an effective one-day strike on Wednesdsay, October 18th, the day of the Labour Group meeting. Unfortunately, a ballot for all-out strike action by NALGO Social Services members produced a tied

another one-day strike on

Fighting victimisation | and cuts

because of an alleged incident ‘during the national pay strike

Nursery workers in Ham.” mersmith and Fulham are also preparing to take strike action. They are being ballotted now for an all-out in-

Wednesday, November Ist. Islington’s 170 nursery workers are still on official ut strike against the attempt to cut posts and increase the intake of children.

‘Only two NALGO members are scabbing and ten other staff are crosssing picket lines. Lobbies of up to 200 angry parents have taken place at various Council Committee and Group meetings.

‘A successful one-day stoppage by Social Services and Neighbourhood Offices was held on October 24th and a one-day strike by the whole branchis planned for November 2nd.

hhas offered them a small increase —if they cut their own sickness levels.

‘These NALGO branches are taking action to stop Labour and “Liberal Democrat” Councils clawing back improved conditions gained over recent years,

‘The “new model” Labour Coundils, obssessed with implementing cuts, are often refusing to even deal with unions, backing Chief Officers in concerted attacks on union rights and members.

‘These strikes can win, espe-

ally as they enjoy strong. support from other unions and from the community, But ‘many of them will be long and drawn out; financial and , practical support is therefore vital. 1

Unfortunately the Council still refuses to make any concessions in its negotiations with the union and is still disregarding arguments advanced by both parents and union members about children’s safety.

Islington

NALGO strikers going strong

co-operate with this latest attack.

This Is not only because It is an attack on working conditions but also because the numbers of children that the Council is expecting them to care for could not be looked after safely by so few staff.

By Terry Conway Islington North CLP

Parents have been ‘extremely supportive of this fight —which has somewhat surprised the Council.

Parents have participated In a very vocal manner in lobbies and pickets.

They held up traffic on the main road outside the Town Hall before the lest Labour Group and together with child care workers held up the start of full Council for ‘over an hour and a half.

‘The strike itself has been extremely solid, with only ‘one NALGO member going into work, despite the fact that the union nationally has refused to pay the workers full strike pay.

‘There have been a number of negotisting meetings with the Council which have seen some

movement on their side.

tls always difficult to tell exactly what Islington’s Couneillors are up to as they seem determined to speak in riddles, but certainly none of the packages that hai been suggested way acceptable to the strikers.

The action of the strikers is. clear demonstration of how cuts can and must be

WE WANT YOU

Labour Briefing is looking for a new worker to join our animated collective in the office.

fought — in stington, across London and nationally

Under pressure from the weight of New Realism, some forces within Islington NALGO who have traditionally backed the branch's “No Cuts” position are begining to waver

Such retreats must be ‘opposed, andthe confidence that this dispute can give built on.

Skills employed by the collective incude: copy typing (touch typing), sub-editing, desk-top publishing (Ventura Publishing} book-keeping, and a variety of general offic skills including manual dexterity and a sense of humour,

We are looking for someone who can fit into the collective by offering some of the skills needed. If you can offer some of the above skills, and are interested in either a part-time or a full-time job, please phone us on 01-809 3927.