London Labour Briefing no. 93

PARENTS COUNCIL

At the beginning of April the Parent Management Committees of all the Pre-School Playgroups in Haringey were instructed that their workers “clearing up” time wages were to be cut. In some cases, this represents as much as a 30% drop in weekly wages for the workers concerned. The Managment Committees were told to implement this cut within a fortnight.

On April 13th an angry group of parents, playgroup workers and representatives of the Pre-School Playgroups Association met to discuss what action we should take. The result was the formation of the Haringey Playgroup Parents Action Committee. We are committed to fighting this cut in the workers’ wages unequivocally, and have written to Cllr Peter Clark (Chair of Social Services) and Cllr Toby Harris (Leader of the Council) to demand an urgent meeting

Who will decide the future for Haringey’ children? Parents, or secret meetings of right wing Labour Councilors?

_CAPITULATE!

By TESS KEWLEY Secretary, Haringey Playgroup Parents Action Committee

to discuss our feelings on the matter.

We are determined that the Timesheets for the workers’ wages should be submitted as before, including pay for “clearing up” time, and have advised those Playgroups who were unable to attend the meeting to continue to submit Timesheets as before, thus disregarding the Council’s directive (which was taken unilaterally; without consultation with NALGO, or the other trade unions involved).

It is a disgrace that part-time women workers should be made to suffer in this way, and we are committed to making sure that this drastic cut doesn’t happen. After all, as someone said at our founding meeting, if the Council win on this one, what will they cut next? Perhaps they will pay only

half the playgroup rents?

If Clirs Clark and Harris decline to meet us, we fully intend to storm the Civic Centre, accompanied by our children, until our voices are heard. We will also march to their surgeries.

We are determined to win this battle. We are not prepared to make up the shortfall in wages by increasing playgroup fees, as the Council suggested. Many parents could not afford this. The Council’s other suggestion was that we should fundraise even more than we do already!

The workers only receive pay for 39 weeks of the year, so some are forced to seek alternative employment at the beginning of the summer holidays. They may then not be able to return to work, and the children have to get used to new workers, or have a string of temporary workers until new permanent staff can be found again.

Cuts in workers’ wages are entirely unacceptable! We will continue to fight until the Council capitulates.

LABOUR— TAKE THE POWER

London Labour Briefing No. 93 Aprit 26th-May 11th 1988 page 2

Local government

you really want to e under Whithall’s

thumb?

ee a ee Lambeth Labour Group BY Lambeth Briefing pushed through a budget Supporters ; of £60 million cuts. ‘unions which meet the needs of Now discussion centres on the people of Lambeth; wie Wecele: Kol Growp Soo terete ot com

"A number of candidates the feraitment [reeze: a system spent of workplace’ committees in

up with the current Leadership by ‘diktat but who are not prepared to go the whole way ‘nd organise a campaign to con. foot the government.

Despite John Mann, the LCC candidate for Leader, using all his skills picked up from red biting ia NOLS, the left has emerged from the wards with

have been travelling around 3 Sith’ Counetlors reeruitment Vaunhall Ot took set to en §

already clear that few Party and service priorities, to work dorse the Counciliors Against §

members still support Linda jor genuine workers’ | “! the Cus slate pee Bellos as Council Leader. democracy: The only question inthe Par-

AS. Lémbeth Councilors ea commiment not to close “ ty 6 who tomes third, On curs

Against the Culs explained ina any Council establishment or > Ria calmer quite bikely =

‘tin pat out in support of factity where thee is demand That be current Leadership weil ©

Their aes fore service! for ctfecive ‘Seve tis dubions disiocuon. 8

SS ae, ent Labour Group teary of server, i fl co i | Bakers

‘was elected in May 1986 on @ soltation with users and endorsing a stand against cuts it

Manifesto which pledged workers; Linde Botos — why the "unlikely that the current Uefence of services and jobs and @& thriving voluntary sector, _Fesignation’ Group will want to endorse a eeretcd rltance fe centre! wotacheap subsituce for Coun tion, the Housing Bill, the Leadership prepared to take on ‘government attacks. When the cil services: Edacation Bill, the Poll’ Tax, the Tories. But with pressure inee eee ccuad bp the wean open, accountable, Clause 28 — resistance not ceasing on Councillors to Parties end Labour Group, it democratic ‘and collective capitulation 3 follow mandates their choices car an ate crete ek eadership: for rebuilding a Against this principled stand are narrowing.

was jo. lead, that restores, Fartnership between Coun- Linda Bellos i sanding wih a" Paredoxically, many Party. London Day of Action, March Sth: workers march past Lambeth etter against @ second OF Tifors, the Parties, the ade slate based on those prepared to members were prepared to see Town Hall on their way to allLondon rally

‘overnment.”” ‘anions and the community Vote for cuts- Her programme Councillors break mandates on ving to help organise and. _ standing down is only o avoid a Wik Joun Twelves as their eleading a campaign for more comes down to doing whatever cuts but will not accept broken mobilise the fightback. Dublic humiliation from. the ca een ease inatcoun resources for Lambeth, linking Whitehall says — as long as it mandates for the Group _@ Stop Press: Recognising her Party to be followed by staying Gliow agains the Cuts arestan. - up with community and labour . Keeps her Leader. Such is the cections. uumenble position, Linda in office. when the Group is, ‘ding a full slate for all major movement ‘Organisations contempt for consultation that "Whatever happens to the Lin-Bellos has now withdrawn from unable to decide how to replace ing full sine for al male’ Srepared tofight todefend local the LCC have found themselves da Bello clique the Councillors the Leadership contest. along... them

gramme of: [revises —~ fighting eo tura the. on her slate without their per- Against the Cuts are commiticd with six Committee Chairs. But At the same time rumours are gramme ot: whe socialist ALA into a campaigning body. mission. They are now standing to working with the Parties, rather than promising to vole styong that John Mann vas olcies of the Manifesto fiving the lead to other Local in their own right. tuniont and community 10 de: forthe cholce of the Parties they never serious in standing and rosie die Wal extending Authorities in the fight against "Linda Bellos has capitulated fend Council services. The have sai they willabsian inthe now that he faces possible dec qual opportunities: Tory cuts” and legislative so much the LOC is able to discussion in the Lambeth Par- Group election {oral success the mantle of the ‘@rebuilding services on the attacks: pose asa “political” alternative ties over the Group leadership Saying they will disrupt LCC will pass (0 the mare acerate car pmorticy deter. @ preparing to defend Lambeth to her let. They have picked up elections — like the leadership whoever wins has only reinfore- _ceplable Dick Sorabji. Further

aa ee Peptic mad trade against all'altacks — privatisa- support from Councillors fed debate nationally — is only ser- ed cynical rumours that their report next sue

Hackney Li ies Labour

The occupation |

The Hackney ibrar of 17) are L ailigeer ous = charging for owt libraries.

ning for six weeks. ‘ail's attitude to Hibraries (and. free reference libraries); By Dave Keane Chocitc, nora ort Resources (or: Herbert Morrisson House Fae eee ey ee

Hes renin te enrree Ca cates | has been watching too much

The occupation, sup- isctve,_and in’ Imposing of husiness rather than com

3 Pored byNALGO members "Ranken cite! “San araaly cane | television again) Thursday May : Winkfield Road

‘other trade unions, local

bibrary hours.

"Thanks to the uproar crea

communities and Hackney ay ants 10 the uproar cate! | Gor blimey, would you | ———————————— Fightback, has gradually | tielp the occupations! ) thas proposals seem likely be | Adam and Eve By Christine Shaweroft (off Locdatap been winning wider support | contact ae ‘There we all was at the Pearly Queen of Bow & Sed bas shown that it is. | Goldsmiths Row Library on 729 oe oleae tore Sponsored by Totte possible to takes Sande oo ops Optimism peor pan ean, With substantial pressure, | |g4p : Despite our optimism we can- ‘Wot a grand time was ‘ad py is what we'd all like to know? wecan win. SSmerford Road Library on 985 ff not hope to win without con-| by all! Then ‘says thatthe Firm ia “The Counci’s srategy for | S69 Tue "and inceancd presure | We was ustavin’asingsong Riverside’'as ‘ado shut up hop dealing with cuts isto remain in| Hackney Trade Union Support ff on the Council. Library workers | rahn the ol” joanna — “Roll ‘only instead of Riverside, "e cic a ang_ peice, ver if ie | (aig on 249 nse we sSfecpared for further: | Out the Agena" “Knees up says Blackwall which s oh fees hating Toca Timull Scone we’ mu hold | Nel Kinmock". “‘Boted Bet our manor! Well you could've connate. farce The issue | and Share Ownership” — and knocked us dafn wiv » fewer! Baths sine ic bsoming which asa ts bass he low Sat ening tacked i to some Course, tried To pas ort inereasingly unpopular, ss sip: of three branch loratice, wo ie and mach as one of these “ere sips wot por for the occupation shows: reference hbraries and” the Posen the Lion's Lait, (nice that scezer Pred Used 10 go 08 To launch a North tie. ‘Hackney. ‘Joint "Shop school projeat loans service, biota med iculecton ihe old sab and then e sys "ow the Action for local Gi Stewards Commitee has called proposes further reactionary Rsnsincs policies for’ Ronme Guv'nor realy only wants old Contact SERA, = er odiaes = ‘as measures: and Reggie), sittin’ at the top Cockneys in the ret those “ ave the Trades Counel and an Hite SRE” 'abal” asked’ ths ones from the Melish shover a i Increasing “number “of local fener Terty Ashion, sent dahn Nah we fought this was well Brent Cs 4 Labour Parties. ‘by the Guv'nar, to say a few abt of order! Not that we tangl- Meeting to discuss Labo} : words, Gate ble us and sive Sd mach wis the Mellsh Gan. Activists BNDias Ts eneussome GBH we preter: our legs unbroken, contetty oa of the earole! Norrart —_fanks very much. But we've on- All wel The Library Action Commit Nate's tbe clcher one 3 Just Taken this neck of the eis

‘of the lads (nice boy, allright so woods over from the Beasley SEs got a bit of form," was Gang, “oo were almost as bad! Jeremy Cor

nowhere near the Blind Beggar, And we're all old Cockneys in Narendra Makanji, Vice

tee, consisting of | NALGO Stewards and activists, meets fegularly to consider how best {O'sep tp the action, and issues

Blackwall, You can ‘ear the

egal" ya Bow Bells in Bangladesh. Not | Tom Durkin, Brent Trad ‘workers and local people. Su- mnany’ people know tht : ort groups have Been Sct up So there wana bit 'a argy Cllr Graham Baling more peoie into the any. but imube end we sot | Ann Pettifor, Labour Wor toate tom for one last ren

“TRE ciion has proved that in for one last ren. Brent To

Monday May disabled 4

Iibraries are not an easy target Dut other Libraries» remain ‘ulnerable. A senior councilor has allegedly said only five (out

London Labour Briefing No. 93 April 26th-May 11th 1988 page 3

Support this anti-racist

. 2 form to join the union

we taken strike action The CPSA members told

: Sok management wante

ler refusing to Kk Skeags sacked or transferred

le known fascist —“srrither Green he would be

ganiser Malcolm desing with members of the

o0ge. public and confidential files.

aa Management refused — the

The CPSA members are Management selus it solid after all-out ac- “rc up to the whole of the yn since early April in an jabour mavement in London 10

most. unprecedented ally round this histonc strike ‘of strength against supports particularly need iam. ‘ed from other CPSA members ‘nd branches, and the

TDAN CARTER NUCPS. whose’ members are

‘erossing the picket line

The office at 303 Hither s Malcolm Skeggs is @ Green Lane SE13 near the | , NWS workers demonstrated on March Sth (abov Inet National Brant ean jenction with Dunenene Road | ‘8th. The bureaucrats fight 10 stop workers linking

education workers together with ote Local Authony workers on March

wr his job at Lewisham and-so_hap on the picket ne OO ee ee eases from 7.30 to 9.30em in par tla, is welcome

itish National Party Facilities Since 1979 the Tories GLC: campsiens promoting presen! asked where ILEA'S station withthe unions

Many of the Lewisham ares ‘went with the Tyndall split form the BNP in the early

opened its faciites up to the | tempts to abolish ILEA of Part nos The present situation 2 of Partam jccher's spec was rightly. ger fay gree ang Sut yn strikers and Hither’ Green | and” on each occasion Duriae ts period ILEA tas drowned out by the majors ot Smt eee

hen they have organised in fwisham and. are: now no iger 8 major threat.

File is one sure way to scupper ‘moves by union officials ta fake control

Soked that supporters write to | elaimed these to be signi Sewing acute package of 9% eaployment the, manager ‘of the office | cant victories. tuo of which £25 alion wil demanding vo know its policy | “Yet ILEA now faces fall on domestic staf.

fon racism and fascism, and By Pete Milson Tinks must be made with abolition: by 1990. the Greater London ‘Tribunal how they justify employment ” Labour Party Conference oo NUPE Steward fey eee Becker!

of 9 Nazi sympathise.

‘Too many London’ strikes a Skeggs resurfaced at Hither have been last through lack of Ferspectises

een dole office after having iabour movement suppor. I his Industral tribunal we lose this, willbeavictory | _ The political perspectives of jainst Lewisham Council and for a fascist, as well as for an | the majority of the Labour fetal "thousand pounds increasingly intolerant | Group and ILEA Leaders has ong_with it. He was management. Your support is | been to adopt campaign similar covered whenhe submitted vital in this dispute. to those of the now defunct

Left sweeps

the board

Recently Briefing supporters may have felt a bit fed up reading about

sucesses notched-up in Sonus. wan ie Sth, 7.30pm | fomdon ClPs by the Sco" stad

Day Centre LOC and assorted Women’s Section.

Nh ath. Nel cher - March aeedih, Nel Ficcher personal capacity) Bocca

‘Chair Glenys Thornton refused ‘We should heed the lessons of foo ucsept am questions or Already some workers have the GLC and the abortive rate reference back been laid off or threatened with capping campaign. Let us not

When ne rallied at Jubilee the sack if they do not comply forget that ILEA was one of the Garten 3a March ih, Nel with ILEA’s present demands. first Labour controlled Gardens on, March Sih, Nel This ‘makes a nonsease of Authorities £0 desert Liverpool Afendne FLEA. Many workers ILEAsconmimentofaicos- and Lambs

By Keith Veness Islington North CLP

Lane N17) it has become obvious TO. lyae nh for the last few months g

st Environment & feington. of dirty ticks” tried one last 2 particular prize for them as AGM — springing the key 5 Jeremy Corbyn is now — Yotes 07 one bugs Maestmost

7.15pm Secretary ofthe Camgsigh 3th pi ap pe 3 jroup and thus a leading —rivins “However. this

ingey Civic Centre, fight of the left in London. miserable ploy faled and the

—_ ‘Because of the demoralis2- left slate was elected anyway!

eon ase felt this was their best year for pee jes, and it was curtains

a Group However, once the fight rently in post. Many of the

cys ete. all-out struggie and this helped The left's victory has coin- | eee Gophers Gon snd ‘the opening up of tne | Petty Nkowe in YouCan’s yr, sive the spirit of the thelr disagreements. Sounds

cccieaemcantamemnaasacmemmescrecercgmaam | repetitive, but is show brings 8 new dimension to Stove Parry

London Labour Briefing No. 93 April 26th May Ich 1988 page 4

Chesterfield comes to London Discussing ‘‘a strong, socialist

movement” in Britain!

380 people participated in movement and warned that the North London the struggle for Black Sec So ‘onference on tions was not over

April 16th and 17th. She pledged her support ‘Over the two days there fF the Benn-Heffer ticket

ee wakes and spoke of her sadness at

Meee aedan’s the resignation of some of Wide tange of iseucs Yin the Women in the Campai

Uiding tretand, The Croup as, she said, this con

PHOTO: Martine Stead

PHOTO: Mort

The audience at the North London meeting

test was our best hope for a Economs, Green "Politics, : ways in which women, les- that it was all out strike a people involved in Women’s Liberation and the ‘hange of Leadership bians and gay men,” and tion that was needed to win, _anti-racist/anti-aScist work, Strugule for Socialism, and 5. Mam black people experience class but consistently put forward trade unionists and green Black and Ethnic minority BY Mandy Mudd ‘oppression, and tothe argument that the arena socialists. communities in North North London Socialist acknowledge their rights to for struggle was broader London. Conference Organising ‘Organise around this within than the workplace, and that Determined

The Conference had been Committee = 5 the struggle for socialism, it could and should involve planned before Tony Benn ‘Sharma 2 angered many comrades. Labour Councillors and the The Organising Commit and Eric Heffer announced Duncan Hallas from the indian Wor community, tee are determined that the their challenge for the SWPalso recognised the im- addresses # Routinistic The closing plenary en- weekend should not be a Labour Leadership; _in- portance of the Benn-Heffer Conference capsulated many of the one-off event and are comevitably the opportunities challenge as a “contest of had on his family; while In Sunday afternoon's debates, with Narendra mitted to building a socialist this contest. afforded ran ideas affecting all socialists GeofT Bell saw the Benn- Local Government session Makanji pointing out how a network across North Lonthrough all debates inside’ and owtside the Hieffer Campaign asa means their routinistic “leave the workerist. approach disen- don. They plali to set up @

Tony Benn opened the Labour Party”. of highlighting Trish oppres- Labour Party, join the franchised many of the most rolling programme of Conference calling on it t0° Discussions in workshops sion nging WP, build for all outstrike oppressed groups from meetings across North Lonwork to build "2 strong were intense and serious. _ipar action” led them to be ac- struggles and called on a don and to encourage as Socialist movement in Bre. There were complaints from Questions of autonomy cused. of a workerist ap- socialist movement to build many people as possible to tain to represent and defend a very well-attended for lesbians and gay men, proach and they were ttack- diagonal Tinks across class attend the recall Conference the interests of working peo- workshop on Ireland that women and black people, cd by lenafits’ represen- and identity groupings. in Chesterfield in June ple committed to democracy the Irish struggle for sclf- and about whether socialists tatives for failing to Local, Benn-Heffer Camfocaily and nationally, and determination should have Should fight inside or out- acknowledge the role that Range paigns have been set up to with an international featured more prominently side the Labour Party community based organisa- ensure that the political perspective.”" con the agenda lunderlined almost all the tions could play in such The Conference attracted issues raised by the Leader

He particularly stressed "Sinn Fein representative debates. These divisions struggles. a broad range of people: ship. challenge are spread the need to curb the power Gerry McLaughlin agreed were particularly sharpened "Briefing comrades did not many Labour Party ac- _ widely inside and outside the of the city and multina. that British comrades should in ‘Sunday morning's disagree with the analysis tvisis, SWP members, RCP Party.

Sonals and to Build interna- concentrate more on bring- Women’s Liberation and the tional trade union links a8 ing about the removal of the Struggle for Socialism sesPart of this struggle British Army than on telling sion and whenever a strategy

Sharon Atkin denounced Irish socialists how to run for opposing Clause 28 was

- the shameful record of the their fight discussed Labour Leadership on 1 ‘The uncle of Birmingham | On Sunday mornin question. of Black people's Six prisoner Paul Hill spoke Nadine Finch spoke about

autonomy inthe labour of the effects the PTA had Women for Socialism. the women’s organisation iaun- | ched at Chesterfield. Irene

Organising oni oe

n's oppression.

south of a

Women speaking from the floor resisted any attempt to

Mm ‘countery a class anlaysis ; Socialists south of the ment we needed deve

PHOTO: Martine Stead

S By Greg Tucker Geax" seruggie._ perspective ver ere. organising. a ss struggle p : South London Sociatiot Vauxhall CLP ——— Conference in the wake Spout who should bein. | demands ‘of women and

of the successful North Yited to speak to plenary | recognised their right to London event. sessions of the Con-| organise autonomously ‘A second open planning ference 9 up anin- | around them,

meeting has just been itil lst of speakers, egree- | _ The refusal of the SWP 10 held, bringing together ment was easily reac fe that gender, sexsocialists from a range of to invite Tony Benn. Betty and race affect the Nadine Finch and irene Breughel address the North London Conference backgrounds both inside Heathfield, Diane Abbott

and outside the Labour ang Sharon Atkin

a | NHS demonstration

Hs struggles”, \eft_most of “2 zimtohoid the Conference despite. objections, from | signs that relations By John Hayball at toate reece wa 2 Welsh Ten oe aratay within the Conservative - was agreed to hold a agreed to invite them | parey are rapidh pass by Briefing seller with the view ward to take up the work ceedings the task now isto | On Saturday April 16th, emonstration wound its way Windsor's Tory MP, who tego fo Nas eeaerart involved in organising such move forward to make the | 300 Tories marched Sis tec ova aoe Saeco hee cea a demanding Confere: Conference into e reality. if | through Windsor in where Tory women activists Under the pressure of ths One Young Conservative Given the broad range of you want to help build this | Protest at the proposed wently rushed from one rank and fils movement. praseed concen or ts ake a viewpoints present, the United left forum come. closure of most of the shopper to tha next col The organisers of tha (of trade union narticipation in The only setback to this Tucker. 3 Bl | the East Berkshire Area —_‘Woricaly. the policing was political character, which terms of Thatcher bashing. with unfor- London SE11 STW, tol. O1 | Health Authority eae ee rie a a edema teria

tunate disagreements 582 2955.

q unity” came