HOSPITAL Lobby challenges AHA over closure plan

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A 4.. atanna nishlir anle far eunnarting auestions on drug companies' Phase 4 lock-out An indication of the scope of the wages movement: protest meeting of London traffic wardens A strike at St. Andrews Yospital, Bow, in the East End of London ended as a victory for the workers after only two days.

The strike was against the actions of the hospital security officer, who called in the police to raid four nurses flats on the suspicion that they may have been in possession of hospital property.

On hearing of this vicious and unprecedented action the immediate response of the nursing staff was to call a mass meeting where they voted . overwhelmingly for strike action.

Over 90% of the nurses walked out and they were given complete backing by the ancillary workers.porters, domestics and kitchen staff.

Faced with such

remarkable show of strength and solidarity and with the prospect of an indefinite shut down of the hospital (including the casualty department) because of the actions of his security officer, the district administrator had little choice but to accept the strikers demands-which included apologies to the four nurses, no recriminations and guarantee of no future raids.

Cutbacks

The strike at St. Andrews -and outcome-has several implications.

First the raids must be looked upon not as the isolated act of one fanatical security officer but as part of a series of cutbacks and degredations on workers throughout the health service, cutbacks which have become more frequent in times of high unemployment and cuts in public spending.

Secondly the strike shows the vital importance of nurses belonging to a trade union as the only means of protecting and improving their working and living conditions.

The Royal College of Nursing, the nursing staff association, which attempts to divide nurses from other hospital workers by appealing to their professional standards', , actually issued a leaflet during the St.

Andrews strike urging an immediate return to work, and RCN members crossed the picket line.

UNION DUES So along with being the strongest advocates of slave labour wages and conditions for nurses (as industrial action and bargaining are beneath professional dignity') the RCN _now seems to be an enthusiastic supporter of random police raids on their members flats!

• Perhaps the most important evidence in support of unionisation amongst nurses is the news given to Socialist Press by Steve Seegar, the NUPE branch secretary at the hospital, that during the short dispute almost 50 new members-mainly nurseswere recruited into the union.

After more than two weeks locked out of their factory, the workers of the Hull firm of J.H. Fenner are no nearer a solution to their dispute than they were a fortnight ago.

The workers were locked ouf by management after submitting a wage claim that would have broken the government's 5% guideline.

At a meeting between union representatives and management on Wednesday 27 September an offer was made by management that included a productivity deal, which was totally rejected by the workers.

It called on all departments to reach a certain level of productivity before Mostalll AT THE After a strong public meeting in their village against the proposed closure of their geriatric hospital, COHSE workers at Longworth decided to lobby the September meeting of the Area Health Authority, at which, they had been told, their hospital's fate would be decided.

Though it meant striking to attend the lobby, ten workers did so, having provided for the necessary patient cover.

They were accompanied by fellow members of COHSE, by health service and other trade unionists and by local residents.

Knowing that Longworth workers had voted to occupy their hospital to prevent closure any payment would be given.

Any one department failing to reach the set level of production meant that no payment would be made to any of the other departments.

The locked out workers have mounted a 24 hour picket but it was decided at a meeting between the GWU and the AUEW shop stewards that vital supplies needed to keep the engineering division working (where some hundreds of engineers and maintenance men are still at work) could cross the picket line.

Although the workers have been locked out since 14 September, the GMWU did not make the dispute official until last Friday, 29 September.

LONDOn TRI ARDEN I'M REALLY WORRIED ABOUT MOSS... EVERY TIME HE OPENS DO TRY AND GET SOME SLEEP DEAR P'LL SEE IF THIS ONE MOVÉS -OOPS HEY WHERE ARE THE BRAKES? HELP. and to ask for supporting industrial action from fellow NHS trade unions, the Area Health Authority chairman, Lady McCarthy-a Labour Party GMC member-took the unprecedented step of slipping in the side door, completely avoiding the lobbyers.

Furthermore; the lobby discovered, the decision on Longworth's fate was to be made in private session, absolutely closed to the workers, contrary to all promises.

«Keep Longworth open -No secret discussions!" came the shout.

The lobbyers filed into the public part of the meeting and heard the Budget Officer's accounts on . overspending almost entirely on drugs (no Last week members of NATSOPA at the Usher Walker printing inks factory in East London began to take action over a number of issues.

These included management's breaking of manning agreement and an questions on profiteering!)

Then a 25 minute "discussion" on the closure and disposal of beds at Oxford's main geriatric hospital at Cowley Road-a plan which had met with huge public opposition:

Shamefully, not a single worker had been mobilised by the NUPE leadership at Cowley Road to lobby this meeting where the final decision was to be made.

Challenged

Disgusted by the cynicism of the AHA's disregard of public opposition, expressed and led challenged her during the lunch break to hold the AHA's disAs we go to press, further action is being considered, largely depending on the results of a unionmanagement meeting on Tuesday. challenge through-and they have already decided that, to defend their health service, neither they, nor the local trade union movement, will stop at discussion.

NUPE official Anderson The vicious reaction of the NATSOPA bureaucracy to a simple overtime ban is clear evidence of their intention to crush any struggle by their members.

Winsford, as management-"

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PHOTO:Andrew r Wiard, Report

HIS MOUTH HE PUTS HIS FOOT IN IT— OLD JACK MUST BE FURIOUS TO SEE YEARS OF WORK PUT INTO JEOPARDY!

OFFICIAL ACTION