[• WSL expose TGWU betrayal on Garners. Inset…]

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• WSL expose TGWU betrayal on Garners. Inset: Todd Despite supporters' claims last week of a victory for the campaign to save the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, it still remains under serious threat of closure in the near future.

The May 14 closure date was postponed following the actions of campaign supporters last Wednesday.

During a mass lobby of the AHA meeting, a group of supporters occupied the building where the meeting was to take place, for over two hours, preventing it from going ahead.

But the outcome remains one of confusion and uncertain. ty over the hospital's future.

No guarantees The occupation achieved no guarantees that the hospital would not be closed down in the immediate future, and failed to offer any answer to the problem of staff shortages which, though inflated out of all proportion by management, are caused at least in part by growing doubts among workers as to how long the EGA will. remain open.

While deferring the May 14 closure plan, therefore, the occupiers could well have provided a pretext for the AHA officers to rush the closure decision through an unannounced meeting at very short notice-leaving little or no time to mobilise working class resistance.

There is no doubt that workers would respond to a call to action to defend the EGA. The response to this latest AHA The task ahead remains one of preparing for widespread strike action and other solidarity action to prevent the closure of the EGA.

An all-London health service shop stewards' meeting must be called to give a central thrust to An earlier EGA picket this fight.

And the struggle must be taken to expose and treacherous NUPE bureaucracy which is plainly incapable f defending the health service : against Thatcher's Tory axemen effective lobby of the TGWU's London Regional Committee by Garners strikers and TGWU members last week, the 16-month strike faces the continuing danger of an official sell-out.

This could not be because Regional bureaucrats and full time officials are in any doubt as to the determination of the strikers to press ahead with their struggle for union recognition.

Both outside and inside the meeting this was forcibly impressed upon them by lobbyers, who demanded official support for the TGWU delegate conference called by the Strike Committee for June 9.

After the meeting there were emphatic denials by Regional officials that any decision had been taken to end the strike.

But it was clear that at least some of the Commitree had dragged out the pitiful argument that the strike was now impossible to win "because there is now a Tory government in power"

There had been no evidence that Regional officials had any intention of winni ng the fight under the Lal bour government either! ULL *ING NO:

In fact, of course, it is more than ever necessary at this point of time that the Garners strikers courageous stand in defence of union rights and the right to picket be stepped up like never before.

GEC knife job?

There is every prospect that the next TGWU General Executive Council meeting will make a move to knife the Garners strike, along with another marathon unionisation struggle at Sandersons Forklifts, Skegness, where management last year made a laughing stock out of new IGWU national organiser Ron Todd.

Garners strikers are continuing to picket and campaign despite the sell-out moves-with a leading striker going to the CPSA conference in Hove this weekend.

Pickets, supporting resolutions and finance are urgently required and should be sent to the : strike Committee, 12-13 Hen rietta Street, London WC2.

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O EN i NEED ECA SURES

SOCIALISTLENDE WHYx154 DRIVERS STILL DEUTEN TUGARNERS