Coventry cuts 'stand"

Scan page 12

Councillors burst into the the £23 million left over after of the proposed cuts, which need to take up a struggi national headlines last week the payment of the 'unavoid. include £2 million off educa- strike action against the with the statement that able expenditure' tion lof which £1½ million is and the formation of a Co Two points should be made to come off salaries) and £¼ of Action to unify the stri they would lead a national about the Council's so-called million off social services.

The Public Sector Liaison the Labour Council's 'stand Councillors burst into the national headlines last week with the statement that they would lead a national fight against the Tory cuts. ""'stand" fight against the Tory cuts.

The reality of the stand of these people, however, is very different from the way it has been painted:

The cuts which Coventry Council are proposing to fight are to be implemented next year.

That cut is 5% of the budget. However. as Councill or Arthur Waugh senior (the lea der of the council) has pointed out, that cut in real terms is 20%.

Unavoidable

The annual budget totals £96 million of which £73 million is taken up in 'unavoidable expenditure, which includes staff wages and charges paid to banks.

A 5% cut would therefore be 5% of £96 million-something like £4¾ million which LEAGUE • COVENTRY cuts Elastic Inn League, 31 Dartmouth Park Hill, London as a Newspaper at the Post Office from ver after unavoid.

be made so-called Sacrosanct Firstly, Councillor Waugh and the others assume that the interest payments to banks are sacrosanct.

They have made it absolutely clear that they have no intention of taking a real stand.

They want a carefully controlled propaganda exercise, far removed from class action.

Secondly, the Labour Council are using the propaganda smokescreen about next year's cuts to cover their determination to implement this year's cuts.

On September 11 a Council Meeting where this year's cuts will be announced will be met with a mass picket against the cuts, organised by the Trades Trades Council ' deleaates LEAGUE PUBLIC MEETING LEICESTER have been circulated with details of the proposed cuts, which include £2 million off education lof which £1½ million is to come off salaries) and £¼ million off social services.

The Public Sector Liaison Committee of the Trades Council has proposed a campaign to force the Labour Council to refuse to implement these cuts.

Centralise

This was taken up by the full Trades Council meeting which drew up plans for the production of a local bulletin to centralise information on the cuts and decided to issue a call to the Labour Party and local confed for a conference to discuss a united fight-back:

The plan for a conference is major step forward:

Central to the deliberations LONDON RKERS SOCIAL LEAGUE Public Meeting N'T LET TURK COME ANOTHI CHILE of this conference must be the need to take up a struggle for strike action against the cuts and the formation of a Council of Action to unify the struggle.

Despite the real nature of Despite the real natur the Labour Council's 'stand' and the dangerous diversion that their campaign against the cuts. is designed to be, the stated opposition to the cuts can be used.

• Demands on the Labour Councillors must centre on the demands that no cuts be made in services and. instead the massive interest payments should be cancelled.

POLICE BACKED by British occupation forces raided the Belfast headquarters of Sinn Fein on Friday, the day after the British army commander apparently had 'cased the joint' in a surprise 'friendly visit.

Chief butcher Lieut. General Sir Timothy Creasy, clad in combat gear, strolled into the shop attached to the republican HQ on Thursday, and staged a chat about business-to the subsequent • enragement of Loyalist and SDLP politicians alike.

But the next day police raids inflicted serious damage on the offices, along with two other Sinn Fein offices in Belfast.

----- pull-quotes -----

Public meeting The fight against the

Néar Pool Meadow Thursday August 23 7.30 p.m.

THE FIGHT AGAINSI THE CUTS 7.30pm Thursday 30 August Belgrave Neighbour- hood Centre

Conway Hall iday Septemt 7.30 p.m.

Sinn Fein raided