St Benedicts leads the way ACTION NOT WORDS TO STOP THE CUTS

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the nationalisa- the independent interests of the Anniversary Shortly before the giant 80,000 strong demonstration against : the Labour government's cuts. in November 1976, when hos: pital dosures were still a comparative rarity, the workers at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson hospital staded a work-in to save it from closure.

Despite the fact: that the only attention given to the work-in by union officia's consisted in restoring the control of the hospital administrators Scargill and ensuring that the struggle remained as isolated as possible, the action struck a chord of sympathy in the London labour movement, p.

Timé and again workers in the public sector and in local private industry showed their readiness to take supporting strike action if the hospital were closed down.

And for over two years such naina isinanadad in roforrlinn action succetuu mr uerenuny the EGA, until eventually isolation and demoralisation at the lack of any clear perspective for upgrading the hospital created the conditions for the Tories to close it down.

Now, on the eve of another massive demonstration on November 28, 1979, the staff at St Benedicts geriatric hospital in Tooting have staged an occupation, set up a picket rota, and declared their intention to fight for the preservation of vital facilities.

The St Benedicts action takes place under very different conditions. Hospital cuts and closures are being announced virtually every day throughout the country as simply a part of the Tory offensive on jobs, social services, living standards and democratic rights.

Formal support

The health service unions COHSE and NUPE have declared formal support for a policy of work-in action to ¿prevent closure.

Tens of thousands

workers have already mobilised in mass action against Thatcher's policies-creating extremely favourable conditions for struggles to halt the cuts. The St Benedicts struggle points the way for those that want to fight and could provide the spark to ignite them.

Rhetoric

But, as in 1976, union leaders-for alf their rhetoricremain opposed to mobilising the all out action that is needed to support occupations and work-ins such as the st Benedicts fight.

The fact is that while local action is crycial, the cuts, like Tory attacks on abortion rights, trade union rights and jobs, can be genuinely defeated only by tenacious, national-level action designed to bring down the Thatcher government and bring to power a government prepared-unlike Callaghan's last administration-to act On socialist policies in the interests of the working class.

But the union leaders remain tied to the apron-strings of the accomplished through parliament and protest campaigns.

In other words they are tied -like Callaghan-to accepting that the Tories can do what they want with the working class for the next five years, while Thatcher goes onto hammer and tongs offensive!

Genuine

Certain elements of the trade union and Labour bureaucracy, of course, have, like Scargil Benn, and Lambeth leader Ted Knight, attempted to portray themselves as different, as genuine representatives of the working class.

Now is the time to put such 'left' words to the test.

The working class does not need talkers. It desperately needs a leadership that will fight for action to halt the cuts, and for a perspective of bringing down the Thatcher government.

This means: *Occupations and supporting strike action to stop closure!

*Open the books of the public services! Reveal the profiteering by private suppliers. bankers and contractors.

*Fight for tion of these firms, without working class. compensation, under workers' management.

*No to rate and rent increases! Councils must withhold interest payments maintain full services and confront the Tory government head on!

*Restore all cuts! For a sliding scale of public service spending to protect. against rising costs, as assessed by elected trade union committees!

*Full support for any section in action against the cuts. For national, indefinite strike action to defeat the Tory government and its offensive.

*Defend all civil service jobs! All out action to defeat victimisation moves!

*Kick out the Callaghan-Healey leadership and any Labour or trade union leader that refuses to fight to bring down the Tories! For a programme of socialist policiesno to import controls!

*Link up in action with unions in the private sector! Build local councils of action drawing delegates from all workers' organisations! Prepare to bring down the Tories!

Insofar as Benn, Scargill or any other leader of the labour movement takes up a fight for such policies, they must clearly be supported in their struggle against the right wing.

But the bitter experience of past struggles has shown that time and again these leaders shrink at the crucial moment from the practical struggle.

This is why faith in such 'left' talkers is no substitute for the building of a principled, Marxist leadership that will fight consistently and consciously for CUTS Demonstrators on November 7 Workers Socialist League.

Committ Tickets f at door.

This is the perspective of 100 YEARS SINCE BIR' FIVE YEARS SINCE WS New Ambassadors Hotel Upper Woburn Place London WC1 Speakers from WSL Executive :e, plus film. 1.00 or £1.50 SATURDAY DECEMBER 8 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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PHOTO: Andrew Wiard, Report Wiard, Report

Labour leadership, to a commit- ment to "gradual" change,

League Rally