NUPE fights climbdown

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Trade unionists in Camden: have responded sharply to the ignominious climbdown on the cuts by the borough's Labour council, which is planning to raise rents and rates, and to deprive two-thirds of the Council workforce of the second half of their Clegg "comparability" Day award leaving them far short of NUPE's claim for a £75 minimum wage.

The retreat took place in the face of an alleged threat of a Tory surcharge on the council's overspending. Councillors in favour of the rent increase, in particular, argue that they must "keep their heads down" and wait for the "right" issue on which to confront the Tories.

Refuse to fight

But Camden workers can legitimately ask if there will ever be a "right" time for such councillors, who refuse to fight what amount to direct wage cuts for every worker, council tenant and ratepayer in the area.

Holding fire now in the struggle against the Tories must inevitably lead the same coun cillors into extensive cuts in the services they now claim they are dedicated to protect.

These points were raised last week in a motion to St Pancras North Labour Party GMC from Camden's large NUPE General Branch, which declared that:

"This GMC is shocked UNION DUES disgusted at the Labour Group's decision to back down on its commitment to fight low pay among its employees and not to grant the Union's claim of £75. This decision means that Labour Councillors are leaving their low paid employees at the mercy of rapidly mounting inflation.

This GMC strongly opposes the retreat of the Labour Group in the face of legal threats of surcharge and feel that unless the Labour Group reverses its stand then a question mark is placed over the Council's preparedness to stand by its "no cuts policy when it comes under Tory attack. Accordingly we call on the Labour Group to reconsider its decision and agree to grant its low paid workers an increase which at the least protects them from inflation.

Furthermore, this GMC calls on those Labour Couricillors who under threat of surcharge are not prepared to stand by their commitments on rents and on cuts and to the low paid to resign and make way for Councillors who are prepared to stand up and be counted."

A similar resolution has also been passed in the St. Pancras South GMC, and one ward has removed right wing councillors Bethal and Comley from the GMC for supporting rent rises and pay cuts.

This struggle to drive out those Labour leaders who refuse to fight in defence of the interests of the working class and for full scale mobilisation f resistance to the Tory ollens!: must be taken forward in tu next period.

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