Action to STOD The CUTS

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"There can be no clearer example of the crisis than 250,000 people homeless_ on the streets while building workers are on the dole and bricks are stockpiled", argued Anne Marie Sweeney (Oxfordshire Campaign Against the Cuts).

Introducing a discussion on the fight to halt the Tory onslaught on the public services, she went on to show the scope of the cuts-from school meals to closures of geriatric hospitals; from punitive charges for home helps to cancellation of school crossing patrols.

"Impressive record"

Pointing to the inaction of the union leaders, she quoted from the latest S.E. Region TUC Report. This boasts of the "impressive record" of its Cuts Campaign Committee, which in fact consisted of producing "three bulletins", holding two conferences and lobbying the Tory Minister of State at the DHSS!

Assemblies Bill now before Parliament, it amounts to a combined anti-working class strategy"

The divisions between employers on the Bill were based on • the fact that it destroys a long established framework of collaboration between bosses and union officials.

Pat Lally (TGWU) pointed out that even before Prior's new Bill is passed through Parliament the Tories have spearheaded attacks on the shop stewards movement (BL) on the closed shop (NGA dispute) and on the right to picket.

Andrew MacDonald (Socialist Youth League), speaking on youth unemployment, apologised for not being able to deal with the topic adequately in 5 minutes-because "it's a bloody big subject"

Meanwhile union leaders lifted not a finger to prevent the eviction of the Wandsworth nursery occupation, or the brutal break-up of the work-in at Derbyshire's Ettwall Hospital. It is vital to fight for a policy of occupations linked to supporting strike action to stop the cuts, she argued.

A similar theme was taken up by Joe Beckles of St. Mary's Hospital Defence Committee, West London.

"Patients are workers!" he told the conference.

"People in hospital beds did not just come off flying saucers from Mars. They are people like us in this room"

It was not a question of "using" patients but fighting for their interests. A determined work-in had meant that St. Columba's Hospital in London is still open 15 months after its closure deadline.

Jane Atkins of Leicester Nursery Campaign underlined the refusal of union leaders (NALGO) to fight to defend and extend nursery provision.

Roland Sheret high level of militancy in the working class as reflected in the recent ballot of the Scottish teachers' union, the EIS.

Offered a choice of three options on the next step in their struggle for an improved pay offer, the teachers had voted overwhelmingly to reject arbitration and to continue the strike action that last term hit Scottish schools. (See p. 11).