Backing for 'no cuts" policy

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In a pit-head ballot 56% of NUM members have voted for acceptance of the Coal Board's pay offer of 9.8% and improved bonus payments.

Militant areas such as Scotland, Yorkshire and South Wales were unable to swing votes on a broader basis against the NUM Executive's recommendation for acceptance.

Strike averted

But the deal has been widely described in the Tory press as being in excess of 13%. While Thatcher will be delighted that Gormley has helped avert a miners' strike she will be less pleased that these powerful public sector workers have so publicly crashed through the government's 6% pay limit-and will be back again in 10 months time for more!

In Lambeth, the Labour council has adopted a policy of refusing to make any cuts in spending.

Speaking at a public meeting in Leicester, Lambeth council leader Ted Knight said:

"We intend to prepare our budget on the basis of financing all existing services.

We will make clear the position that the Tory government has put us in: But we will want Lambeth council clearly has considerable support. At the last meeting of the Lambeth Steering Committee it was announced that the Direct Labour forçe is calling strike action for two weeks from February 2 in opposition to Tory spending cuts.

Backing

This call won immediate backing from Lambeth GMWU members, AUEW local authority employees and TGWU stewards.

Now a mass meeting of NALGO workers has voted overwhelmingly to back the strike from February 2.

Knight pointed out that the councillors, too, would be part of the fight:

"We Wil Shut down Lambeth council. As far as I'm concerned, all doors will be locked."

The Lambeth Steering Committee passed a resolution supporting this important step and urging other sections of workers throughout the country to take similar initiatives, particularly by calling supporting strikes in February.

Already there are moves by the direct labour workforce in Camden to follow the Lambeth lead, and moves towards similar action in Lewisham.

The fight for a full-scale public sector stoppage February 2 will clearly be a central theme of the recalled Lambeth conference, scheduled for January 17 in London.

Resolution

In the meantime Knight will move a resolution at the Special Labour Party Conference calling on the Party's National Executive to lead a fight against the Tories, to back Labour councils that refuse to carry out the cuts, and to give its support to the January 17 conference.

We urge all Socialist Press readers to campaign for maximum support to the Lambeth conference and the February 2 strike.

Further details of the Lambeth campaign and the recall conference, and requests for speakers from the Steering Committee to attend local meetings should be addressed to: Local Government in Crisis Steering Group, c/o Room 103, Lambeth Town Hall, Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RW. Tel. 01-274 7722 Ext. 2066.

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