Longbridge 9: the Crunch

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work-in On December 2 the staff of the 50-bed Longworth geriatric Hospital, in the Oxfordshire countryside, went into occupationdeciding to work-in to stop the Area Health Authority's efforts to close their hospital.

Just two days later, the AHA was making efforts to split the COHSE staff off from the support of the union officers.

These officers, for their part, were making it clear that, while they were quite prepared to make a noise about cuts, and came in from the surrounding villages, starting with the staff's own families.

• Every union branch the staff appealed to, and some they were stretched to get to, offered In contrast, the staff are still waiting for official backing from their union-COHSE-at national level.

But with the determination they have shown thus far, they will win this backing.

The fight must then be to prepare for the time when the After a similar 'Kangaroo Court' appeal to the original disciplinary hearing, eight of the nine victimised Longbridge militants are still sacked, including all four shop stewards.

One of the workers had his sacking changed to a two week suspension.

None of the company's witnesses were named or could be cross-examined so the whole 'appeal' was just a farce.

All eyes will now focus on CAB I Tuesday morning dayshift. This is the area that the victimised workers came from.

If this section takes strike action then the Works Committee have promised a Joint Shop Stewards meeting.

It is to this meeting that the demand for plant-wide strike action will be put.

All last week the Works Committee refused to call a full stewards' meeting before the "appeal' despite the sacking of four shop stewards. They thus managed to avoid any preparation for a confrontation.

No confidence One of the victimised shop stewards said at a public meeting last Sunday organised by the Selly Oak Labour Party, that he had no confidence in the 'appeal' and that only industrial action could save his and the other jobs.

The initiative in support of the nine by Selly Oak Labour Party must be applauded.

About 50 people attended meeting chaired Litterick.

Rover worker Pat Hickey spoke in place of Derek Robinson-who failed to turn up.

There was a great deal of criticism of the role of the Longbridge CP leadership in the wages sell-out that led to the victimisation.

When Litterick asked if there was a Labour Party member in the audience of the wellpublicised meeting, in order to see whether they were going to fight the victimisation none were present.

Every BL steward

What was made plain at the meeting was that if the company are successful with the sacking of the 9' then not only will every steward in Longbridge be in danger but so will every Leyland steward.

If the stewards are not defended at Longbridge then by Tom of action The leadeiship at Longbridge must call action by the whole plant. The TGWU which called 'official' support for Robinson must do the same immediately for the "9: all four victimised shop stewards are TGWU members.

This must spread to 'official' strike action throughout Leyland. All TGWU members should demand this through their branches and shop stewards meetings.

NATIONAL CHILDCARE CAMPAIGN Constitutional Conference Saturday 24 January 1981 10 am. to 5 pm.

Wolverhampton Poly Students Union Stafford & Wulfruna Sts.

Wolverhampton

Conference fee £1.50 (unwaged 75p)

Creche*Food*Bar Pooled fares*Overnight accomodation. ing living standards while those at work face speed up and anti-union laws.

This Tory government is a class war government, selected from the most determined sections of the capitalist class.

It has come to office committed to do a specific job for the bankers, employers, speculators and landlords. That job is to carry out an all-sided attack on the working class, its living standards, social services and working conditions-all in the interest of profit.

Therefore it is the declared intention of this meeting to call upon all workers, employed and unemployed, to resist all factory closures and to oppose all redundancies and cuts in public expenditure by whatever means possible and to support both morally and financially all workers in struggle.

In order to facilitate this, [Mid-Cheshire] Trades Council should immediately form an area Council of Action which will embrace all working class organisations-trade unions, labour groups, unemployed, youth sections, community action groups, and tenants associations."

YES-BUT THERE'S A BRIAHTER SIDE TO IT ALL. IF THE REDUNDANCIES KEEP ON AT THIS PACE... 5 (..WITHOUT ANY MEMBERS LEFT- WHOLL PAY OUR WAGES?!!