Longworth Snatch Rebuffed

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A concerted bid to smash the ten-week work-in at Longworth Hospital in Oxfordshire was foiled on Monday February 2 by the determination of staff and supporting pickets.

The attacks came after a week in which COHSE members at Oxford's Warneford Hospital had taken one-day strike action to back a 50strong lobby of the AHA to support the work-in.

The Area Health Authority chaired by leading Oxford Labour Party member Lady McCarthy, attempted, under the 'thin disguise of arranging a "holiday" , to remove three patients from the hospital.

The removal of patients is essential if the AHA are to implement their planned closure of the top floor of Longworth as a prelude to its complete closure-and the loss of a further 35 geriatric beds in the Area.

Published by Folrose Ltd for the Registered as a newspaper at the 8 am. on the Monday morning was the chosen time for the AHA's planned snatch: they had alerted local press, television and radio crews to cover the events on the gates. They hoped in this way to intimidate pickets into allowing the patients to be removed sooner than be accused of blocking a seaside holiday for three old people.

Plan of action

But pickets, too, had been alerted, and a plan of action agreed. The gates had been padlocked, and an alarm system set up to alert the staff as soon as the AHA gang arrived.

They turned up with a minibus ironically inscribed "Friends of Cowley Road Hospital". • Cowley Road was a large geriatric hospital recently closed down by McCarthy and the AHA axemen in an area already 200 geriatric beds short.

Pickets stood their ground and refused to allow the AHA into the occupied hospital; they orkers Socialist League, BM Box st Office. Signed articles do not r brushed aside cynical accusations that they were acting "callously"; and they challenged management to give a written assurance that the patients would be returned to Longworth if they were allowed out.

Management refused-and finally went away declaring that it was "unlikely" that they would try the same stunt again.

Instead their tactics seem to focus increasingly on behind-the scenes deals with the leadership of COHSE.

Encouraged by the complete absence of any national campaign from the COHSE execu7, London WCIN 3XX. Printed I ssarily represent the views of the 949 PATION tive in support of the Longworth occupation, the AHA has gone over the heads of the branch and regional officers of the union to seek collaboration with the bureaucracy at national level.

In the aftermath of the 'holiday" raid ACAS officials made their first appearance-a storm warning of an underhand deal in the offing.

Messages of support and donations can be sent to: Barbara Russell, _ Whitebread Cottage, Farringdon Road, Longworth, Abingdon, Oxon. Morning Litho Printers, London. irkers Socialist League.