Cuts: biggest union votes for occupations

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that they could rule on actions it will be able to tise the whole (1, the socialst "By virtue of these prin- actions and policies of such a mas to be ran down, if to keep Paddington Groan Hence in the working class to ted that one of the four the Communist Party's influ- Party chiefs thèmselves insis- ciples, they affin the right government. would be easy to got rid of Hoepital. " Instead, not only has stop any resistance choose their own regime and push forward the struggles gOyernment : and . declare of the working class and to hemseves for the with- expose the reformists and *Radicals into his government party drawal of Soviet troops from Stalinists in action to roadere for the lea The su reted to the taet that try Afghanktan and the ending Even in the formation of that the lay-out of Socialia both closures his way to give ministerial mntrol the maior inion the of their. ministerial positions of a foreiga intentire n the sovernment the French COT, but it has the majorty are the same as they hold in IMIS IS I @RECT EUnUA CPSP government for t Why have the CP been support on 1,813 munici- De Gaulle's 1945 coalition of the French CP iction to the present polis irel brought into the govern palities.

One agreement for t They do not refor to the class CP supporters were tola 1o chasion of the four Am fact that they were chacked vote for the SP in the second ters was specifically on the out of those posts in 1947deal was reciprocated by SP solidarity" (ot what Harok had any use for then apport- for CP candidate Wilson used to call policies in order to stay it confront the workirg eluss ir Tonner. This the chucked out). Mitterand s roverniaent. to reye clear the Statiatst leadets will only be declaration, By this Malement the he CP has beca, chaded a able to do what 19 July is the deadline for the Special Fund: and we're still £1,000 short.

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Our: address is Socialist Press Fund, BM Box. 5277, London WCIN 3XX The massive victory of the Socialist Party in the second round of the Frenchi clectione means their own.

Mitterand brought the capitalist politicians of the Left but he has also gone out of mintinni in the Communist round of the election, that here they are the fron TGWU is now officially committed to full-scale action to halt Tory cuts in the public services.

At the union's Biennial Conference last week resolution. was • passed which:

*Supports direct action against the cuts.

*Pledges that workers who take action and occupy to defend jobs and services will be backed by a TGWU call for supporting strike action.

*Pledges TGWU support for Labour councils which refuse to implement cuts, and refuse to raise rates or pay mterest debts to the banks.

The resolution was strongly opposed from the platform, which had drawn up an agende with no section on the cuta. But it was even more apongly supported by conference delegates sick to the teeth of the government as an insurance policy.

In other words, when Mitterand's government carries out anti-working class •Moving the resolution on behalf of the Cowley 5/293 Branch, Alan Thornett was able to draw on the lessons of debates at the two conferences convened last winter by Lambeth council on the crisis facing local government.

He stressed the necessity for class action and for councils to defy the Thatcher government if the cuts are to be defeated.

Trom the platform Alex Kitson trotted out the tired old example of the Clay Cross councillors • to "prove" that resistance is useless.

Thornett in reply stressed that the Clay Cross stand was correct: but councillors were left isolated by the unions and the Labour Party.

His motion offered a basis to ensure that never again could the same betrayal take place. agrees to-and that they will have to support anything he does.

. Jast to make sure that this will be adhered to by ministers had to be no less a fwure than Charles Fiterman deputy leader of the Stalinist governmeht./ when De Gaotle no longe when the Linited States insisted that ibey spectically endorsad by the hands at first appeared close. In the chair, Stan Pemberton called for tellers to count those for and against. But this was delayed, and in the event he was obliged to declare the vote carried.

This decision gives a mandate for action for every trade unionist in the public sector. Press for direct action to halt. the cuts -and demand all out TGWU support!

Thornett SP's General Council and the Central Committee, included: (amongst zeneral platitudes about improving ' the lot of the working class) the following key paragraph;

" of the Afghan people to it is obviously included show how much The staff at St. Mary's Hospital, Harrow Road, started a 'work-in' ox Thursday 25 June. This occupation is the first in a major. scute and gene hospitat, and should tapte become a national focus of the fight against cuts and closures.

The workers at the London hospital took the decision to occupy at a 250-strong mass. meeting last Wednesday. The work-in is supported by all the unions in the hospital, who have been campaigning agtainst the threat of closure for several years.

The local community Marchais much they will be used.

When Trotskyists fight for an SPCP government they not only insist on the exclusion of the bourgeois Radicals but demand certain This is in order both to influential positions it offers and not to assist the working Simitarly in thet cynical use of the CP and its influ in th unions the SP bow they are awar tbat: thex would have 1o the deprived area of Paddington which the hospital serves are completely behind the action. Earlier this year a petition? with 20:002 neratures ves presented to the Minister of Health However, showing the case for keeping the hospital open, and demonstrating the support of local community were, predictably, not enough to remove the threat of closure.

Health Minister Vaughan is expected to make a decision shortly on the hospital authorities' plan to close: 109 acute medical and surgical beds and 11 rehabilitation and rheumatology beds -6 wards and one-third of the total beds in all.

The other proposal is to restrict the casualty service to the 'walking wounded' • This will mean all ambulance cases will be transferred to other hospitals, further away.

The decision to occupy was taken prior Vaughan's verdict on the hospital, because it was becoming obvious to the staff that the management were already acting on the assumption that the ward closures were a foregone conclusion.

New porters were being taken on on 6 months contracts. According to Deputy District Administrator Barbara Young this was to show loyalty to older members of staff. In other unera sirice the hoanital newer members of staff.

We must anolorisa: Mrarron Tean this week in pol up to, Domestics were not being replaced and were having their mort loads incressed conditinna eraded.

The occupation with a mass picket at 2 o'clock on Thursday. Picketing: is continuing between 8 am and 8 pm every day, in order to pubiicise the occupation and to prevent any removal of equipment of patienta.

Sonny Jones, - TGWU Senior Steward explained that 'all grades are helping to organise the occupation' • GLC leader Ken Livingstone paid a visit to the picket line on the first day, declared his own support and pledged himself to work in the GLC for support for the action.

The Ambulance Service have said they will continue to bring patients to the casuaity department regardless of any government decision to restrict it.

National support has to be organised in the labour movement to make thig occupation succesaful:

As the Occupation Committee declared in their first public statement, "the sole object of the 'work-in' is to keep the hospital open, to continue to provide a proper hos pital service to the locai community and to save the jobs of hospital workers". , The possibility of aucceas in campaigns agaitst closures was damonstrated by the recent Arae Hesith Authority decision This hospital ened with clo same tune ey'a

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