Drain covers up

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should be seen clearly as only the first step in a transitional programme to better policies on health care. The shortage of money is not the only problem in the health service.

MONOPOLY

The professional monopoly on information must be fought by all workers and patients. The effectiveness of treatment should bẹ publically scrutinised by committees of trade unionists working with socialist doctors and technicians.

Public health measures such as better housing and social conditions should be included in any overall policy relating to health care.

An NHS under workers control must consider these problems and not be duped by the professions. Then we would see whether the doctors and dentists would really defend and help improve our health service.

LETTERS We welcome letters from readers. Letters for publication should be kept as brief as possible and sent to:

Socialist Press, 31, Dartmouth Park Hill, London NWS 1HR.

«Those authorities that seek to use the latest government circular as the excuse for further cuts will meet the full resistance of my union" announced Geoffrey Drain, NALGO General Secretary, at a Liverpool public meeting last week.

If Drain's words didn't carry much conviction, this is because only a few weeks ago at the NALGO Conference he was leading the right-wing pack opposed to any action to defend jobs, wages or conditions against the concerted onslaught of government spending cuts.

Of course Drain struck common note in Liverpool when he proclaimed that "my members are getting thoroughly fed up of seeing services cut and posts not filled as though these are the only things that the government can think of to solve its economic problems."

What he did not tackle was the growing anger among NALGO members that no lead for an all-out fight is being given by Drain or his fellow bureaucrats.

His 'left' words are simply a no 11 official strike action to stop the cuts, Joming with other public service unions in a defence of the social services.

Instead, Drain has stayed silent while the TUC General Council, by 20 votes to 3, accepted the new social contract which makes it clear that there will be further savage cuts in public spending.

And • he is reduced to simply mouthing phrases about "not tolerating" and "not standing idly by" while in practice doing just that.

Rather than call on NALGO members to mobilise in the struggle for a cash injection and a sliding scale of spending to protect the social services against inflation, Drain looks to the extreme rightwing Labour cabinet for a change of policy!

'We look in vain for action to tackle capital accumulation, interest rates, the activities of the multi-nationals and the speculators".

NALGO members must пО longer look in vain to Drain and his allies, but begin the preparation of new leadership in NALGO locally and nationally which will use the great strength of the union to Zafest the mto