All Out on November 17! Nalgo to Call Ference

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In a significant response to the escalating pressure for action against government this weekend to summon a special recall union conference in December - only six months after their annual conference.

The 600,000 strong union faces devastating blows to its membership as Chancellor Healey's spending cuts percolate through the administrations of local government and the health service, creating widespread sackings and closures.

PARADING

NALGO General Secretary Geoffrey Drain has until now attempted to defuse opposition to these moves by parading the country with a series of left' sounding denunciations of government policy - while giving no practical lead for action.

Indeed the 'left' cover went so far as to affiliate NALGO officially to the National Coordinating Committee Against Cuts in the National Health Service - whose programme includes the demand for a sliding scale of social service spending rising in pace with increased costs to defend against inflation.

Yet when action was taken by health service workers in London - a one day strike by 2,000 hospital workers against the closure of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson hospital - it was NALGO members who crossed the picket line.

DEMAND

But now Drain in facing a recalled. Conference must know that the demand from the rank and file will be for the union to act in defence of jobs and social services - and if he avoided the issue at the June Conference, he cannot duck it now.

Also under increasing pressure is NUPE General Secretary Alan Fisher, whom lobbyers at the TUC Congress in Brighton saw posturing in acute embarassment with & contingent of NUPE workers calling for an end to the cuts.

NUPE policy is for "guerilla strikes" at local letti to stop the Lent dear sach protest gestures designed to "pressure' local administrators.

NUPE members however have already shown in many areas they are willing to take the policy of action to stop the cuts at face value and to fight each attack by management.

ESCALATE

This militancy is likely to escalate further as more and more local administrators in the social services announce planned cutbacks.

An example is in the Hackney area, where the Area Health Authonty has announced 400 hospital jobs are to be shashed, overtime halved, blood testing and X-ray services cut by 75-80%, an end to automatic replacement of absent doctors, and the closure of one of the area's three accident units.

No half-hearted "guerilla" strikes or verbal posturing will succeed in beating back this barrage of attacks and this is only one area of many affected.

NUPE

NUPE has already called a lobby of the Labour Party Conference on Tuesday 28th September to take up the question of the cuts.

And on November 17th, NALGO has announced it will join NUPE on a national demonstration and lobby of Parliament in protest Please send me Socialist League.

Name. .

Address against the cuts. On the same the Civil and Public Services As iation - the largest of the ( Service unions - is calling a ‹ day strike against plans to 46,000 Civil Service jobs.

The fight must be taken uj every area for NUPE and NAI along with other local autho and health service unions alsc take national strike action on 1 day, as the opening shots of an out programme of strikes to : the implementation of the plan cuts.

ACTION

In every sector where cuts threatened before this date t must be met by all-out indust action, calling on the support of local labour movement in defe of jobs and the social services.

The demands must be:

*No cuts, no sackings!

*For a sliding scale of so service spending to protect aga inflation.

•*For all accounts, plans resources of local administral to be opened to elected commit of trade unionists, and the day day running of the social serv to be controlled by them.

*Nationalise social service : pliers, private health and educati INFORMATION information

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spending cuts from their mem- bers, NALGO leaders voted