Destrial Leas Holbrook Strike Ends

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On Th ursday 27th January the fiftee in-week strike of four cleaners at the Holbrook Annexe of the North East London Polytechnic came to an end.

The dispute began over the question of safety - namely the use of asbestos in the Holbrook buildings.

The demands of the strikers have been partially • met through the promise of the Joint Education Committee to have all asbestos removed from the buildings and to pay three weeks' back pay (seven were demanded) for the loss of earnings sustained during the strike.

Further, the cleaners will receive four weeks' pay during the period while industrial cleaners remove the asbestos.

There can be no doubt that under extremely difficult conditions the result of the strike marks a victory for the cleaners.

Equally certain is the fact that the strike could have achieved all its demands much earlier had it not been for the treachery of GMWU officials who are supposed to represent the cleaners.

A special mention must be given the energetic scabbing of regional officer, Bill McCall.

KILBURN The need to strengthen and coordinate the NHS Joint Shop Stewards' movement in London will be the main theme of the Conference of London Area Stewards in the NHS (C.L.A.S.H.) on Wednesday 23rd February.

This conference, for all London NHS shop stewards and lay officials has been • organised by the South Lamen nealn District domi snop Ni-d-ind Triud CLau I Stewards Committee and has already received support from other IJSS's,, trade union branches and the London Health Service ¡Adrisory Committee of ASTMS..

CLASH will take place against the background of an ever increas ing number of local actions led by ¡JSSC's against the effects of NHS expenditure cuts.

The piatform of speakers will be DP Semards. including Arthur rohly of the Elizabeth Garrett In the course of the fight this bureaucrat rewarded the four women for their union dues contribution to his salary by telling them that for all he cared they 'could go to hell'.

He followed up by encouraging other workers to cross the picket line on the grounds that the strike was 'unofficial'.

In fact at an earlier stage he had declared it official and has not to this day informed the strikers when the 'change of heart' took place.

It is a tribute to the determination of the four cleaners that they took their struggle through to a conclusion against such treacherous

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