Liverpool Cuts Fight

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The struggle to save jobs and the standard of health care in Liverpool continues.

On June 23, 40 stewards walked into the Area Health Authority offices to demand a reply to their request that the AHA make a joint deputation to the DHSS to protest at the cuts.

Two AHA officials eventually met the delegation and made a small concession-agreeing to formally meet representatives from NOPE, COHSE and ASIMs the following week.

However, they refused to make any commitment to protest jointly to the government or suspend the cuts.

On the contrary, at the very same time one of their number was travelling to London to get the rubber stamp on their proposed cut backs.

At the further meeting the unions proposed that all cuts should be suspended for one month.

In return offered taking from NUPE stewards to halt their series of lightening strikes. They asked for a working party to make a full report in this time.

However the AHA at their meeting on July 1 refused to suspend cuts and are threatening redundancy if the unions don't accept non-replacement policy.

The unions are now left with only the bait of a "working party" composed equally from representatives from the AHA and the collaborationist staff joint consultative committees.

The AHA figures show also that in addition to their present proposal to axe 500-700 jobs they have over the past 10 months already cut 140 nursing jobs and 100 ancilliary jobs by a policy of "non-replacement"

This has brought staffing to a dangerous level on some wards and given management the excuse to close wards through "staff shortages"

There is a danger that union members could become demoralised by the inaction of their leaders unless effective policies are pursued.

There is an absolute necessity to form joint union defence committees in all hospitals to prevent ward closures and removal of equipment, and to monitor the filling of all vacancies.

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Further, the demand that the AHA reveal fully all plans and books to an elected trade union committee must be fought for in place of the phoney "working As a first step in this the action group composed of about 40 stewards and convened by NUPE official Colin Barnett (also secretary of NW TUC) must be properly constituted with a small committee to meet regularly and call full meetings.

The NUPE 'lightning strikes' must be developed to all out strikes by all health unions if jobs and the Merseyside health service are to be preserved.