Stop Closures!
Socialist Press1977 1977-08-03Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 11 →
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Several more hospitals in South East London have been threatened by the Lib-Lab government's savage attack on the NHS.
At its meeting on Tuesday 12 July, the Greenwich and Bexley Area Health Authority decided to axe the Gables, Bexley and Welling and most of Eltham and Mottingham hospitals.
St. Nicholas hospital too is scheduled for closure, except for out-patients and 9 to 5 casualties.
Since the Greenwich Community Health Council has voiced opposition to the ciosures, the decision goes to Secretary of State for Health and Social Services David Ennals for appeal.
About 100 workers and supporters from the British Home for Mothers and Babies and the Memorial Hospital lobbied the AHA meeting to protest.
They were patronised and insulted by ex-left GLC councillor Fred Styles, the incoming chairman of the AHA.
And finally the AHA called the police to "persuade" t workers to clear out.
But those two hespitals have. i hospital workers and residents of Chamesmead estate flocked to a meeting at Waterfield Secondary School in defence of St. Nicholas' hospital.
The meeting decided to organise a rally at Lesness Abbey on Sunday 7 August, as a means of gaining public support.
That support is vital. But workers at St. Nicholas' hospital should have no faith in Ennals to reprieve them, at a time when the government has launched programme to destroy the Health Service by financial strangulation.
They, and workers at the other hospitals threatened with the axe, should begin at once to formulate plans for occupation to stay open and campaign for support in the local labour movement, particularly through the trades councils.
Union branches in all these hospitals should affiliate to CLASH the Committec of London Area Stewards in the Health Service, as an instrument capable of giving political direction to the fight against the cuts.
Any shop steward in the NHS who would like further information about CLASH should write to Colin Kenny. CLASH Secrotary. Department of Virology. St. Mary s Many of the workers crossing the picket line at the firm stop and explain in a shamefaced way that they could no longer afford to stay out.
FORCED
The union had in effect them back to work.
Shop steward, Sultan Khan Bangash, told Socialist Press:
"We told the District Committee you can't live on £9 a week put jani.
Scan page 12
SOCIALIST I ESS, Wednesday 3 August, 1977