strations against unemployment will be held in Liverpool on 29 November. It has been called by the Labour Party and is now supported by the No reader of Socialist Challenge needs to be be told that unemolovment is reaching disaster proportions.
The Cambridge Econometrics Group last week published a survey which estimated that by 1985, unless something drastic happens, unemployment will be around the 4 million mark.
As we have repeatedly stressed in these columns, the urgent need is to fightback. The raw material for a struggle against closures is there - a vast pool of seething anger and resentment against Tory policies.
But not a single trade union leader has gone about organising a fight.
The occupation of the Gardner's factory and now ICL Winsford is a vivid inSPEAKING to a pre-conference get togeththe CBI Brighton, Michael Heseltine spelled it out. 'In this period of crisis,' he said, 'sacrifices have to be made. The question is, who is going to make the sacrifices?' By slapping on the 6 per cent pay limit in the public sector, and by the vicious cuts in every field of social expenditure, the Environment Secretarv and the rest ot the Tory government have giver unel answer pay — the working class.
Denial Despite their denials, the Tories have introduced a full-blown public sector incomes policy. iney nave declared war against public sector workers, tilling announcement to prevent the firefighters getting the 18.8 per cent due to them under the 1978 agreement Walker, vice chairperson of Liverpool NALGO and a member of the Liverpool local authority shop stewards told Socialist Challenge: 'The the public sector with the six per cent norm.
"To fight it we need an alliance of all workers, The manual workers' claim is in, but as yet no reply has been made. The water workers aso ae ce claim in. What's needed is a Joint fight by all these groups, rather than taking on the we've discussed the fact that NALGO's claim comes up at a different time of that of other public sector workers. This is silly. snoula all go in logetnel. Al the obviously need the maximum solidarity and support for the firefighters.
The Tories' 6 per cent pay Socialist Challenge 13 November 1980 P. ceiling reveals the extent of the crisis thev are in. Despite stringent monetarist policies, including DULLLIYC rates that are driving dreds will allie wall, the money supply is still growing.
Inflation is still a whopping 17 per cent need for drastic public sector pay; hence the extra £2,000m cuts The Tories' action against the firefighters is the shabby betrayal of ment scen lor a long le Even many of the "athority employers are appalled by the government's action.
Be 2 Through their courageous actions the workers of these plants have shown that resistance is possible.
These workers must lead the 29 November demonstration. By putting at the head of the demonstration workers who have taken forthright action against unemployment, the Labour Party executive can show what kind of action needs to be taken to roll back the tide of redundancies.
The indications are that the demonstration will be huge. Last Saturday a meeting of 500 shop stewards from the Liverpool area met to make plans for the demonstration. What's needed now is a massive push from every locality to emulate the Liverpool example.
The workers from Gardner's and ICL, and the tens of thousands who will go to Liverpool on the 29 November, need a firm lead for struggle from the TUC.
The march should be the start of a campaign which includes the fight for the 35-hour week and for worksharing with no loss of pay. 'At a time when inflation is 18 per cent a pay limit is just not on' Drastic anti-union action by the employers reaulre. response by hun- workers.
Io the and wait for the firefighters, the whole public sector needs to go into action to defeat the 6 per cent.
• hence the action on As Al Walker points out, the claims of all public sector workers should ordinated. In particular, the most local authority manual workan agree- ers ana the water should bring their claims forlocal ward.
The NUPE should be torced to 'wait and see' government and tor claims.
La drastic public sector Rather than just sit alliance workers. ot which should be copied.
The call be HOI workers leadership tion of joint action. Branch attitude and Maguire says.
/CHOICE L push forward the public secpay In the localities we need an public sectoi Once again, the ex- standards.' Liverpool. commit inhop stewaras local workers, introduce ble. made by the South-east medical branch of ASTMS on Monday evening an alliance of all public health workers to co-ordinate the fight against the o per cent cent is also a good step in the direcsecretary Janet 'At time when inflation is 18 per cent a limit just unite to fight it or we will suffer a huge reduction in living A united fight against this Tory incomes policy, a policy which they said they'd never , would be irresistiTo get that united fight the TUC should be recalled to prepare the struggle.
The last winter of discontent not only broke the 5 per pay norm; it rocked the stability of the government. second version can repeat the operation with fatal consequences for the Tories. Chopper Heseltine
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Claims *In Liverpool
STop THE CUTS