health workers to workers' control is the only way to win. It will also allow the rest of the labour clusion. business and bring a speedy, successful con- government that the health unions mean A total strike in the NHS will show the the NHS and give even longer waiting lists. a long drawn out dispute will further, damage defeat as happened before in 1981. Moreover HELP HELP US YOU.
workers.
CUTS... OF N.H.S. THE LAST ROUND AGUALTY FIGURES FOR TODRY TO ANNOUNCE REFUSED AGAIN THE DH.S.S.
OROMiSES
ON the claim and will end in demoralisation and useful to build up support, but they won't win The one day stoppages may have been argued their case. ched through local towns and cities, and have walked the picket lines, leafletted, mar- cillary workers, technicians, administrators over two weeks and everywhere nurses, an- firmary workers went on all out action tor Edinburgh the City Hospital and the Royal In- shown a willingness to take on the Tories. In awards, differentiated according to grade. had from arbitration is inadequate percentage must be repelled. All health workers have ever Any efforts to take the claim to arbitration into a united fight for the 12 per cent claim. ficials. The union leaderships must be forced against the weakness and hesitation of the of- committees to organise the rank and file It is essential now to build joint union actions already taken by the miners and other should go into building on the tremendous will be decisive in winning this fight. All effort The solidarity of the big industrial unions impact. has made its struggles partial and lacking in and a quarter million - its fragmented nature Despite the size of the workforce importance to the state in the short term. have been their lack of strategic or economic The chief weaknesses of the NHS unions - over one LIVE CANT you . HEALTH WORKERS all around Britain have strike national committee. by the other unions in the TUC Health Service calling for all-out action and this was rejected ships. Only NUPE so far has taken the step of workers in order to win is the union leader- Nurses. The main obstacle to uniting health united, including even the Royal College of NEVER before have health unions been so workers action. powerful anti-Tory movement united in alised industries, but mostly by building up a and transport, reducing profits in the nation- hurts, disrupting essential services like power the health workers will hit the Tories where it Bringing industrial muscle to the side of came out in sympathy. Liverpool and more miners in Lancashire also London, water workers in Essex, seatarers in Sheffield, council workers and train drivers in labour movement behind the health workers. ed along with mobilisation of the ranks of the 8 June. This is the sort of support that's need- which came down en bloc to the picket line on
VICTORY
of health port of the NHS and its staff. Steel workers in their coalfields to a virtual standstill in sup- ON 8 June 60,000 Yorkshire miners brought solidarity Labour example of the Transport Union executive MPs and TUC officials should follow the Employment Act by secondary picketing. and other workers who are delying the 1980 They must defend the actions of the miners support of the 12 per cent as soon as possible. now to organise a national demonstration in Party and the TUC. They should be called on and solidarity is the leadership of the Labour VITAL to creating labour movement unity - pay the 12 percent!
lead the way the lUC must Labour and decent living standards not bombs and war. and pay the health workers. We say no. We say bring the fleet home dirty war. expected to take a wage cut to finance their Elm an hour, poverty line health workers are Malvinas adventure at an estimated rate of pours shiploa.'s of lives and money into the These are Tory priorities. While Thatcher position. country can afford in its present economic We say jobs and is pay a living wage. Back the health workers women and black people- make up for decades of discrimination against govemment should be leading the way to penalties for race or sex. Far from it. The we say give the rate for the job. No Enough is enough. a situation which can't go on any longer. for their jobs, governments have led them into duty and responsibility that these workers teel neea to work, trading on the strong sense of - the least it can do England this year which is more than the ot the (health) union demands is z/00m in Tory Minister of Health's position: The cost Contrast this with Kenneth Clarke, the the success of the operation.' costs (in the Malvinas). We are concerned with stated that: 'We have made no estimates of JOHN Nott, Secretary of State for Detence afford it can By using racism, underplaying women's comparable jobs in private industry. used this to pay health workers less than in black workers. Successive governments have THE backbone of the NHS is women and black workers Positive action
hospital care. We don't want to be served by technicians are being offered nothing at all! offered six per cent. Some like the junior cent and after pressure some staff are being per cent. The Tories have oftered tour per THE health service unions are asking for 12 cuts A Socialist Challenge broadsheet No
----- pull-quotes -----
action now with essential services under movement to really swing into action. All out