DEFEND OUR HEALTH SERVICE ALL OUT 9-13 AUGUST THIS YEAR 34 dying many suffering from burns, congenital heart disease, meningitis, and uno disorders. away from Guys Hospital in London.
These unfortunate were sent away to die, because of government spending the Falklands war there was an unlimited supply of cash. Billions pounds are being cruise and trident, but Guys has had to close the Rothschild ward the children's department, because the department measly £12,000 a month deficit!
It is a scandal that children are turned away to die. It is a scandal that life and limb is put in jeopardy because this decadent ment prefers spending money on weapons of death and destruction, rather than on our underequipped and underpaid health service.
The intentions of the Tories are obvious. They intend to run down the NHS - britain airere socnes less on health care than nearly every other 'developed' country • and they intend to run what is left of the health service with a staff paid bare wages The labour movement cannot afford to stand by and see this happen. In their fight for the 12 per cent the health workers are in the front line of the battle to defend the NHS. That is a battle on all our behalf, and this is why they need all our support.
children, were turned children cuts. For spent on has a govern-the next round
PO Box 50, London N1 2XP Phone 359 8180 (Newsdesk), 359 8371 (distribution) After the rail betrayal DESPITE the succession of victories for the Tory government over the last few months the Falkland spirit is crumbling. One of its first casualties has been the unity of the Tory party.
Over battle cries of 'Traitors' and 'God save the Queen' Thatcher is trying to maintain the undisputed sway over the party she enjoyed throughout the South Atlantic war. 'Wets' like Whitelaw are the target.
Her purpose is clear. In a speech to Tory backbenchers last week Thatcher told them that there would be no snap general election Her motives in this are not the honourable ones claimed for her manifesto committments' etc.
The brutal fact of the matter is that the Falklands factor would not last the first week of an election campaign. fulfilled the basic perspective for which she got near-unanimous support from the bosses at the time of the restoration of the failing fortunes of British capitalism through cracking up the organised resistance ot the trade union movement The bosses were siderable They were prepared to see whole sections of British industry going out of business in order to create the necessary mass unemployment to enforce this defeat. But now they are getting nervous again.
The Confederation of British Industry has once again started to talk in terms of a bare knuckle' fight with the government unless the economy begins to recover.
Of course Thatcher has not completely let them down in the last months. The betrayal of the rail workers by the TUC and the Labour Party leaders was a serious blow to the whole labour movement.
But the growing strength of the strike at that the rail workers received from powerful sections of the labour movement powertul sections of the labour movement has demonstrated the willingness of the rank and file to take on the Tories when they are given a lead.
Similar conclusions can be drawn from the experiences ot the healthworkers strike The three days of strike action were a success. trade union organisation has been growing apace in the hospitals. Now is the time to give that new confidence national expression in the moves towards all-out action.
A national demonstration accompanied by a one day strike by the whole labour movement would be a giant step towards healthworkers leading resistance against the Tories.
The healthworkers are now carrying the torch of resistance against the Tories. Sup port for them must be the top priority for the whole left in the next month.
The TUC and Labour Party conferences will provide the opportunity to put forward an alternative strategy for the labour movement. So far that provided by Michael Foot and Len Murray has been a policy for retreat.
The left wing of the labour movement has to organise to stop the retreat by rallying the labour movement around the current struggles and against the betrayals of the right wingnder the slogan of 'Fight the Tories not the left' united action must-be planned between the Labour Party and the trade unions in the way dozens of meetings held up and down the country by Labour Parties to support the rail workers.
The only way that the Labour Party can credibly plan to win the next election is by tapping the enthusiasm and combativity that lies in the ranks of the by the press leader 'hatred of gimmicks', standing by Thatcher has not general willing to make consacritices tor tnis eventual goai.
other They demonstrated that rank and file June wave that it started to emerge in the working class and ASLEF has been given yet ultimatum on flexible rostering. Even ASLEF's upcoming the British Rail Board is using the TUC sellout to push forward attack on rail workers the conference does not agree to conclude negations . the rosters by 2 August the Board will impose them. This gives exactly tive tions.
The Board believes that the decision means that they push anything they like at the drivers; but the real crunch on flexible rostering has yet When the timetables are introducence cooe will try to take Maxof devaniace flexible rostering which they cannot co on existing time tables: this will have an equally disastrous effect guards. Rail workers should start now to build joint committees to prepare united action against this.
Unity Railworkers' unity will SoOn vitar on other issues. The Board withdrawn its 3.5 per cent offer for this Ward rise, because of the NUR and ASLEF strikes. • This has now been referred McCarthy, who reports next week. The eventual offer will probably be even lower, and tied to the Board's other productivity in particular the Board is pressing for taster in troduction of one peroperated trains.
It aims to start this on the Bedford St Pancras line. guards' jobs will disap.
But pear as a result there is no doubt that will press rapidly Kings Cross for the extension of this on a national basis.
Noise Sid Weighell will make a lot of noise about this in the next few weeks. But he will more fight this attack than did the others. Indeed, there believe good that he has already agreed to the Bedford St Pancras 'experiment'.
NUR members have to bring Weighall to ac count for his role in the ASLEF dispute, and for his refusal to defend jobs and living standards. The maximum pressure should brought to bear on the left on the National Executive to take the fight against Weighell's leadership to the rank and file, and warn them dangers ahead.
But it is in the depots, among who have to pay for Weighell's treachery, that the preparations for unity against these attacks have the greatest imbe to Along to the holp de alto condemn the Labou As the ASLEF members state Road depo Kings Cross ASLEF No 1 is calling on all labour movement bodie ins of the see and re support to te Mor strik. n suppl TUC unions ASLEF could have won, and thereb concamn ne shadon cabinet tor not exoressino unequivocal support lu ASLEF workers detending Inell rights ana worrie conditions against the Tory government.
The • orles wort out to smash the union and the TUC helped them on Copies a chester ASLE No 000
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