average increases under 10 per cent.
hospital workers. two days of water WOTACIS taking strike action, sewerage would be forcing its way up on to the streets, and within a week of a garbage strike 'undigested" refuse would be piling up alongside it.
Under the guise of "public safety', we can neaili and expect the Government to put still more trash on the streets the troops.
LEGAL There are two legal means that can be employed to do this.
Is under Emergency Powers brought in to extend war-time provisions which empowered Ine government exceptional provisions for the protection of the community in case of emergency.
applies where fuel, water, food, light or means of locomotion are threatened. For a state of emergency to be declared under these provisions, Parliament's autnonsanion required for each month of the emergency.
The 'Raglan Operation', plan to use troops to break the WITH THE 5 per cent pay limit cracking in the private sector under blows from the Ford and Vauxhall workers, the Government will aim to re-assert its policy in the public sector in the hope of keeping First in line are the low paid — refuse collectors, water workers, local government manual workers and If the Government can't buy them off with promises for the future, as they tried last year with the fire fighters, the troops could well be on the streets again, writes RICH PALSER, who argues that these public sector workers can win — troops or no troops.
It is estimated that within | threatened oil tanker drivers' strike last year, would most likely have been put into elect through this Act.
ADVANTAGE But there is also the 1964 Emergency Powers Act, which for Callaghan has advantage that he does not have to consult Parliament at all. It was this Act that during the FBU strike.
Originally proposed means of authorising the use of troops in floods and disasters 11 nas peen ployed to bring troops into the Act, Hamlets collectors' strike, the fire fighters' strike, and the 1975 Glasgow refuse collectors' strike.
FIRST When the troops brought to fight Xmas, it was the first use of the Act in a despite the - 1975 Regulations for the Army.
These state that the Defence Council can authorise the use of troops under the 1964 the only in cases of a limited and was used local character.
It seems that the Ministry of Defence, as anyone OUT re-writing Queens other remove Clu- embarrassment.
ICTUSC DECISION 1973 This way the decision to use troops will lie in the hands of Defence Ministry of Defence. made up of five Government Ministers, five leading military officers, and three senior civil HICS servants.
But the probable Queens troops ChOU BOI think evitable. The Claims can De won — toops U Act no troops. TROOPS at work during the Glasgow refuse collectors' strike in 1975 without recourse to werent exacty fighting fires.
Regulations this little COunte Council of the them the - a body nothing about it. use of SUPPORT make us that a defeat similar to It made is in- support from public sector It's true that the troops are not trained to run tne water ane which sewage works, but then they The main reason for COL fidence is that it is possible to by dELCHID Callaghan to demoralise public BCCi sector strikers and isolate them He from winning broader support. Cell.
In the FBU strike, Callaghan happily brought in the Army to show alone. was determinee and to acmoralse strikers, who saw troops doing their jobs and felt they could do Council. winning, active other workers WOTKCES more difficult because the tire fighters felt the strike to be a lost cause. Yet it was the retusal of the TUC to lend its support made the Prime Minister's tactics successful.
CAMPAIGN Murray ha already action made it clear that he does not mandated campaign against and the TUC Wit the leave the low-paid public sector workers to fight Unlike the FBU leadership, Alan Fisher of NUPE and the other union leaders must not be allowed to accept defeat at the TUC General How can the public sector force their union leaders to appeal for support trom the rest or me labou movement over the heads of the TUC? By:
*Striking now alongside the *Organising flying pickets to go out to the factories and gain a commitment to solidarity stration for all workers to the public sector, demanding an end to Government cuts and decent wages for the low paid ISOLATE It is by organising to show that it is Callaghan who will be responsible for sewerage and garbage in the streets, just as he Is responsible ior une cut essential services, that public sector workers can isolate the Government - and the troops