the press, official silence.
If, as seems most likely, this supposed new pay offer is an exercise in kite flying, it is a kite well-fashioned to the requirements of the architects of the Concordat.
With the Royal College of Nursing's declaration that it will carry -OUT TO action, the government would Inke to reward the nurses for the RCN's devotion to low pay.
No-strike guarantees in the public sector are foreshadowed in the government-TUC pact, and the press's enthusiasm for the 'angels' in the hospital wards coincides with its assault the "criminall ancillary NATIONAL TRADE UNION CONFERENCE 28 April, 11a.m.
Digbeth Civic Hall, BIRMINGHAM SOMEONE in the Department of Health, or maybe has a macabre sense of humour.
The unions say they know nothing about it.
workers and ambulance staff wno are darns to take acaon for their £60 - 35 hour claim.
But the kite has run into a storm. After LYU militant action, the ancillaries and staff furious that their remains at El plus 9 per cent.
This week sees an escalation their determination improve that offer. Some five hundred hospitals Britain have been reduced to emergency cover.
A decision last week at a shop stewards rally held by NUPE's London divisional council for a one-day strike at all London's hospitals on expected to bring many out on to the picket lines as we went to press.
The failure of the public SCCLOT union leaders the struggles in this sector has boosted the confidence in declaring all-out war on those who have refused to accept the pay offer After the Prime Minister declared his willingness to cross picket lines, Health Minister David Ennals has appealed for 'volunteers' to replace striking ancillary workers The NUPE branch at Bolton General Hospital has made it clear to the health authority it will do if government-sponsored breaking is carried out at the hospital. The branch will bring our te mamtenance workers to join the picket line, forcing a rapid shutdown.
months pay offer across March was to unity of the There is another ploy that the health authorities are attemptgovernment's ing.
ambulance workers in South Glamorgan and shire lockouts.
SOUT the ambulance staff through their unofficial national committee has forged a militant response. Five thousand ambulance staft are now on strike lockouts support of their pay claim such Unity of the health struggle strike through action committees is urgenny accaca, and unal Is something the union leaders have done nothing to encourIn Newcastle, for example, Ancillaries on strike at Whiston hospital vote to continue action NUPE stewards overlie ov Gloucestercountered by the ancillaries.
unity among involved, stewards student nurse.
and in own business.
the action after the 22 January ACTOR.
representing nurses at St Nicholas Hospital argued from the start of the public sector dispute that the nurses should be involved with •We said that this was a low pay campaign, so that we were NUPE decision. steward Elsa Conway, who is a psychiatric *The full-time official told us in effect that understaffing ancillaries were nothing to do with us, so we should mind our *We had to win the support says Elsa, of the branch to have nurses and ancillaries represented on COHHHECC day of them to bed.
That action committee has voted in principle for all-out strike action with emergency Elsa as the only effective means by which the claim could be won, and to counter the argument that heath workers couldn't strike.
For nurses that is not an easy Nicholas that hospital and for many of its elderly patients ensures that 'emergency cover' is the only treatment they ever receive.
*My normal working day,' 'consists of getting the patients up, feeding them, toileting them, feeding them, toileting them, feeding them, toileting them, and then putting *Their only outing is a trip| COHSE nurses picket pay talks CAMPAIGN FOR ACTION IN NUPE * No to Comparability - Unite all sections of the union for the National Minimum Settlement Date * Sack Fisher negotiators and full time officials * No to the Concordat * Organise for the Annual Conference SATURDAY 7 APRIL CONWAY HALL, RED LION SQ. WC 1.30-5.00 (Nearest Tube: Holborn) to the bathroom once a week, adds. DIUDC staffing, we could at least teach the patients to feed and toilet themselves, which would boost inel moraie.
Elsa Conway's job could be described as something less angelic The _01 Britain's hospitals could be said to be approaching a scandal of underfunding and staffing, thanks to the cuts that this government has speeded up.
The defence of the health service and hall decent pay for those who struggle to maintain it are sound reasons for the strong sections of the working class to take solidarity action with those now confronting the government.
Wage and a Common - for full democratic control over our
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WORKERS CONTROL Workers' Plans and Workers'
The weekend reports that nurses have been made an additional pay offer of £1 - bringing the total to £2 on account plus 9 per cent - have been met with an