THE BIGGEST STR JUSTICE 30-1 an boldly for a general rAD - SAYS

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LAGOS

RKE Take it easy, Albert, or you'll have one of your extraparliamenur,.

Martin Thomas Martin Thomas

rounds up reports rounds up reports

from the 22nd from the 22nd

SEPTEMBER 22 was the EPTEMBER 22 was the biggest strike since 1926, ggest strike since 1926, and the biggest demonstra- id the biggest demonstration since the fight against on since the fight against the Industrial Relations Act. e Industrial Relations Act.

The action was restricted The action was restricted by the TUC leaders' reluc- ¡ the TUC leaders' reluctance - calling vaguely for nce - calling vaguely for one-hour stoppages, rather le-hour stoppages, rather than boldly for a general strike. But it still showed a rike. But it still showed a great wave of support for

the health workers and anger against the Tories.

Satisfaction at this huge mobilisation seemed to dominate the 120,000-strong London demonstration sufficiently so to inspire an unduly generous and tolerant attitude to the speakers at the final rally.

EETPU leader Frank Chapple was heavily booed, but when GMWO leader David Basnett - no great militant! - followed him, he was warmly applauded by the same people who had been booing Chapple. Neither Basnett, nor anyone else, said any more than Chapple had said - that the unions would 'continue to take action' = but the heckling was very sparse.

It wasn't that everyone was happy with the TUC's tactics. Talking to individual NHS workers, it came across clearly that they wanted all-out action. But apparently the militants have not yet been able to make this feeling sufficiently sharp, confident or crystallised.

There were many local rallies in addition to the London demonstration. Scotland, South Wales, and South Yorkshire seem to have been the strongest areas.

From Sheffield, ELLEN TAYLOR reports:

"About 200,000 workers came out, and there were over 10,000 on the demonstration. I've never seen so many banners from so many different unions. It was marvellous.

Only six pits in South Yorkshire said they weren't going to come out, but we went and picketed them out"

TONY RICHARDSON reports from Swansea:

'500 demonstrators marched through Swansea. The biggest contingent was NUPE, with the next biggest being from the women's Dovement. There were contingents from many other sections. including bus Forkers who had stopped for iwo hours, seamen. construction workers. engineer. if corkers, and most public rector unions"

- 565-in out. 16 Passage rom ton. LanEs.

Next HIFC meeting: Sunday October 3, 1pm to 5pm, It the Labour Club, Bristol St, Birmingham.

FOR

London, there were pickets at the three major hospitals in the city, and 2,000 joined a midday tally in the city centre.

Suttons bakery, white collar workers at BL Jaguar and Canley, council manual workers, water, gas, and printworkers, firemen, and some NUPE school workers were out for 24 hours. Those taking lesser action included many teachers and lecturers. the local Job Centre. DHSS and UBO workers, post and telecom workers. VALGO. GEC staff, and bus mechanics and canteen staff."

- i=2: che =11: Queen Eliza- Sa0e.800 JM satfiremen, tax officers, post workers, car workers on holiday, social workers and Musicians' Union members. The Welsh National Opera (currently at the Birmingham Hippodrome) did a special performance in support.

One bus in three in the West Midlands did not run. Most schools took some action or another.

MICK JARMAINE reports from Leicester:

"A rolling rally was held from 6.30 am to 6 pm outside the Royal Infirmay. 3.000 workers attended during the day and £1,000 was collected for the strike fund.

Four Leicestershire pits closed all day and six for half a day. Others taking 24 hour strike action included construction workers. printers, gas workers. social arters and 1.000 teachers .. LIT.

The tailors sit: 2= weakest area. The Leicester AUEW shop stewards quarterly on the 23rd decided to send a resolution to the Executive, 'In the event of further calls for supporting action for any dispute from the TUC, that the AUEW clearly instruct the membership to support"." "Contingents on the demonstration in Liverpool, reports Chris Erswell, included Little ded Littlewoods pools workers (USDAW),. teachers, lockers, seamen, Ford Halewood and Vauxhall Ellesmere Port car workers, NALGO, and bus drivers from the city's private bus companies.

Despite rain, there were over 5,000 on the march and solid pickets outside all the major hospitals.' Took over *Hospital workers took strike action all over East London he strikers at Mile risher.

End hospital mounted a large picket, and were joined by 200 students from Queen Mary's College next door. Together. they went over the heads of the hospital administration and spontaneously took over a room to hold a public meeting!

There were also strikes at Wales and St. Ann's. The biggest contingent on the demonstration was from Wood Green and Southgate Hospita Where stait are working-in against closure.

The turn-out elsewhere was generally bad. The biggest exception was. the teachers; nearly all the schools were shut. Some Direet Labour sites struck some sections NALGO came out"

In Islington, North London, the biggest nonNHS contingent on the picket at the Whittington Hospital was from the UCW at the Northern District Office, about 40 of whom marched up to the hospital with their banner. Other conungents on the picket, Which reached a strength of about 150 before moving off to the central demonstration, included teachers, ACTSS, and council workers, as well as a lot of

PHOTO: JOHN HARRIS JOHA

- Se

COHSE members from the hospital. Most council workers struck."

From Hackney, East London, JO THWAITES reports:

'It was the biggest turnout yet at Hackney Hospital. 2,000 council workers voted to come out at a meeting in the Town Hall addressed by a nurse on the Wednesday morning, and there was a continuous rally outside the Town Hall with reggae bands until 1pm. Nearly • schools in Hackney were closed, and FTAT members came out at the Ukay warehouse."

In South East London, reports TONY GARD:

"Support came mainly from the public sector. Industry in the area is small-scale, and support was generally limited to delegations and donations.

Lewisham, Hither Green and Greenwich district hospitals have been operating selective withdrawals and accident and emergency only for two months"

For the first time in the Greater Manchester area, every hospital was out, reports DAVE LUNTS.

"Large pickets were mounted, particularly at Prestwich Hospital, and several strikers also went to the London rally or one of the local ones.

Solidarity was shown by bus workers, who stopped Greater Manchester buses for the full 24 hours, and also by workers from Ward and Goldstones, Chloride, Kellogs, the Town Hall and some CPSA members.

Sympathy strikers from Salford Direct Works, which is facing closure by the Council, heard_NUPE shop steward Anna Lunts appeal to them to campaign against their redundancies at a Salford rally.

The day was seen as a big success. Now the Greater Manchester NHS shop stew• ards* committee is inviting stewards from workplaces

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dress Ere- SEPTEMBER 22 AL STRIKE!