Brent DHA holds out

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STORMY and well-attended District Health Authority meeting on Monday October 17 saw decision not to implement £250,000 cuts and to cut 110 staff defcated.

In the last month Minister of Health Norman Fowler. has attempted to gerrymander the District Health Authority by putting 4 new appointees onto it but Monday's vote held up at 9-7 against implementing spending cuts and 11-6 against the cuts in staffing.

Last Tuesday, 10th, saw a successful 1 hour strike at Central Middlesex Hospital in Park Royal by over 200 staff; a similar action at Shenley hospital; and a public rally at Harlesden Mcthodist Church that evening attracted about 400 members of the public.

Since the District Health Authority vote, staff at the threatened Lampton Park Geriatric Hospital have expressed more confidence in fighting the DHA's decision last December to close the hospital.

Since Brent took its stand last month, 6 other health authorities have followed suit and many others have deferred cuts: Tory Councillors, appointees and hacks on the DHA were in no doubt as to the mood of the 200-strong audience who attended the meeting. Many Tories were heckled into silence, and a standing ovation was given to the DHA rebels when the vote was won. The hospital workers and local people are showing a resolution to fight the mauling of their local services.

Legal action

Legal action taken by two District Health Authority members, Councillor Laurie Nerva and the Rev. David Haslam over a Regional Health Authority letter which clearly points out that those members opposing central government dictat will be legally removed from the Authority by the DHSS show one possible line of action for Fowler. Simply keep pumping in Tories until the DHA becomes a government puppet. The other option open to him is to sack the whole authority and implement the cuts centrally. Either way, Brent health workers and the working class as a whole are hard behind the District Health Authority.

The Campaign started by the rebels, the Community Health Council and the unions will only succeed if the promise of strike action and occupations to defend every job and bed is taken up by the workforce. Already Labour members on DHAs around London are trying to organise a crossLondon Health Emergency Campaign giving central focus to the fight against the cuts which are mauling central London. AT last. week's Labour Party conference, the Labour Campaign for Gay Rights fringe meeting sent a message of solidarity to the Labour Committee on Ireland meeting next door and Gerry Adams MP personally sent his greetings to us.

100 people heard Jeremy Corbyn MP and Reg Race talk about their attitudes and how hey_had changed, and what Gk ghould do to raise ca visibility in the labour movement. Brian West (LCGR) spoke of the campaign's successes, for example at the Scottish TUC. Jane Connor from Gay YS talked about our invisibility in that movement, due to its domination by a certain group, and the triple oppression of lesbians.

We therefore need support, especially this year. We need sympathisers to:

a) affiliate your trade union, CLP or Women's Section to LCGR (£5 per 1,000, YS branches, £1).

b) join yourself (from £1).

c) send us donations from your union.

d) ask for a speaker for your group. • e) send resolutions (models from us) to regional, local government, trade union and women's conferences.

f) consider now sending a Gay Rights resolution to next year's Labour Party conference as part of our push, and a lesbian/gay delegate.

LCGR national office and membership, 21 Devonshire Promenade, Nottingham NG7 2DS.

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The tacties that served the POEU in 1978 are not sufficient now When the troopship Canberra returned from the Falklands in July last year, banners over the side said, 'Maggie Rules OK' and, 'Call off the rail strike — or we'll call an air strike'.

15 months later, and the jingoism is turning sour. When the ferry Rangatira arrived in Devonport on Tuesday 18th, the welcoming Royal Marines band were faced with banners put out by the civilian crew saying, Maggie welcomes us back to the dole' and 'Margaret Thatcher - 20th century vampire'.

Seaman Gary Rimmer fold the Morning Star, "We work hard, keep our noses clean, and all we have to look forward to gh Court, JOHN HARRIS TELE OF TEL BETRAYAL SALE CENTURY OF THE

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attempts by the Tory Chair, Lena Talmage, to reverse last month's

Chalenge from sacking treat