Strike plans

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How has support for the council's stand shown itself within the Liverpool branch of NALGO?

The policies of our union are certainly similar to those of the local Labour Party, and we have conducted a lively campaign around them amongst the rank and file membership. We have had 4,500 members attending various workplace meetings in recent weeks, and our members are not enthusiastic at the prospart of losing their jobs.

Why is NUPE the only public sector union not supporting the March 29 strike?

NUPE has a small membership in the local authority. A lot of its members are officers of the council. Others are in the welfare branch involved with the care of old people.

We are also of the opinion that the local leadership of the union has made no real effort to get the workers involved in this How adequate is the Campaign Working Party in involving broad forces necessary for the struggle, such as tenants associations and wider community groups?

The Campaign Working Party is based on a vague membership. Its original lack of broadness has to some extent been overcome with the inclusion of some community groups. There is of course still room for greater involvement, and this is what we have to encourage in future months.

Two pamphlets summing up the ideas of Socialist Where We Stand - 20p plus 16p postage. "How to fight the Tories' - 10p plus 16p postage. Or the two together for 45p including postage. From Socialist Organiser, 28 Middle Lane, London N8 "ORGANISER' Socialst How to fight the Tories Thema Where Te we stand aga Labour Socialist the 10 in Party, ORGANISER for Fight socialise poliest THE mood and the numbers at the rally on Monday 27th showed that the Merseyside labour movement is gearing itself up for a fight.

The solidly working class audience of 1200 to 1500 gave a standing ovation to Derek Hatton, deputy leader of Liverpool's Labour City Council, which is defying the government by refusing to make cuts or raise rents and rates.

Labour leader Neil Kinnock attacked Liverpool's stand last week, and he sent the meeting a letter saying he could not attend because of other arrangements. The meeting decided to send a reply asking Kinnock to be at the day of action scheduled for the council's budget day, March 29.

But a message of support was read out from Labour Party chair Eric Heffer.

MPs Eddie Loyden, Bob Parry and Terry Fields spoke, with Pat Hardy (Merseyside community groups), Ron Todd (TGWU), Pete Creswell (council joint shop stewards' committee), Alan Draper (Scotts bakery), Charlie Pearce (Liverpool buses), Ray Williams (NGA), and Pete Leonard (GMBU council workers).

Pete Leonard dealt with the decisions recently taken by NUPE and the NUT not to support the March 29 day of action. Lol Duffy and Bas Hardy The NUPE decision had been taken by their District Committee, and already two NUPE branches had stated that they would come out on the 29th regardless.

Leonard called on NUT members to reverse their very close decision, and said that the schools would be closed on the 29th anyway because of action taken by other workers. Liverpool council workers joint shop stewards' committee has voted overwhelmingly for a strike on March 29.

Two further meetings are scheduled to organise action. On Tuesday March 13 there will be a meeting under the official Campaign Committee of representatives from shop stewards' committees, trade union branches, District Committees, community organisations and workplaces. There will be a full recall conference on Monday March 26.

The resolution passed on Monday spelled out the agenda for the March 26 conference: its aim will be to organise industrial action in the event of government commissioners or troops being sent into Liverpool, councillors being surcharged or penalised for their stand, or workers not getting paid.

RENTS ARTHUR Bough and Jason Hill, who were facing expulsion from Stoke City Council Labour Group, have now been reinstated, and given a severe censure.

The two councillors, both supporters of Socialist Organiser, had walked out of a council meeting and along with their Labour Party branch issued a press statement condemning the City Council for increasing council house rents by 5%.

The 'soft left' had voted for the increase after failing to win support for the Sheffield system" of higher rents for selected tenants who will have the increase covered by state housing benefit), or for an amendment calling for a 2½% increase.

Having won "IF THE council continues on its present course, there are going to be a lot more demonstrations like tonight"

But the joint meeting of Islington council Labour group with the Labour Parties' Local Government Committee last Friday, 24th, did not heed this warning from Nik Barstow, secretary of the council workers Labour Party workplace branch.

Low-paid council workers had lobbied the meeting demanding improvements. They got a London weighting payment to match the white collar workers, but not the rest of their demands, a 35 hour week.

On every issue except a motion that the counci should open negotiations with nursery workers on their claim, the Labour group leadership's line prevailed.

There will be no cuts. But rents will be raised. Rates will be raised 14%. A 'tight budget' will allow the council practically no option but confrontation with its workers in the event of demands it has not budgeted for.

A motion that the council should reconsider its adverse planning decisions on two women's ng centres and was lost.

The Left had hopes of winning on the issue of Building Works Department pay. Both Islington North and Islington South GCs had backed resolutions supporting the flat-rate pay system negotiated in the department after a three day strike last year.

Although the flat-rate system was part of Labour's manifesto, the counci is threatening to return to some sort of bonus system on the grounds that promised improvements in productivity have not been delivered.

But at Friday's meeting ten councillors put an amendment