But building a public sector alliance cannot be left to the bureaucrats - it must be built at the base of the unions. Sub-committees o union branches, shop STOWET. committees and district union bod ies should be elected in each union. These could acitate amonost thi rest of the membership for action against the cuts, organise strike action on 17 November, and prepare reports on the effects on the cuts drawn up by involving the unior membership in monitoring the ef fects of the Healey axe in their area.
These committees could then be linked up between the differen unions - through elected joint shop stewards committees in the hospi tals and elected staff/student com mittees in the colleges - and coul draw in workers in other industries through local action commiltees against the cuts. Such action woulc mean that 17 November, rather thar becoming just one more protest to pressurise the Government, could be turned into the first step in a public sector alliance - an alliance cap able of mounting a campaign o strike action to stop the cuts and demand the full restoration of al those made so far.