The last week has seen a walkabout PR job on the state of the National Health Service by David Ennals and Roland Moyle, Labour's chief hatchet men at the Department of Health & Social Security. *I've seen worse was Moyle's comment about Hackney Hospital, where the horrendously overcrowded conditions in the psychiatric wing have become nationally infamous as a result of the suicides of two patients. Moyle's words express the utter cynicism with which the anour Government Is DUlchering the health service, parts of which were in any case cappied from birth.
It's a pity that Ennals and Moyle tor nurser haven't visited the Elizabeth GarBrett would get an even warmer recepbroad tion there than they've encountered elsewhere on their travels. he EGA occupation against the threatened closure of the hospital For the rally has begun to demonstrate in a prowill be able tracted and consistent way how much opposition can be focussed against the cuts.
SUPPORTED
Already the delegate conference Report by on 12 February, organised at the EGA by the hospital shop stewards committee, is being very well supported by health workers and other labour movement bodies. must be event in ine with me role marne struggle against the EGA closure snould be playing in une struggle against all health cuts, both in London and namona.
The pickets from local women's groups. trade union bodies. and shop stewards committees recogby the EGA workers. pation cuts across the vicious press strike also provides a base from which to drive out into the labour movement locally and even nationally to win support for the occupation.
However, the so-called national backing from the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs [since the occupation Cares none 90nЯ C0010 Public Employees [since early this vear nas amoun ee 1o no one Middlesex practical proposal for developing A loint campaien or the public Drop the sector unions could build the EGA eloping their members HEEC leaders, as can called for Camder JOINE -nes NUPE for 11 May. just ker newspaper.
build this conference joint action sition built into a really big The occupatients die variety. It spiracy of silence has followed the holiday speechifying of the November demonstration. Fisher and the rest refuse to commit themselves to supporting and devactions against the cuts because that would mean a break with the Social Contract which they helped to negoIne WomeN s The EGA conference can begin to put the screws on these mis the all-London conference for NHS shop stewards 23 February by the ment SHOD Stewards sed inrougn Committee. A further focus will be the conference and one-day strike called by the London division of Gnarter At national level, an important initiative is the 19 March 'Save Our pay.
Hospitals conference called by the Residiol IS/SWP-controlled Right to Work Campaign and the Hospital Wor- the rally.
supporters in the NHS are urged to Red Weekly hea and seek any local campaigns in order to make sure that these initiatives contribute to forg ing a united rank and file oppounion
RED WEEKLY 27 January 1977 3