RUMOUR HAS IT that the '17 November' joint steering committee of public sector unions set up year may call their long 3 and London entral Hall.
awaited joint conference for 22 sav rumour because the conference has not been mentioned since the idea was first floated after December budget, and at the time of writing had still not been publicly announLAURENCE ced.
Though open to other unions it is sponsored by the nine member unions of the steering committee: the National Union of Teachers, the Confederation of Health SerPhoto vice Employees, the National and ciation, National Union of Inenatona Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education. the Civil and Public Services Association, the Society of Civil and Public Servants, Association of Scientific Technical and Managerial Staffs and the National Association of Probation Officers.
REGIONS Since the time the conference was announced, NUPE's leadership nas been engaged in puling out its members region by region. These were much the same tactics they used during the hospital ancillaries strike in 1973 -ing to let off the head of steam ount up oy me rank and nic By all accounts the conference will be one more step in this proschool caterino stall. local covernment workers were part of a 3,000 strong protest march which filled Aylesbury's town of the National Union Union or Public molovees.
Officers Association went on strike to join the protest. gate to ASTMS London Health Advisory Committee. cess — a big grand rally for the union leaderships reso lutions from the rank being discussed.
If the conference is to serve any DuLDUsC OuICE tHan Lo Dur DIes sure' on Healey's deliberations for the April budget, national strike action must be organised. That is ASTMS healthworkers in London nave callea for a mass lobby of this conference calling for Such acuon. to demane tat ine on ences mi mere words Into acHon The Health Advisory Committee of ASTMS Divisions 8 and 15. covering the whole of London, has called for the lobby as part of their campaign to build for strike action on fi May behind London NUPE. This call should be supported and taken up in every union in the MK firemen. and teachers chop council of Teachers. and ine National and Local Government country.
London ASTMS delegates to the Liaison Committee for the Defence of Trade Unions conference against the cuts on 26 February will be fighting for that body to support London NUPE's call for action, to campaign to turn 11 May into a day of national action and to lobby the conference of public sector unions witn tnat aim But the LCDTU has always put leaders before unity in action of ine working class. in pursun or their version of unity they have turned democratic procedure at previous conferences into a joke. That is why we will have to fight for democracy to fight for strike achon.
The willingness is there. NUPE nas responded to rank and ille pressure with its "days of action' NALUU is committed by is spe cial conference to an overtime ban Scotland. The task of the left in the puone service unions must be to turn that potential into a movestarting from 11 May.