enthusiastically could De decaying 1986.
of Birmingham's workers.
one or inese secretary of been post- COHSE, explains why Council modernisation programmes have 200,000 wares theatre have saul empty wards on the site became optore une warmer in ine Alexander including from the Labour Developments paign.
Big Flame group.
Such realisation of demand of the Now the cuts are creating what described situation. By the end of 1975 Labour had axed f75 million of hospita building in the West Midlands, plans to rebuild a number of old and hospitals have been shelved, and there is no new hospital building planned for Birmingham till Now the latest plan is to close 25 hospitals, which would mean sacking 3,700 health his is the backaroune to mne decision of a number of leading binunanan neaun workers to carl paign for Brian Heron in Stechford.
Partick Sikorski. of the East Birmingham Hospital branch of the health union Our hospital looks after the whole of the East Side of Birming ham. On top of that we look after ployment.
people Tron Because of this we have had a new - and In COSIVe Card block built and opened. But they GOWn the old Wart buildings and there are now eleven *Management says health care is improving, but the reverse is true. In two East Birmingham wards there are up to 34 baby deaths per 1,000 births - double the national aver On Sunday 20 March an election meeting took place in Stechford date. which sums up the campaign of the IMG and its candidate, The meeting attracted the type of interest the IMG's campaign has drawn throughout -100 people, many of them black workers, attended and when the meeting closed many signed up to help in the campaign.
A major theme of the discussion and speeches was the fight against racism: whether Heron. this threat comes directly from te openty rascist canarudies or candidate, whose support of immigration controls is one of the more obnoxious features of his camThe array of soakers on the Heron platform reflected the drive Birmingham IMG is making to present the Stechford campaign as an example of the unity of all those willing to fight the anti-working class policies of As well as IMG speakers, on the platform was Communist Party member Jack Lynch [who has recently contested the presidency Birmingham Trades Council on an anti-racist ticket]. and a representative from the IMG speakers at the meeting made it clear that it is still a matter of deep regret that the Socialist Workers Party, who are also running a candidate in Stechford. could not display the same desire for unity others had. It was recalled that as lone ago PATRICK SIKORSKI' age. This situation can only ge worse, thanks to the decision to cut the intake into the nursing school by a massive 40 percent.
•We need an independent workers" fight back. But as people see that it is Labour who have pushed through these attacks. they don t see any overall national political alternative.
And you definitely need more than a local fight back to the cuts in wages, and services, •We need policies as well. We need the cuts reversed, and through that establish that the NHS should be controlled by workers in the interests of their own health needs, and not to be slashed to the bone economic crisis as though it was an expendable luxury. YOU - nave demand that all plans and proposals on the health service are revealed to workers' committees. As inflation continues, we must fight for NHS discussions for a joint candiand that the SWP had failed even to reply to the letter.
But the willingness of many militants in Stechford, whether they are in total agreement with the IMG or not, to work for the Heron candidacy is gathering momentum. Especially impor tant is the help Heron is getting from the Pakistani community.
Many small shops now display the Heron poster in Urdu, and Pakistani militants are increas ingly going out to canvas for The highlight of this antiracist aspect of the IM's campaign will be on Saturday 26 March, when the IMG is holding an anti-racist festival. This will include speakers from the immigrant community and the labour movement.
It will feature Indian and | BOB PENNINGTON ANTI-RACIST FESTIVAL Saturday 26 March at 2.30pm Speakers from the Immigrant Community and Labour Movement Poets, musicians, from the Indian and Pakistani community Jah Flag — West Indian Music Group Naseby School, Naseby Road off Alum Rock Road. Stechford. budgets to rise as inflation does to make up for the cuts we sh demand a massive hospital buil programme - there are thous or buname worker. who would be only too happy 10 the chance to work in this But the fight must also be car out in the political field. We have Stechford by-election in our a and it seems certain Labour will it because of its policies since But the toolroom workers s ine Leyland comome moves ag the Social Contract, and the gro in this area, shows the willingne alideks Labour's candidate is Terry Dav a Leyland manager, and bei manager, I'll bet he wouldn't against public expenditure cuts *Davis can't be supported by socialist. The potential oppos now showing itself must be or sed in an independent, self-orgar opposition to ine anti-working policies of this Government only candidate who is prepared to fight the cuts, the Cont -racism and women's oppression prepared to work with all peopl these issues while not forcing to join his party is Brian Heron Socialist (IMG) candidate. I sha campaigning for him during election.
Pakistani poets and musici as well as Jah Flag, a Indian music group. The fest will not only attract people Stechford, but will play important role in extending anti-racism movement right ross Birmingham - an achi ment much more important just the voting success Her campaign achieves.
The organisers of his paign have called on all back Heron and the policies standing for to come to S ford. Every bit of help is nee on the streets, oursioe the tories, turning out leaflets doing all the thousand and jobs required. Come down weekend! Meet at Norton 1 Ralp Road, Stechford, 11
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20,000 people on Birmingham's in-patients waiting li It was also a surprise considering that, even before 1 was virtually bottom of the NHSspending league.