bave to make sure we mount a campaign to force local councillors and MP's to make a stand and vote against the cuts.
Oue thing bas however clear to soing to Wher gOVETI tecth there were few Ral By P.M. Grant, ASLEE Paddington IN THE September issee Railways Board's public relations magazine 'Railnews', the B.R.B. gave vent to their unhappiness about the lack of progress with the unions over productivity, saying that they had paid out their pittance of a wage rise but had not got the productiyity they had demanded in Now a confidential report, revealed by the 'Militant' paper, which is circulating the boardrooms of the B.K.B. and the Department of Transport, shows the The "Rail Business Review' proposes that a general randowu rail network is the order of the day; that 35,000 jobs go, and that 40 lines are to be axed. The locomotive fleet, already depleted by the age of many of the locos. are to be cut from 2,259 to 1,647; marshelling yards from 181 to 49; and freight 135,000 to 41,000.
is just BR who will suffer these The proposed line closures will less passenger traffic. The B.R.R.
their When Are we aiming to cut the local trains, especially in country gregs: promising to supplement them with a bus service, that would also soon disappear leaving whole without public transport.
The Tory cash limits will mean increased fares, as even fares at the present high level only account for per cent the operating costs, the теmaining 40 per cent being covered by coveramed The B.R.B. have been told that the VICTICLI £483m subsidy will have to remain constant from 1981 -1989. The B.R:B. estimate that even if they manage to push through their proposals they will still need a grant of £633m by 1989.
The only way the service could break even is by, as the B.R.B. put CPSA Department of EmploySection Hxecutive Committee. (In personal capacity).
readers will know that claimantsare being asked to solidarity. Health workers cannot stop the cuts on tbeir om. They need the help of the mighty force of the labour movement.
hospitals COme for march down the High St, or building a movement that can force the AHA to stop.
fortnightly instead of weekly, and will be paid fortnightly as from next week. What they may not know is that the aim of the measure is not to aid them.
For claimants the resulting staff cuts of 17 per cent will mean longer queues, and greater difficulties benefit out ill the next payment. For us it means less jobs and more work for those remaining.
Fortnightly attendance and payment is not new -nave known ll was coming for two years. Last year action was limited to token strikes by our national mittee, and this year the section executive - all of them elected on a Broad Lẹit "ticket' tially rejected even the limited action the NEC were offering.
Resistance to fortnightly signing and pay ment will now be difficult though claimants still have the right to choose to SIgn weekly. But importantly we have learn in the CPSA, and the public sector as a whole, that the cuts in form are a problem for us all, and wal snorter dours without loss in pay can provide the basis for an effective and united fight to stop the massive cuts in jobs. Br Rich Patse HEALTH WORKER Janet but friend. they and Janet is the commissioners when the beds in other hospitals.
5 helping on other Janet points out.
and the commissioners closures will be complete.
'Now, week. hospital for a rally.
first to go plan a work-in received a letter from a frien week. She does not know their name are, because enclosed in the letter were secret plans for health cuts in South-east London secretary of the campaign set up to fight them.
The plans had been drawn up by sent in to Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham Area Health Authority refused to implement cuts. Amongst other things they mean the closure of 60 acute beds at Guy's hospital, acute beds at King's hospital, and 36 'Out of the seven members of the Area Health Authority who voted for cuts, two are now commissioners and sub-committees, 'At first everyone was shocked at the size of the cuts, speed at which the are moving. certainly have to act now or the others. however, things are starting to move, particularly among hospital workers. In St Guys health district a joint stewards committee met for the first time in years last we are having a meeting for all stewards in the area -we expect two to three hundred there.' The campaign against health cuts is growing, and their next step is a demonstration on September 29. It will assemble at Ladywell fields in Lewisham and march to St Johns • St Johns hospital is due țo close in early October - the and the workers there I think we have to build up an awareness that these cuts mean more private health care,' says Janet. . 'Our given opposed to private medicine because it means good care Socialist Challenge 27 for the wealthy and ill health fo "One suggested use for the b Lewisham Hospital beds cha close is that they are used as p , This is the distria ment's idea to "save mone very pleased that the genera of the electricians' union, covers the electricians who the hospitals, have come happie's plans for beach in as part of wage deals."
*THE Labour group on l Council came under fire when a l on 17 September, and protes acuncillor Ted Knight to propo activists local wards, motion reversing the cuts. He is calling for council employee day off demonstration against the cats is on 7 November.
cynica electoral The Communist Party-dominated Broad Left was accused of engaging putting Duffy on the spot so as to reap the benefit when he comes up for CHARTER
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tougher real fares policy. Civi Service