How effective ane work-ins" as a tactic to prevent hospital closure?
the assesses their strengths and Limitations.
UNITY FOR struggle using the hospital as a base from which to launch a campaign against clos ure was the main gain in the Hounslow work-in.
This was made possible by the active participarion by all work ers in running the occupation, and democratic discussion as to how the campnign should be taken forward. the my health gradually reduce the number of patients and srip the hospital's Tacities it a lowed the workers to demonstrase that the argument of the authority that there is no demand for the hospital' was hollow The Hounslow workers won GPs, who ignored the instructhealth deep authority work-in bac the bodyRICH PALSER never being re-opened.
Control
heath facilities -class community.
blunted the att officials t annel was to SOLIDE TUT the support of a number of local hospital is won, workers control lons of the health authority that DO OTHERE SACED DESE They averted the proposed temp to the Hounslow, By thi which would have meant the hospital community Hounslow dearly.
Finaily, a work-in can open up the road to workers control over posed by the struggle of health workers and the local sockle Ar Hounslow all access to the Force осорня ру швивустсть рег controlled by the action committee set up to run WOLLE impose their decisions as to how the bospital If the demand for Hounslow to be maintained as a community by will be vital in ensuring that the What you can do "Send money and messages of support to the defence commiltea *Organise meetings lor Hounslow Hospital speakers *Support the picketing and occupation *I you are in the health service, send resolutions demanding national strike action to save the Hounslow and other hospitals lacing closure *Book the flim by the Newsreel Collective of the struggle to keep open the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital, avallable from The Other Cinema Details from: Hounslow Hospital Defence Staines Road, Hounslow, Middx. Tel. 01-570 4448 ext 55 noods of the local working clas ratber than the noods of the health authority for rationalisarion and cutbacks But a work-in cannot, in the BE BOSS TEARS CASE A What the wolk in die stows only by "weaith", a gradual run down; thus forcing the authority loto ins mos orus commando lac tics to remove the patients.
Management remains By ple type at forti, backseur used in the Houses, to lapo of police presence the closure. Its action is dictared the Labour Coseramen's cutbacks, not by a misguided desire to improve health care by Committee closing the hospital The work-in tactic can only be a way forward against closure i force a cla to cone tal force a halt to closure. CHIS IS ENC CHECHE TEARIER IT work-in can win the commitment of the local labour movement -HESCESSIE-SEES DUSpINUs factories and office - to mass action, shauld the closure be attempted. As Hounslow shows. a commitment to until the closure is halled can b crucial First and foremost this mean commitment to strike action in area health authoricy which wants the closure.
Area stewards bodies are vital workers against closures, Strike action Stonels it mess