Afer turning up on the first day with a proposal for an ERD minimum basic wage, the anion leadership blocked which have EL CAUCT elementary trade union rights Ibe call for this minimum wage is largely blutt. Faced with nine motions on pay troin branches, acted wace restraint. the leadership decided on the eve ot conference to go one beller.
While the branch proposals ranged from 155 to 172, the executive called for ERD.
SOCIALIST CHALLENGE 6 July 1978 Page 6 "FROM the sublime to the ridiculous" would be the Little was said abour how to win it workers in the health service would against wage limits; no mention of building a fighting fund.
BICA Instead the exccutive argued for rejection of a motion from East Birmingham lor a specia national delegate conterence to decide on what action to take if the claim it turned which negotiations.
The executive's verbal militancy is useful for ridiculine the left: and boosting COHSE'S "image" "against demand for a 160 minimum wage. Bur it is hardly likely to increase the confidence of the rank and file.
I's up to the left in the union to call the executive's bluff, and however. begin nOW membership for a fight around The CHI Al September's TUC, He leadership will be asking for a return to responsible collective TOTEELIE When it comes to defending elementary defence of COHSE members ar the Emergency Bed Service in down in London should have been the first itea at the conference.
These workers refused stop referring patients to the EGA when Ennals decided it NUPE's had to close. For this they were disciplined In cifect, management prepare The that.
agenci unian righs, the certainly in generaldiscipline members carrying out normal trade union practice by refusing. be to scab on an official dispute.
emergency of proposed by left-wing delegates bospital called for the union to demand these disciplinary mensures he rescinded. But the motion was not allowed on the The COHSE Icadership is corcerned abour discipline. I won acceprance ol new union rules which wil allow the general secretary to discipline branch officers who "act it a manner detrimental to the welfare of his (sic) own or any other branch, or the union SANDTHE NER HOSPITAL STAYS FLIC Lewishans trades several speakers proposed the setting up of a joint shop sewards committee covering all the hospitals in the arca the anti-cuts campaign levolve health workers in a light to defend the HS.
If this wave of cuts is to be fought then health workers in South cast London have 10 TAKC BITELL OLIOS
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best way to sum ap the annual conference of the Confederation of Health Service Employees, reports