Is a woman doctor 1 very seriously. Applying JODS like: Are pregnant? Do vou intend to gel married? When will you have children? I'm sure male doctors aren't asked these personal questions.
The social segregation and hierarchy in hospitals unbelievable. At the bottom of the pile are the ancillaries the porters, cleaners kitchen staff. They are nearly In all the hospitals I've been incy nave a scodraic caniech and a grotty bar in basement alongside the heating system, while the consultants have a well furnished dining consultants are nearly all white men. Many of them have been to public school.
BARRIERS When 1 WES thought it possibie to change the ideas of my colleagues because | had this narrow view that it was medical education that was responsible I worked in NUS with health students, and within nospilal we inca to break down all the barriers between the We had a campaign for a joint student union and a Joint bar We thought we could remove these barriers it was one way of getting rid of elitism in medicine. We really worked completely onct meuica students I think we were quite a threat in the medical school. The dean was worried and told other students thai they have anything to do with us: that we probably took drugs and were communists.
DAZE is was riency win one orne lecturers and she was not to be friendiv with me Anyway, that whole experience made me feel that it's not worth bothering about the medical profession. was the my head against a brick wall.
Now, I go round in a daze cowards my medica concatues I don't relate to them at all. If 1910 napoc iealth service it will be because of the health workers taking action as they have in some of the hospital werk-ins, such as al brook wood By joining a trade union as a doctor, and not a professional was body, you are allying yourself with other workers and making point. ion belong Confederation Service Employees which has quite a lot of skilled staff. But even in the my union people tend deferential - I am usually the only: doctor at my branch meeting Sometimes one tries to take a stand about something, as in the second job I had where worked with consultants who down Di did a lot of private work.
The very first morning I told them I'm perfectly prepared to look aner you shouldn't YOUr orivale said 'Do vou emergency? private patients hospital, you won't go and look ater nemNV *They're your private patients. You got them in here, you look warned after them.
asking, they'd always relied on knocking the junior doctors nurses — to do the nitty gritty for them.
Anyway, I thought that right was on my side; that they didn't in the have a leg to stand on. Even the latest Government were to reduce private beds. Sc And then I found out this was really disillusioning. I studied i turned and aty went to my was in the wrong.
to the WOMAN Health On the whole, 1 get on better nursing and with the nurses than I do with the medical staff. I work with them rather than feeling that I am ordening tem around. Inis kind of relationship is probably easier because am a woman But many nurses and sisters resent women doctors actually prefer Emergency Ward 10 relationship. They are not jealous of the male doctors, I suppose.
I am a gynaecologist, so my scaredier, What scared scared of me.
Dalichts mean in an If one of my goes into real worries reply was:
looking quite young. really freaked out.
They had a meeting with the FEARS Without ever promises qualms - and union and and less about it contradictions.
medicine cures people the flirting do BLES more developing countries, severe illnesses, derangements of poor pension.
OVERDOSE up eight times a after taking an tranquillisers. medical medical solution at all blood pressure.
and uney re not very can't come in La dead baby.
POLITICS The caricature of a doctor is a bis male, often rather forbbiding WHOLE they're not socialism.
They ask me questions. And working sometimes people tell me their and anxieties patching up. which I don't think they would do if 1 was intimidating. So in some ways it's almost davanaze one a woman and practice WITn It means that they'll tell me what their fears are. Just silly little things, usually, that are terribly irrational; which can get rid of quite easily the will come out with it and say Especially now that child birth is completely monopolised by medicine, a lot of women who become pregnant don't know anything about it They ask me: How will I know when I'm in labour? What's a contraction. ur course, fault for this doesn't lie with the knowledge of childbirth awaw Iom women. oroar women have come to know less For me, medicine is full of One of the Disees is unal oclore you begin your training you think that Wher you go in to it you find that most of the things you are confronted with are social or to with the political system.
stark in malnutrition causes a lot oi pushed for it. things. But even in my first job the kind of people who came in severe filess people, because the because they couldn't cope with little health while living alone in a cold house on a At night when I was doing beating.
night, Catholic, somebody who had come in overdose of That wasn't a thing. You often it and that it didn't have a At the moment women come in to ante-natal clinic with high means they should come in to hospital to rest. If they're wealthy they can get somebody else to look have atter their kids. but it thev' ve got to look after their husband well oft who are theyennhey come back four weeks later with tremendously high blood pressure and maybe who The awareness that every oisease we come across Is more common in the lower classes — it's that kind of thing that I find most difficult to cope with.
This whole area is ignored yet it's where most of one's work is. Doctors have to choose between cynicism or politics. It's my reason for fighting for Even when you're cauy nara you are that you are I do abortions as well, and that has raised some problems. I am completely in favour of a woman's right to choose, but in actually very difficult when one has to cope delvering somerning which is alive, or could be alive.
've only had one case of really late abortion and it sticks out in my mind. I've a real reputation in the hospital as an abortionist because of it It was a 14-year-old girl. I think she missed school one day to come uo to ne nosoilar because she thought she was pregnant. She was nearly 28 weeks pregnant and hadn't told She lived with her Tainer, wnom sne dian t get on Her mother was in ABORTION There were great arguments. The consultants didn't know quite what to do. Somebody else said that we should not give an abortion — - she should be sent back to Nigeria with the kid, in Nigeria they didn't mind that kind of thing.
I stuck my neck out, saying that she should have it, , I fel all was important orac social worker there at the time tended lo agree. so we reall In the end the consultant got a psychiatrist to see the girl, and psychiatrist came out agreeing with us. So we did it, but it was a bit macabre.
ACHCHUESC from that whole operating consultane watch. consultant explained it all and made it into something awful. And then it came out and the heart was my The nurses, who were mainly became hysterial saving We must baptise it' The whole scene was horrible and it made me feel bad PROBLEMS Although it did not stop me from feeling that she should have had it, I think the abortion campaign has got to realise the problems that the people on te receiving end are going to how should we cope with it. what we should have done, whether the same people going to resuscitate babies at 30 weeks should be the same people who let one go a 28 weeks? Maybe there should be different kinds of staff?
The attitude of the nurses is very varied. here are some completely for abortion, but there are others who obviously don't like it, especially the Catholic nurses.
medical thing. It's the same people after taking overdoses.
The nurses feel that they went into nursing to do other things. Some of this attitude is passed on to the patients. The Tact that when people come in they're not a person, just a childhon EFFICIENCY In the labour wards, too, there's always this orientation Towares GO!) things quickly. Recently I was Experiencing Childbirth by the Community Health Council in Islington, about women's experiences of childbirth.
They all make these points about doctors not having time to talk to them; the feeling of machine of everything being iy baby a hurry.
It's all quite true, but the soluton uncy ponrayca that it was just up to the doctors to be nicer. It's not that at all After reading it I decided that I must really ask people more questions. In my clinic that night asked the women wnetner tney nad any worries It was very good but my clinic didn't finish 8.30pm. It's not just a question of doctors being nicer - it's a matter of having more staff.
DIVIDED I suppose I just feel divided There are lots of aspects of medicine, particuSane area ta volve. in with women, that in theory really like. I'd like to learn al the skills involved, how to operate and all that, and I'm fascinated by the way the human body works.
It's a job 1 really like to do and I think in whatever system medicine. But the situations I find myselt in make me resent work; they make me over-tired and there are all these contradictions which make me feel that I'm failing I'm aware of all the problems and yet as an individual it's quite difficult to know how to counter them TOU HOUSE VOS were 20m1 to cure people, and then you realise that you don't really do much, that the causes of the problem are something else anyway.
This contribution by SUE is taken from a conversation with JUDE WUUDWAKD. IT TOu know someone perhaps yourself! _ who could make a good subject for our At Work series do let us know.
Socialist Challenge 4 January 1979 Page 7
Britain.
THE YEAR leading to the fall of the Heath government saw some of the class struggles in erCaLesL WOTKINE Britain since the 1920s. But there is still revolutionary organisation in Britain which has won the confidence of even a significant minori o workine Deooe. mnuccd. since 1974 the Labour MIUPO DV CIne UmOn DurCaucTaCes succeeded in imposing cuts in living standards and attacks on democratie rights.
This has led many in all parts of the British left to re-examine or question their assumptions. But, to be fruitful, Inis re-examinanon must start trom the fact that the last 10 years of world Dolllcs nave Snown capacities of the working class and its independent against the class enemy and its state.
The struggles in the countries, France in 1968, Italy in the autumn of 1969, Portugal in 1975, Spain in early 1976, join and surpass the struggles in Britain up to 1974 as examoles oi this, and follow on the continuing post-war colonial fight ALaIUSE HOCEISHISHE and Stalinist domination In Europe.
The Labour government's attacks have succeeded through a combination the manipulation traditional loyalties and wrecking trade bureaucracies of each attempt at a fight back by militant sectors. But the reformist left, whether Labour COmmaniS. WaS "pressure politics' from leading even token resistance due to its inability to break The politics bureaucracy.
Ene revolutionarv left does not suffer from this disadvantage. But it too has not succeeded in winning the confidence of workers so as to realise the potential for action of all those willing to fight.
In the past period, movements such as the women's movemert challenged aspects of society that the traditional left has to ignore. left has failed TCYO ULIOLZEY assimilate the lessons movements fully into its political practice.
The left's tendency to sectarianism ane Gsuni 18s been an Boran!
cause of its failure to build a base in the working class, or even to win the confidence of the revolutionary activists. It is only one cause among others, and does alter the reality differences which do exist — not only Socialist Challenge 4 January 1979 Page 8 2150 HOWIY is an important factor. socialist government, and fascism socialism.
Significant, if limited, ver acamne struggles united revolutionary which is urgently needed.
imperialist We believe against Eastern tions:
Taha HmEcu way.
outright ary organisations, UNION prevented by its struggle rank-and-file women's organisations;
polities.
differences that have capitalist UYCECUREC activity, given that we on But the to these also be political agreement.
majority of political the TevOluEOnaN on certain points of programme, but •ITOm aterencesun history and tradition. Nonetheless, it But despite these failings a whole laver of activists exists on the shop floor, in the unions, in community struggles against the cuts and for new resources, in the movements around and in those against W10 are broadly sympathetic to revolutionary developments owares unied acuViLa number of areas of struggle lead us to hope that it may now be possible to make progress towards building a organisation, that the extent and significance of divergences which still exist can only be tested through joint work between revolutionaries, as well as continuing political discussion.
In this process, we may learn in practice how to overcome some of the problems of revolutionary organisa*the political problem of the roots of reformism and the left's failure to overcome this except in a temporary *the development of a healthy and democratic internal life in revolutionand nOH to maximise the involvement of those new to revolutionary organisations, as well as combining those with an active and effectively united practice;
*the relationship between revolutionary organisations and wider class organisations such LTEUC union groups, *and how revolutionary organisations relate to personal and sexual The signatories to this document believe that these problems, and the divide us, can be Tne DOSIS -OTOT accept the fundamental positions of revolution. ary Marxism, and share a common political orientation on key questions. Such activity must of course be rooted in local work. But we believe that the time has come when its impact must maximised by a national The statement that follows is an attempt to outline the policies which form such agreement. It is in no way meant to be UnITeC organisation. Considerable political discussion cancauon wiw pe recunrcu oerore substantial moves in that direction are possible.
But we believe that work around these policies will in forward the class struggle, and will provide the basis for testing out the possibulty or rurtner aovancetoward such a united organisation. We appeal to all those in agreement with them to join us.
will work Tank-ane-He Tiss oreaTOTs 0 workers on the shop floor, in struggle in the community to defend and extend publie and services. WIll fight to rank-and-file based oppositions in the unions opposed to class collaborationist policies.
The struggle against the employers for the defence of jobs, conditions and social services cannot be waged successfully without a fight within the unions against the bureaucracy, and maximum possible organisation at rank-and-fle level. All shop stewards committees, combine committees and other organisations of struggle of the working class in the trade unions must be under the democratic control of rank-and-file workers.
Oppositions in the unions must genuinely be open to all prepared to fight. regardless of affiliations, not excluding sections of the union leaderships who may be forced to support fighting policies, and must include a perspective of fighting for the leadership of the unions. Such groupings therefore be organisationally indepenacnr or any ponncal grouping and internally democratic. detence of workers interests regure. among the chief policies to be fought (a) independence of unions from the state; no incomes policy capitalism; increases that workers uving standards, (b) workers' democracy; election of officials, rank and file control of negotiations; no bans and proscriptions;
(c) workers' unity; against ism; against sexism; for effective combine organisations.
(d) for policies to meet the crisis; for the right to work; for workers plans of production; expropriation of firms unable ture cuts, except military. practice the viability of building a unified organisation.
and itself take build build political THUST The and DOLL LOCaH the trade preserve autonomous gay movelcu.
calls into question building WnICH CaDaHH UCW OrEausaLlUH provide socialist currents movements, must We will be circulating this appeal to many non-aligned militant: in the labour movement as well as those already active in differen particular 2 We will work to build the autonomous organisation of women can nationally. In oppressed. particular, we will attempt to build liberation organisation amongst working class women and to take issues raised by the .cemanes women's movement into workplaces, the local community and the labour movements. We will work to build an The growth of the autonomous movements of women and gays is one labour; of the most hopeful and important of (b) recent political developments, which -Ene COLEHUCE oppression of women in the family (c)
draws ior it ability to perpetuate itself. Supporting and building these movements workers. must be central to the activity of any Socialists, while seeking to build within these respect ALICI organisational autonomy from ar political organisatio Only such autonomous movemen succeed in uniting We support a women - movemen O OCI currents prepared to fight for its seve We will fight:
for the seven demands of th women's liberation movement and support of all those fighting for ther and for the socialisation of domes for a practice in the labo movement which encourages the fu parucipanon sr womeh, for union branches, shc stewards committees, etc. to take u issues of special concern to wom Wecommit ourselves generally to political practice that does not exclu women, incuamg Ol TaSaLio meetings at times compatible wi Cne-CarCCOHCs, prope
creches at conferences, etc. will fight for these practices in labour movement organisations.
will work democratic and active organisations including the ANL to fight racism and fascism both at local levels. We will work to struggle against racism into workplaces, the local HuB daune laDour mOYCHECHE The fight against the growing racist and fascist activity is central to any attempt to build alternative; the far right feeds off the consequences of Labour s policic and is the most ruthless opponent of Dlack ane ome enmo uc mncude gays; ana WolCl WOrKIRE Cass.
We will fight:
(a) to destroy the National Front and other fascist organisations; for mobilisations to stop HEAOS fascists; (b)
of state racism; (c) build against the fascists; (d)
take the (d)
organisations of 8n0-18SCSIT com- TELLELY s (f) an effective socia is!
and the entire increasingly -rom mes Pte.
We will fight for:
activity: (b)
(c)
(d)
5. ment.
In CIICCLIYC national (a)
Irish TTOODS support against immigration laws, police harassment and other aspects (b)
(c) for labour movement defence for black self-defence; for support for autonomous the 020k COmto build the Anti Nazi League democratic and broadiv-based structure together with other organisations commited to the campaign against racism and fascism.
that We will work to defend and extend democratic rights which are coming UnUCE attack cratic opposition to all state bans on labour movement activity; against country.
Editorial Board any reliance on the state to ban fascist for the repeal the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the conspiracy and 'sus' laws, and of the Official Secrets Act;
right self-determination of the Scottish and Welsh people; support for Welsh and Gaelic language rights;
opposition to capitalist development of nuclear power.
will work build solidarity with workers and oppressed people in struggle in other countries. In particular we will work to build a movement against British imperialism in Ireland and to raise the issue of Ireland in the workplace, the local community, and the labour moveThe interests of the working class and the British are ine iauondmovement's failure recognise and act on this fact has exacted a catastrophic price from workers in Britain and throughout the addition working fo withdrawal from NATO, for support for all anti-imperialist struggles, for the withdrawal of all British troops from overseas, and the building of an workers" unity across frontiers, have particular need and duty concentrate on:
Ireland: for the withdrawal of British troops; for the release of all political prisoners; solidarity with those fighting British imperialism; for the building of an effective OUI movement in Britain; for right of self-determination for the Irish people:
solidarity with the struggle in Southern Africa;
support for the struggle for democratic rights in the states under Sa ns Comnauon Socialists are the best defenders of democratie rights in the knowledge that the lack of them in any society bears down most heavily on the oppressed and exploited.
The experience of Stalinism Eastern Europe makes it essential for socialists to get across the fact that socialism is onlv conceivable as an immeasurably more democratic society than what we have today, and every major revolutionary struggle (Russia 1917, Spain 1936 Portugal 1975) has createa demo forms much more advanced han the ins uois or boureco democracy.
Joint work along the lines of this OrOLEaC involves work of all our members in these seeking to maximum all non-committed mili- alcas, tants and members organisations who agree in whole or of part these DTOOUCHE ions are necessary.
The experience of joint togeLner-wIln COnCUTTCIL discussion, should enable us to test out the possibility of moving towards a united revolutionary organisation. The fundamental policies which in our view divided revolutionaries from reformists and centrists in today's coneltOls document Our which appeared in Socialist Challenge A united revolutionary organisation must in our view accept the following basic principles: to (a) ionary organisation must see itself as part ol an international class struggle and must organise so as to draw from and contribute to the development of an internationally relevant political practice (b) In all sectors seek to build the independent power of the exploited and oppressed, proving our right to lead in political practice rather than SCEUE UD fronts opportunity to build involving all those who agree on demands and actions that can take the movement forward.
(c) Genuine internal democracy in the revolutionary organisation. Only OT TIRE DOSIS experiences of militants in different sectors be pooled and centralised and a political response developed. This implies organisational rights: tendencies and in this form.
NAME
ADDRESS coordinating involve to the of other practice demands; and whatever joint publicatorganisation.
and work revolu lonar political projects:
outlined In the Ground Internationalism: any revolut- For Organisation Towares me taking every unity unity by While can the fragmented TevO UOla minimum certain rights factions, represen- organisation.
SIGN HERE
If you agree with this joint appeal and wish to aid the process of revolutionary unity, please sign and return We will be pubusning une signatories in forthcoming issues.
TRADE UNION OR OTHER ORGANISATION POSITION HELD …............
Send to: Joint Appeal, PO Box 50, London N1. tation of minorities on leading bodies, and among full-time workers , regular and open election of leaderships, etc. But it is not merely a question of the "right to oppose", but of a regular that involves all RERCr membership in deciding the basic political line and perspectives of the In order to develop this joint work towards united organisation, the signatories will undertake not only local work and activity in particular sectors but also the following national (a) supporting and building rank and file based opposition groups in the unions and industry, such as the Ford Workers Group:
(b) building the Socialist Unity electoral campaign;
(c) building a united revolutionary youth organisation.
United Revolutionary To achieve all these aims, the organisatons and individuais who arr signatories to this appeal will work organisation. We will also approach crealon of a united such revolutionary organisations as the Socialist Workers Party and Big Flame for a programme of joint work as a first step towards revolutionary consider that the formation of a new organisation will be a significant step forward, we do believe will be 'the' revolutionary party in this country. We will have to continue to work for the unification of all revolutionaries into a single revolutionary SOCaHs organisation in Britain. We call on all and OrLallisauols independent revolutionaries in Britain to join with us to build a new Chanes Socialist Challenge 4 January 1979 Page 9
one, whatever their politics, offer would be so explosive.
-racionaly THE ERUPTION of the Ford strike took British politics by storm. No , forecast that the consequences of a 5 per cent Coming in the wake of the TUC decision against incomes policy and for the 35-hour week, a strike by this well organised and militant section of workers promised NO
----- pull-quotes -----
to be
WOMEN DECIDE CONTRACEPTION STERILIZATION ABORTION
AFTER a lengthy discussion, the International Marxist Group and the International Socialist Alliance have agreed to issue the following joint appeal to aid the process of revolutionary unity in Neither organisation believes that this appeal constitutes a
programme for a united revolutionary organisation. However, i does offer the basis for developing joint work in order to test out in
organisations. names of signatories in the next issue.
Signing this appeal means an active commitment to fighting for revolutionary unity in the coming months. We will publish the A series of meetings is being organised in a number of towns in
the next few months. These will be advertised in this paper and speakers from both the ISA and the IMG will explain the basis of the appeal and its implications for the future of the far-left in this