Striking caretakers in the North London borough of Haringey have kept all the local schools shut for more than a week.
Members of the National Union of Public Employees, their demand is for 660 a week - two-thirds of the national average for manual workers.
The caretakers open and lock the schools. The only people with school keys are head teachers.
But if the latter were to open the schools it would be a risky business. An -effective picket would put teachers on the spot and could end all deliveries of food the SCROOS The closure of the schools Jcm as well: adequate creches and facilities for working or single parents.
ina blatant attempt to exploit this situation, parents from Creighton Comprehensive mounted a small with Labour councils more and more into focus. demo last Monday demanding that the school be opened.
But this demo largely of local Tories and their supporters (including Hugh Rossi MP), and was outnumbered by a counter-demonstration backed by local Labour Women's Voice, National Union of Teachers, Communist Party, Workers Party and national Marxist Group. other The NUPE received support Haringey's Labour and this has determination or ine sinkers and kept up their morale Local Labou make no secret of the fact that in they regard the NUPE claim as totally justified.
So why doesn't the local Labour council simply pay up? Because that would be taking "unilateral action', almost inevitably lead to a cut in its rate support grant from the government.
This argument is to that used by council, which only has a single Tory member. And similar talk CalE neard from Labour councils.
It is here experience of consisted becomes extremely important.
Clav STOSS disregarded Tory government policy council house implement cuts. the The result was that virtually the entire population of Clay Socialist cross was unica benina une Inter- councillors. If other Labour councils had strike has example a real opposition could of have been built against the Tory council. воусписпе added to the The fact that it is a Labour government in power strengthens the case for emulatin councillors Clay Cross.
Lney and other councils should pay their workers and prepare a fightback.
They should, in conjunction with trades councils, mass meetings to explain their and would case.
The coming conference of the London Labour parties on 3/4 March offers an excellent identical opportunity to generalise the Hackney fightback.
other that the whole Clay Cross councillors and refused to raise TECHILE followed their Haringey, Hackorganise school. TEND ASLEF leader Ray Buckton
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THE PUBLIC sector unions' plan to step up selective action to win their claim is bringing their relationship