start talking about conscience then you can forget the money.
'Either we go back and run theservices-and don twantto do that because I've spent the last three weeks convincing them that they ought to come out, and now they agree or we arrange voluntary cover by all NUPE members.
I'm not callous but it can't be left on our shoulders, everyone's got to muck in.
For hicals on wheels to operate the kitchens will have to go back. And they won't go back for free, because to them it's just being asked to work in a steamy hot kitchen for nothing. 1.30pm John is preparing to rush off to the home helps' meeting when the phone rings a supervisor at the town hall. The pickets stopped the beer lorry and the barislow on beer.
John will talk to the pickets but quite honestly I think I Socialist Challenge 15 February 1979 page 8 know what they'll say, and I At North London Poly the 300 home helps in Camden are assembling to emergency cover.
John introduces the discussion, saying that the meeting has been called to solve the problem of emergency cover. But the barracking immediately.
Upinions in te meeting are divided. Some women saying that emergency full BECAUS should be allowed WOLK Others argue that this is hypocrisy and everyone knows that of the they visit don't depend on their visits.
Others openly say that they don't want to lose the money.
There is clearly an articulate right wing who know what they areabout.
*Either we go back to work, the strike committee to ransom and press them to let the home helps return to work.
Some of these women start calling For a vote on a return to NUPE work. One of the home help discuss stewards takes the microphone:
*Look, I voted against the strike, I was opposed to it, but the decision was made by a majority in the mass meeting. We just can't go back on it now.
The intensifies, putting the stewards are and John cover pressure and they Finally John says: 'Clearly I back to have to convey the feeling of this meeting to the committee.
But there is no way that I can people allow this meetingabsolutely minority of the branch vote to reverse the meeting decision for an all-out strike last Tuesday. *That would undemocratic. 4.15pm Feelings run very high. The unity of the strike.
strike returntowork.
as women begin to leave.
4.50pm slump into demand for a vote enormous strike gency cover for the La tiny the home helps wanted - 10 refurn to work mass them a lever."
be totally dawns...
Finally a consultative vote is taken, to be referred to the committee overwhelmingly in favour of a The mass meeting breaks up John and some of the stewards chairs. John remembers that he hasn't eaten all day. and it is now nearly Over a half of lager and a bag of crisps the implications of the home helps' vote are discussed.
We've not arranged emerweekend and the council will know that to - that gives A meeting is arranged for 6pm with whoever is around to work out a framework for the strike committee to discuss in the morning, when Day Three here are very poor.
JEAN O'REILLY, part-time cleaner, on the p at Camden town hall: Many more should be picketing. The strike has to be all-out; it's the on we've got. Cleaning and catering are just not ir enoug on their own, so we have to be with the oth Obviously we should get more pay. I work f in the evening to 8.30, on £19.81 gross basic pa for clearing up everyone's mess. I leave home husband gets in. He looks after our child, and I home too late for us to spend the evening out think it's of prime importance. Women are sc making do.
councillors on the picket line, but then they things like that. My family's always voted Labe I m supporting the Tories. They have somethin to say. They can't be any worse. 'A creche for strikers would be a good idea, bi The strike committee might like to see the
cal authority workers in Camden, North London, decided at a mass his decision,and the task of strengthening the indefinite strike of ers, was what preoccupied the strike committee last Thursday, Day 2 RIDAN spent the day observing events at the strike HQ, talking to them. orning opportunity to rush off to the in the sirike committee leaving thephonetoring... to ask 9.30 am she's a C0 01 The strike committee, consisthe ting of branch officers, shop stewards and rank uld be members, elected at the mass ployed meeting two days earlier, holds La two-hour meeting in Camden Labour Rooms, down the road from the strike HQ.
It discusses picketing rotas, s in to press conferences i been releases, setting up a support He committee, and fund raising -strike but mainly concerns itself with discussing the mass emergency cover asks more later). eve in The strike committee is an open body. gratefully accepting the help and suggestions of any unionmember who's interested. metery There is considerable delelist of gation of responsibility. ple at main aim is to actively involve as many strikers as possible in the work of the strike. rgency Finally everyone takes the | oil delivery for the town hall's heating is expected the next meeting, day.
There is already a picket on the town halls, but it's agreed to step it up for the oil delivery. Another report arrives that NALGO members at Euston town hall are bringing in toilet and file rolls and cleaning their offices.
Jonn geis on the paone to Hugh Flynn, branch chairperson, cheque at the same time, with half an ear on a conversation about emergency cover in the pres: corner of the office.
11.57am problems of A steward which sympathetically:
job he doesn't know what he's doing — if he did he'd end up in one of those homes.' could be said about the rest of the strike committee. Everyone is rushed off their feet.
Hugh Flynn agrees to look into the situation atthetownhall.
Paine, the council's deputy chief executive, comes on the line inquiring 12.15pm job...' the NALGO writing a group come into the office.
block smiles at John inalviouany. good Later down.
The same A local say that NALGO agreed to about the conference on cover position can be resolved.
strike council's A picket arrives to say that a pay. NALGO supervisor has started hall. 'He used the tools to do it - and he's not supposed to developig, touch the tools - that's our Another call to NALGO. A of strikers concerned benefits A formal request to the local DHSS is needed, asking for a application the operating a strikers-so thattheydon'thave to deal with the social security old afternoon the block application will be turned Labour Party executive member comes in to it is meeting that Someone from the the week. strike committee should go -John Devitt, the NUPE branch chairperson, agrees to attend.
The strike committee had hold press Tuesday, so a They came out first to get the halting the vehicles. He collecting his first week's strike The public baths attendants' steward rings in for information about how the strike is 100pm The meals on wheels shop steward arrives and the major problem of emergency cover is again the subject of discussion.
Meals on wheels have been sunday service since the strike was called -delivering meals to only those people whose schedule includes a Sunday delivery but this is clearly inadequate.
Just because an old person Goes need a mea onumeas doesn't mean that they are not an emergency on other days of The steward says: You can't go into a block of flats and feed three on the top floor and miss two on the bottom. It's just not on. They come to their doors with their hands out for a meal. DAVE BARNES deputishing as shop depot in Arlington Road, Camden: NUPE should have called at all-out strike from 22 January. Already Westminster, are talking about going back and clearing the rubbish. Some haven't been out at all yet We knew that transport and refuse were strongly for all-out action. We éxpected there would be problems with social services with people like the home helps and residential homes split up across the borough.
In a lot of areas picketing needs tightening up. With a nod and a wink from the council, private contractors have been clearing up rubbish and dumping it on public tips. We're picketing the tips *Very unofficially, one or two of the Labour councillors emplovers — say they support the strike. We want them to declare this openly, and organise with us. As a borough transport worker. with an average take home pay of £50, which includes Saturday working and five hours overtime, I reckon that's reason enough to beon this picket line. steward at the transport councils. like
----- pull-quotes -----
don't blame them. 2.00pm
all-out strike. elps to return to work.