health workers, airline workers Health workers, often forming the most militant contingents on demonstrations on the 24th, saw the day or action as a part or their sustained action against government health reforms their thousands just two days had mobilised in before, and on numerous occasions over the last five weeks. And, despite repeated government attempt to negotiate a settlement, the action conThe threats facing French health workers will be familiar to those working in the NHSlong hours, . under-resourcing and a headlong rush for loca and profitability'administration, consistent with its reac tionary record, is attempting to smash up France's national health system.
Health workers are responding by organising their own rank and file coordination, rather than relying on national French workers on the march union representatives in talks with minister Durieux. The inter nospital corective s meeting at the same time as government representatives met with union negotiators, united hundreds of delegates from hospitals around the country The workers made it clear that the time had come not for negotiation or compromise, but action. Activists are now preparing for national lemonstration on November?.
Workers at the car manufac turn in up then struggle. Workers are nighting o safeguard their bonuses and for an increase in line with inflation. The Renault manage ment have responded with a to privatisation and workers control campaign against the strikers But the strike has been characterised by a very high level of rank and file participation. Mini-demonstrations of factory managers have met with derision from pickets. Workers have been sending delegation to other major plants in the area to win support -market giant Carrefour, chemicals manufacturer Khone• Poulenc, and others. And a Womens Support Committee has been formed, organising factory and street collections to upport the sinker These examples show tha Cresson's problems are far from over. It is these struggles alternative that provide an perspective to the wave of racism and reaction that har swept France - aided and anti-immigrant policies.
But one kev factor that is missing - and which diluted the effectiveness of October 24 - is trade union unity. The fact that France's labour movement is split into three, bureaucrats of each federation often refuse to work with each other, is a block to workers' unity.
Rank and file coordinations - like that of the health workers - provide one way of overcoming the divisions. But in the the union federations must be to work together and unite France's labour move Carl Brecker, a leader of the Workers' Organisation for