DESPERATE managers at London's University College and Middlesex Hospitals, wrestling with a £20m deficit, are dosing beds and trying to cut 60 posts for newly-qualitying nurses.
But nursing staff, with official sup bor om NUPE and COHSE, have hit Following the lead of their col eagues in Bloomsbury & Islington's mental health uni. whose successil strike action forced management to increase staffing levels, they have staged angry strikes and protests beginning on May 15, with a further wakout on May 22 This battle is likely to run for some weake hut it is only the fret of many that are likely to be fought in London and throughout the country, as NHS chiefs try to balance their books in the Tories new internal market by cutting In Central Manchester, staff have protested at chiels plans for cuts of €3m; London's threatened St forthcoming 'rationalisation' proposals for the capital's NHS - is looking towards a £5m cuts package.
in man does do use col backs of over E1m are now being Almost all of these cutbacks will mean attacks on levels of nursing and support staff.
Burt the arts in Bromsbury & is lington, the health authority covering the UCH and Micklesex Hospials, management have for some t management have some time planned to close the Elizabeth Garrett Now they have admitted they are discussing closure of ether the Middiesex or UCH, which have been bankrupted by the government's NHS reforms.
By fighting back, nurses and heath workers are not only defending their own jobs and those of union col leagues: they are defending our NHS - the hospitals, beds and services we all depend upon for treatment.
Health workers have consistently boon among the more miltant secBons of the working class throughout the 1980s. They will need all the support they can get from the rest of the abour movement as they faht John Major's new round of attacks.
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