As the early summer turned into the predictable June downpour, the press and television was full of the water crisis. But it seems bizarre that a country like Britain should be apparently suffering from a water shortage.
Both the government and the water authorties are stoking up an old cam. paion: vou the public use too much water, and to stop you doing so we shall make you pay more.
In other words, the mass introduction of water meters is on the way, with consequenty much higher charges to the consumer. Thus water consumption will go down and profits wil go up.
The water shortage stems from protongoo undernesument in ore ins dustry. Up to a third of all water pumped into the system gets lost through leaky pipes. Billions are needed to renew both water provision and the coldpsing Botage system.
The media generally keeps a dis1968 Appeal Andrew Berry, a Socialist Outlook supporter, is curevolutionary Politics or evolutionary France, May-June 1968.
If any of our readers have literature or intormation tom or about that time, please touch with him on 0272 427370, or write to him at 10 Berkshire Road, Bishopston, Bristol BS7 SEX Many thanks creet silence about the flood-backs which inundate several hundred homes with sewage each year.
cut the crisis of the sended system is responsible. with urban decay, for the vast increase in the rat population in Britain.
Sewage blockages tend to be worse in areas of high-densty population, like council estates.
The privatisation of the water authorties requires two things. First, investors have to see a significant profft. Second, money has to be found to renew the sustem.
In turn this means higher charges through metering, and attacks on the pay and conditions of the workers in the incustry.
Privatisation meant an end to national pay bargaining, with each authority negotiating separately.
The authorities and private water of new management techniques like performance related pay, contracts and removal of union negobating nights. In the wake of the defeat of the Camden social workers' strike, and the consequent non re-employment of selected strikers, Newham Labour council has voted to sack Poll Tax workers on a four month strike against redundancy.
The water authorities own huge tracts of land, which are often important widlite habitats or areas of natural beauty.
Much of this land is now threatened by sale for building. Grandiose plans for water leisure centres have been put back because of the recession.
The move to water metering will of course hi the poor, the sick and the olderly hardest. Poor families with several chidren of course use lots of water for washing clothes, personal hygiene, cooking and flushing toilets. They will have to out back, as will pensioners. lem is that people have got used to the idea that access to water in a rain. drenched country is a basic feature of normal life, something which all cilised nations expect. Cutting back on water usage will be a threat to hygiene and heath.
When you have to cough up £80 for the orivilege of havino a water meter instaled, you will know what to expect.
Now there is a call going out for all supporters of the Unshackle the Unions statement to immediately write to the council, demanding they reverse the redundancies.
Write to: Council Leader, London Borough of Netonam, Town Hall, High Street South, East Ham, London E6. all anti-union laws or support for unilateralism, so both were Te-confirmed 'on the nod'.
All four candidates for spoke out he and depart spoke, but the speeches notable only for the lack of politics. Prescott's standing following an old fashioned rant, showed delegates' desperation for anything to relieve the monotony.
But this was also a symptom of the lack of any effective left tacked both leadership factions, becoming re quired reading for delegates and executive members alike. It also organised a joint fringe meeting with the Socialist Movement Trade Union Committee, attracting 70 delegates.
There is a desperate need to forge a real broad left in MSF, but this will only be achieved with the break-up of Unity Left and a fight against their apolitical and bureaucratic methods.