(Branch secretary, Islington NALGO) NALGO's half-million strong local government membership has voted down industrial action against the employers' 6.4 per cent pay offer by a 2-1 majority.
The union had claimed 12 per cent and a minimum of £9330 - the Council of Europe 'decency threshold'. Once again, the hundreds of thousands of low-paid white collar workers in local government will lose out. found in the sapping of the workforce's morale through the sustained attack on local government, and the passivity of the union leadershithe union's local government committee was banking on a reasonable compromise with the employers: the campaign for a 'yes' vote for industrial action was too late and half-hearted. It was a campaign the leadership did not want to win.
In the end the NALGO leadership out manoeuvred by the employers, who have been preparing for an offensive on pay and conditions since their defeat during NALGO'S 1989 pay strikes.
Representatives of local govemment Provincial Councils who might have backed a higher settlement were thrown off the employers' negotiating body.
The significance of the defeat goes way beyond the immediate issue of pay. NĂLGO members are facing a combined attack over the next year which will pose a major challenge to employment levels and negotiating The 1992-3 financial year will see dozens of employers imposing massive jobs cuts. Tens of thousands of jobs will go.
So far NALGO's leadership has responded piecemeal to cuts and job losses. While formally backing an industrial action strategy, in reality local branches have been left to negotiate job losses through voluntary redundancy, early retirement or enhanced payments for compulsory redundanCes.
This 'roll with the punches' approach has left local branches isolated and unable to respond with effective industrial action.
On top of the job loss and service cuts crisis, the employers are limbering up for a possible break-up of the national negotiating structure.
More than 40 local government branches, especially in the South East, have negotiated local pay bargaining or personal contract deals The defeat on pay can only encourage employers locally to push forward their redundancy and restructuring plans.
NALGO's June conference voted for a special conference on strategy to resist cuts. This has been organised as a four-hour conference in Brighton on a September afternoon -ensuring minimum attendance from round the country.
NALGO members have been sold the idea that merger with NUPE and COHSE is the answer to all their ills. But NUPE too this year overwhelmingly rejected strike action on a similar 6.4 per cent pay offer.
A merged union will still face the basic problem of fighting against cuts, redundancies and of low pay in local government and all the public services.
NALGO local government members now face an uphill fight. Only sustained and nationally co-ordinated industrial action will push back the employers' offensive, and prepare for victory on pay next year. No. 7 Sept. 14, 1991 Page 3
Is he next on Kinnock's chopping lIst? Dave Nellist MP by Steve French (suspended Lambeth Councillor)
Home News LABOUR'SNational Executive (NEC) will discuss the 'investigations' into MPs Terry Fields and Dave Nellist on September 25.
Party members from around the country will be lobbying the meeting urging them to oppose the witch hunt, in a campaign leading up to the Labour conference.
In a letter to constituents, Nellist said 'A dossier of 112 pages has been compiled on me. This could not be the work of a few hours. It must have been in preparation for months if not years ... yet I was only recently endorsed by the NEC ... with not one voice raised against. I'm the same man now as I was then!' Fight against Poll Tax All socialists should rally to the defence of the two MPs, who were democratically and decisively selected by their local parties. In addition, trade and Labour Party branches should send emergency motions to the party conference in support of the of Socialist Organiser in Nottingham and Sheffield.
All 13 suspended councillors in Lambeth now face expulsion, proving for some of hem that in Kinnock's party, even the odd day trip back to the left is unacceptable. If this wasn't bad enough, the witch hunt has moved into overdrive since the Walton by-election.
Suspended
In recent weeks, three Manchester councillors have been suspended for visiting a Poll Tax prisoner at the same time as Lesley Mahmood. And he Birkenhead party has been suspended for daring to criticise the rigged re run of the reselection of l Frank Field MP.
Meanwhile, three Glasgow councillors have been threatened with a second suspension for refusing to cooperate with implementing the Poll Tax. And counciliors in Bedford could be expelled for the 'crime' of opposing a pact with Liberals.
The National Constitutional Committee (NCC), set up in 1986 with the aim of silencing debate on expulsions at the a slogan of 'Stop the witch hunt, save our jobs'?
Now Kinnock is keen to purge any elements that might upset his election campaign, Kept to. The NCC is meeting demanding that this month, and socialists need to gear up for a fight to stay in the party.
To leave without a fight means to walk into the wilderness. The road of 'Real Labour' not to mention the SWP's call for a new party, does nothing to break the hold of Kinnock's 'New Realism'. Far from aiding workers in struggle, it merely sidelines the debate. Socialists for Labour Socialists now need a united, national campaign to link up all those under attack. But we are not just arguing for our democratic right to lose the arguments. Wealso need to build abour Party Socialists and a 'Socialists for Labour campaign to fight for socialism within the party.
Kinnock may have sleepless nights through his inability to rout the Tories, but he positive ly had nightmares about the