POTTERIES DEFIANCE OVER 3,000 - from ravers to pensioners - joined the demonstration through Birmingham against the Criminal Justice Act called by Birmingham Defence Alliance on February 1. The march was the biggest in the city for some years. Fight for ti Crimined Ju elicion ad PRO to Pl BITTER resentment among nurses at the Tories' miserable one percent pay increase has forced even the scab leadership of the Royal College of Nursing to make angry noises.
Nobody should hold their breath in expectation of the RCN changing its historic opposition to any form of strike action.
But is is clear that UNISON's rapid rejection of the pay offer and proposal to ballot members for action has attracted support from the RCN's ranks.
The fight is on for action to challenge the Tory pay rip-off, which was announced at the same time as lavish pay increases for judges, top civil ser: vants and armed forces chiefs.
Under the proposals, nurses would be guaranteed an increase of just one percent (£2.17 per week for a staff nurse), with the option to negotiate up to another two percent locally.
But with Trusts facing tight financial limits, any additional increases above the one percent will depend upon nurses unions agreeing "productivity' deals which axe jobs and increase the workload on front-line staff.
These pressures run alongside the process of 'Skill Mix Review' which is taking a terrible toll of skilled nursing jobs throughout the NHS as Trust bosses seek cash savings by increasing reliance on unqualified and less experienced staff.
In challenging this onslaught nurses are also defending standards of care on the wards, and would have the overwhelming support of patients and the wider • OVER 1,000 people attended a remarkable conference on the crisis in London's health services on February 18 sponsored, among others, by the Evening Standard.
A declaration was adopted which called for:
• An immediate halt to closures of London casualty units, beds and hospitals.
• Urgent action to cut London's 168,000 waiting list for treatment.
• Major upgrading and expansion of GP and community health services in the capital.
• Protection and promotion of London's heritage in medical education and research.
• Formation of an accountable, responsive and representative London-wide health authority.
This platform puts the Evening Standard to the left of Tony Blair's Labour Party!