It has been a summer of struggle for public sector workers - with the prospect of an autumn of unrest if the Fire Brigades Union proceeds as threatened with strike action insupport of their bold 40% pay claim. They already have a clear majority of public opinion behind them. Two million local government workers have staged their first coordinated national strike since the staff have staged four days of strike action pursuing their demand for a big increase in London Weighting payments to compensate for soaring costs of living in or even near the capital.
And in Scotland, health workers have been blazing a triumphant trail of action, following the lead of the successful medical secretaries' strikes for upgrading. Thousands of UNISUN nearn workcis i the Lothians and in Argyll and Clyde have won a ground-breaking IS an hour miniHundreds more have fought the scabherding multinational Sodexho to a standstill and secured a big increase and the Royal Infirmary. elsewhere Scotland the fight is being stepped up to drive out the handful of private contractors clinging on to hospital contracts. But while public sector unions feel their new strength and begin to flex their muscles, evidence keeps coming that the private sector and Private Finance Initiative bring an expensive, embarrassing series if failures - whether it be gerry-built hospitals, or the chaos of the privately-run Criminal Records Bureau. The fight must be stepped up to defend the public services and the staff who work in them against further waves of privatisaAs the conference season looms again onto the horizon, the message to delegates at TUC and Labour Party conferences must be loud and clear: stand up for public services Freedom for Palestine DEMONSTRATE SATURDAY CENTRAL LONDON $