How we fought Labour
which was pushed for strongly by the rank
and file groups. Here a motion
NALGO shop stewards Committee for all-
out strike action was ruled out of order by
Alistair Macrae, the NUPE official convening the meeting. . The left's argument was
that this was the only way to achieve the
needed solidarity from other unions.
Of course we have no way of telling
whether all-out strike action would have resulted from a strong lead. I believe a lot
more assurance of national support from
the unions concerned would have been
necessary as well. What is certain is that the policy as it was pursued thoroughly demoralising for those trade unionsts who did get involved, and that they were treated as counters in a war of
words between the Lothian Councillors and the government.
Another depressing aspect Lothian fiasco was body Lothian Action Group which was meant to be an umbrella campaigning organisation embracing unions, Labour Parties, tenants cuts -OUR seven-week srike began when a plan was drawn up by the Management Team of Rhondda Borough Council to cut 25 jobs and demote some NALGO members. The union had agreed in September 1984 to an exercise to restructure the Council's white collar workforce — but had seen this as a way to tackle the problems vacancies, temporary posts and secondments. The NALGO branch rejected as unacceptable a Council pledge of no compulsory redundancies and opposed any cut in jobs.
Atter a General Meeting, called a half-day strike of all members, followed the next week by a selective strike of 26 supervisors halting retuse collection and housing repairs, and closing the Council's sports Centre and theatre.
The strikers were paid through a levy on all branch members. We explained our action to the public in a mass leaflet:
The Council response to our action was a letter sent individually to all members on December 13 threatening:
"unless this action is withdrawn
forthwith and normal
resumed by 9.00a.m. Friday
14th December, 1984, there will be The waited i standinbet marge. cy branch meeting which ' unanimously to demand that the letter was withdrawn. The Management agreed and following a meeting with three members of the Labour Group an agreement was reached to withdraw the "Document". This was immediately taken to the Labour Group and then full Council (where the Labour Group has a majority) where it was rejected and the threatening letter was re-instated.
At 11.00am on Monday December 17 an Emergency Branch Meeting voted for an all-out indefinite strike. The vote was by show of hands and followed a vote to ignore Government's balloting Shortly afterwards members of MATSA who were also covered in the "Document" voted to take action alongside
trom a ficials but also by officials. caucus made wouldn't anywhere. direction the defined by the joint trade union commit- tee, which was entirely made up of branch was officers from local Council unions. the Labour Group's influence of the to mobilise called the campaign. Labour Party members What is significant is that Alan Fisher of NUPE and Geoffry Drain of NALGO only A NALGO shop steward from Rhondda Borough Council looks back on a successful 7-week struggle of unfilled in defence of jobs. NALGO's action had effectively closed all Council services, workers were "locked-out". the branch the with employers Christmas and on December 30 an agree- effectively ment was reached, this time with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Council's Personnel Committee. branch members lobbied the meeting, and a delegation sat in the public gallery only to witness the Labour Group leader moving a to ment Team would not be withdrawn! That Sunday working contractors and police arrived at the local authority refuse tip to clear refuse that had the built up there during the strike. Within a of minutes a matter NALGO members succeeded in persuading the (unionised) voted contractors to turn back. A further attempt was made Team with non-unionised scab contractors 11.00pm the next day. After a tip-off from a local resident a picket line was quicky assembled and these contractors were also turned back. The battle lines were effec- tively drawn. were established at the two refuse tips and the Council's waste disposal incinerators (where no NALGO members worked) and rota of pickets depots, day centres yoo hired and laws. strike headquarters. had been held weekly and a weekly srike bulletin distributed. When called upon us. Socialist Viewpoint, No. 4, March 1985. Page 15
and consumer gorups, etc. In practice this body did little apart from issuing a couple of leaflets and press statements. Moves to involve Labour Parties at branch level were resisted not only by the union of- the Regional Party In practice the union officials operated a clear other douches that anyhere sected to the situation hardened and it was soon clear that the dispute would follow was to are Even became strike Thus when the Council finally collaps- anything. ed, it was not as result of a genuine attempt the workforce and create a The involvement of union and was marginal. members. and won! tacabins", soon manual the since Negotiations continued atter Full council met on January 4. Sixty police. reaffirm that the produced by the Manage- January 6 outside Talks had assembled and assembled - this time return to - at tion The following day 24 hour picket lines organised for many and resolve. smaller and down the valley. We equipped some rooms as General meetings cle" too!
came down to Lothian when the campaign had collapsed in order to prevent the
Labour Group resigning the administration - along the lines of Regional Party
policy. Similar moves came from the Scot
tish Council of the Labour Party The collapse of the campaign led to widespread disillusion throughout the unions and Labour Parties. However, the early days of
campaign showed that an alliance could be built and that workers would fight for their services.
If Edinburgh and other Laboour Groups
resist the government's next clawbacks, a national campaign must be formed — but any alliance with the public sector unions that does not lead to all-out
Faction is unlikely to achieve Further developments can also be made in the involvement of those who use the services and their link with rank and file trade unionists and Labour Party virutally all branch members reported for picket duties, routinely involving between twenty and fifty members at any one time of the day or night. Caravans or "por-
braziers, and calour gas
leaters were quickly organised as the sub
ero temperatures and driving snow mad the first few days and nights picketing very uncomfortable. The realities of picket duty
swept away paternalistic attitudes about "women on picket lines": at least half our membership are women as are nearly half the NALGO stewards.
Matters came to a head Monday January 21 when a scab contractor Bailey Plant Hire of Caerphilly arrived at 8.30am to remove refuse from a now half-mile long pile of refuse outside the Council's refuse incinerator. Within minutes 50 pickets ran the length of the picket line only to be barged by a bulldozer and forced back by
I'he bulldozer began to load the retuse onto lorries (along with sections of pavement and a nearby wall). NALGO members from the local highways authority recorded the damage done whilst union members in neighbouring local authroities were contacted to prevent the refuse being brought onto their tips.
were then reconvened by the Council on Friday January 25 when the Council agreed to rewrite the original document to incorporate the original staffing levels. The terms of a satisfactory
work agreement were also agreed. This was ratified by full Council the following Monday and on Wednesday January 30 the Branch voted to return to work the following day.
During nearly seven weeks of strike ac-
sense of unity and commitment developed amongst the membership of our branch that before the strike would have been thought impossible. Every move by our so called "socialist" employers merely served to strengthen the membership's
Every NALGO member realises that the threat of redundancies will return next year, or the year after, along with the threat of "rate capping". By then we hope to have some "political mus-
West Midlands right wingers hedge their bets Up with the fares: all "MY TAKE HOME PAY WON'T TAKE ME HOME!"
By Dave Spencer THIS year there should have been the usual County Council elections in the Metropolitan areas in May - but there will be none. This is because of the Thatcher government's the GLC and the 6 Metropolitan Counties from May 1986.
All of these Councils are Labour controlled. They represent nearly half the population of England major cities. They all have some progressive policies oi sorts - like South Yorkshire's cheap bus fares policy, like Nuclear Free Zones, like campaigns for oppressed sections in the iner cities. If organised properly, they sent a focus for a direct challenge to the government.
This is the reason why they are being scrapped, part of the process of break. ing the labour movement means of democratic expression the working class may have.
Of course many of the criticisms of the GIC and Mets are socialists we need to develop native ideas like perhaps Regional Government including functions like the NHS. Water, gas and electricity. In other words we need to find ways to extend democracy. accountability and community involvement. But this is certainly not the Tory plan. The functions of the present Met Counties, for examples Buses. Fire, Police, will become more like the present Water and Gas Boards more remote. bureaucratic, more expensive and privatised where possible.
The * TeadershiP