Engineering workers in Sheffield, at their Shop Stewards' Quarterly Meeting, have voted to take strike action in support of the nurses pay claim.
John Wilkinson, an IMG member and shop steward at Firth Brown Tools, moved a resulution for a strike in the Sheffield district on the same day that the Yorkshire miners take strike action. Only six votes were cast against Wilkinson's resolution.
As previously reported in Red Weekly, Yorkshire's 65.000 miners ate now voting on a recommendation of their Area Council for a solidarity strike with the nurses.
The Emley Moor Branch of the National Union of Mineworkers, along with the Huddersfield AUEW No. 3 branch has called on the Huddersfield trades council to organise a one day strike in support of the nurses.
Some 200 people attended a meeting last week organised by the Brent Trades Council, to build solidarity with the nurses pay claim. A to give all possible support to the held on Saturday 29 June their factories where nurses could action on 8 July.
action causing harm to patients.
health standards of the entire working class.
Action Committee at Northwick resolution from the Trades Council called for the trade union movement nurses" fight, and urged a local campaign in support of the 8 July Day of Action. A local march of nurses and ober trades unionists is being A number of convenors at the meeting pledged financial support and offered to arrange meetings in speak. These meetings can be used to get other workers to take strike A nure from Central Middlesex Hospital said 'Let's not talk of strike struggle, Because of the appalling conditions in the hospitals and the acute understaffing, patients are dying every day. Strikes by other workers in solidarity with the nurses helps to defend the Harrow Trades Council have set up a working group with the Nurses' Park Hospital, Members of the NAC are addressing meetings of trade union branches in the area, including workers at the Rotapring factory. Barnet Trades Council has also set up a special sub-committee to organise support for the claim.
It is in the interests of capitalism to get the health service on the cheap. It exploits the health workers by paying disgracefully low wages, making them work long onerous hours and providing shoddy facilities. It is the working class who suffer from the effects of Britain's lamentable health service and who therefore have a vested interest in the victory of the health workers"
The campaign for strike action by other trade unionists in support of the nurses must make cicar, that the murses are fighting for the interests of the entire working class, The response by important sections of the trade union movement like the Manchester dockers. the Yorkshire miners and the Sheffield engineers shows that workers are prepared to take solidarity ac tion.
It is now imperative that these excellent examples be followed up throughout the country. In every area trades unionists should be mo bilising for solidarity strikes. This is the way to guarantee a victory to the nurses, and the best possible way of showing to non-trade union members the need to join the unions in order to organise their struggles.
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