'group 81' Leads the Fight for Democracy

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years since any of the leave the NEU betore h national officers worked in official resigration date t hospitals. order of Spanswick. Albert Spanswick: elected for life. Will his successor be the same? OUR experience at last year's conference guarantees that democracy will be a major issue at this year's COHSE conference.

As a result of a series of struggles in 1981, that conference had (in the words of an NEC member) 'the most political agenda I have ever seen in COHSE"

Then day after day at conference controversial resolutions were not taken as time ran out.

Platform speakers spent 25 to 30 minutes on trivial subjects and delegates attempting to object had the microphone switched off. Emergency resolutions were lost by the Standing Orders Committee! : Labour Party leadership • was not to be debated. The mention of Benn's name meant the microphone would be switched off, but the 'fraternal speaker' Willie Hamilton MP, was allowed to give a longwinded pro-Healey speech with open attacks on Benn.

When the vice-president (this year's president) was in the chair he 'forgot' to call delegates for their right of reply, and apeared to have a blind eye and deaf ear to one whole side of the conference hall.

The crucial debate on the ambulance strike - which was going on at the time of conference - was turned into a vicious point-scoring attack on NUPE by the COHSE ambulance negotiator, Terry Mallinson.

Faced with all this came a loud, clear cry from delegates for a more democratic union which could be controlled and run hv members and not by out-oftouch bureaucrats.

The union rules state that full time national and regional officials must have worked in health or welfare and • must nave s been COHSE members. In theory this should mean that our officials have an understanding of what it is like working in the health service.

In practice, however, it has been on average 15 DC None of them have any direct experience of the savage cuts and closures which have characterised the NHS for the past five years.

Health service workers have become increasingly strong and political since the 1972 strike action over pay. But COHSE has preferred to keep its reputation as a soft option union.

Recently, however, things have changed.

COHSE members were prominent in hospital occupations at St. Benedicts and Longworth - both of which had little active support (but a lot of lip service) from the leadership - and both of which could have won with the right kind of support.

St Benedicts and Longworth were viciously smashed by the police, acting on orders from the Health Authorities. From the controversy around an administrator joining the picket line at St. Benedicts (a COHSE member) came the "sackers charter"

This was in the form of a memorandum from the DHSS authorising authorities to discipline and sack "managers" for trade union activity.

The "sackers charter' was leaked to a lay COHSE official and sent to general secretary Albert Spanswick to act on. He suppressed it and it was eventually leaked to the press by Alan Fisher.

Meanwhile, brewing at head office was a storm rights to COHSE employees to join an independent trade union (APEX).

Spanswick sacked the APEX organiser and all hell broke loose.

At the same time thei were press reports thi COHSE full timers ha access to private medic facilities as a perk. National Executive Con mittee member resigned i disgust but was forced 1 .. T ITTIN..

Around the regions, COHSE members were asking questions but getting no replies.. It appeared that the only way to get answers was to put resolutions to conference Many of the same issues are relevant. And over the past year a Broad left in COHSE - Group '81, formed at the 1981 Conference - has been campaigning for union democracy.

This work has paid off, with 13 resolutions on this year's agenda calling for rule changes. They range from delegate control of standing orders committee to election every two years of full time officials. (At present all full-time officials are appointed, except the general secretary, who is elected for life).

And one resolution calls for a working party composed of lay officials to THE most important decisreport to next year's conference on wider democratic changes.

It goes without saying that the NEC are recommending opposition to all 13 resolutions! Frightened by the response after last year's conference, and no doubt wary of an organised left, the NEC are putting forward a few cosmetic changes.

Delegates, however, are in no mood to be manipulated again this year. Recent talk in one region was of taking control' if this year's conference mirrors last year's!

This year is the time to get these resolutions for elections and re-elections through.

Spanswick retires in 1984. Whoever replaces him must be elected on a mandate, and must know that s/he will face that election again in two or three years. that health workers would not be split and were eager to strike for the full 12% claim.

In typical TUC style this action was not built on by calling for indefinite strike action - instead two more one-day strikes were called.

Meanwhile NUPE conference voted • unanimously for indefinite strike action from June 4. The EC let-out however came with the clause 'involving all health carvire uninne"

How well Fisher must have known what Spanswick's response would be Spanswick's position on escarting the action to indefiaite strike with emergency cover only has been tested in Edinburgh.

COHSE members at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital voted for indefinite strike action from May 19 - but the COHSE leaderRules can only be changed in COHSE every two years. If we don't take the chance this year, then Spanswick's successor will be installed for life.

We must argue that the democratic principle behind the reselection of MPs, now achieved in the Labour Party, should be implemented in the trade By getting more militant officials in, and putting them under greater rank and file control, we can go a long way to ensuring that the rank and file actions which are taken over pay, cuts, and improving our working conditions are backed nationally.

Whatever happens at COHSE conference this year there is no doubt that the left is firmly organised. We will continue to campaign for real democracy in COHSE - at all levels - until we win. ship refused to maki strike official and wo were forced to go ba work on the 25th.

This scandalous bet of the fight for our v will be raised at or ence. An .. emerg resolution backing NI call will be put to Standing Orders Cor tee.

The NEC will douk have some emers resolution of their 'reaffirming' their ( mination to finht! It i, nificant that when dis ing action on the 19tt NEC member annot that he would be the fi cross the picket line!

The pay debate a conference must no allowed to get bogged! in organisational pr This would only let leadership off the hook Some branches: not wanting to take ar will claim that the pri e the ırkers ick to trayal vages inferency PE's , the nmitatless zency own, letericuss -1 one inced rst to t the * be down pints. : the those esent

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surrounding Spanswick's refusal to give recognition