How union action beat anti-union law

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Jeremy Corbyn - a NUPE official and also Labour prospective parliamentary candidate for Islington North - was one of those The solidarity was quickly returned. "At St centrally involved in organising the demonstr- Mary's Hospital W2 they had a joint shop stewards ation of support for Sean Geraghty at the meeting at 6am on the Wednesday and went straight down to Fleet Street to express their support. A lot hearing last Friday. He told Socialist Organiser of other hospital workers went down to Fleet Street Responding to the feeling from the membership. "FROM Wednesday the NUPE divisional council NUPE general secretary Rodney Bickerstaffe went on mobilised as quickly as we could for a march from St radio Wednesday morning to support the electricians' Barts to the Law Courts, to support Sean Geraghty. action. It became clear that Albert Spanswick's call to There wasn't a meeting. There was never any question abandon the action - supposedly a call on behalf of all health workers - was made with no authority.

The divisional council had a banner specially On the Friday there were delegations there from made for the demonstration - 'Would you jail Scotland, from Wales, from Manchester, from Leicsomeone for supporting nurses?' - and there were ester, Coventry, Oxford, and other areas. thousands there on the day, despite the details of the Jeremy Corbyn concludes: "The most important hearing constantly being changed. (Originally it was thing now is to step up the dispute as rapidly as said to be at the Law Courts at 10am, eventually it possible by gaining support action from other industTries, and to force the TUC Health Services Committee to call all-out action. The health workers are in the forefront of the fight against the Tory governWeneed 12% Weneed about it.

about us supporting him"

PHOTO: JOHN HARRIS was 2pm in Fetter Lane).

The electricians' strike health workers — "it lifted On Wednesday, Thursday, gave a big boost to the the dispute off the floor. and Friday, people were LAST Saturday, August 14, around 500 people marched in Sheffield against the arrest of local restaurant owner Ahmed Khan.

His restaurant has suffered constant attacks from racists.

In the latest, "customers" , obviously out to cause trouble, retused to pay the bill and proceeded to attack Ahmed Khan.

He defended himself and was arrested by South Yorkshire police.

The demonstration, focussing on his case, became a demo against racial discrimination and harassment in general, with speak-, ers from the Asian Youth Movement, Asian leaders and much more confident than they ASLEF sell-out"

too" ment" an Asian doctor. A speaker from the locat nospital workers also gave solidarity.

Asian speakers said that if negotiations with the police weren't successful, they would use arms to defend their communities against further oppressive laws.

An anxiety about the further racist drift in the Tory Party was evident and the slogans chanted by most Asian and black youth were "Here to stay, here to fight" and "Black and white unite and fight"

They stressed that the campaign against Ahmed Khan's arrest would carry on - and they meant it. struction of an entire people or even half the world in a nuclear war, then a kind of worldly-wise cynicism descends on their pages.

At Begin's funeral, the hymns will be different, but the gang will still all be there. There will be crying in the aisle, and the press will even send six photographers.

The security will probably be eren tighter than that around the Kray twins.

But the epitaph kinder.

Patrick Spilling info S.O. INFORMATION THE next delegate meeting of the Socialist Organiser Alliance will be held on Saturday September 4 in UMIST Students' i Union, Manchester, 11 - 4.30pm. *Party Conference, Blackpool September 26 to October 1.

All SO supporters who are going to Party Conference should contact Nik Barstow (41, Ellington St., London N7, 01-607-5268) as soon as possible. *SO is directedly involved in two fringe meetings during the Party conference.

Monday September 27. Joint SCLV and TU & LP Democracy Campaign meeting, sponsored by Llanwern Steel Action Group. Showing of the film 'A Question of Leadership', followed by discussion including: Ken Loach; Ray Davies; Alan Thornett; Reg Race; Peter Tatchell; Anna Lunts; Andrea • Campbell. The Lobster Pot Restaurant, Market St., 5.30pm; Thursday September 30. What Socialist Organiser Stands For'. Chair: Wendy Mustill. Speakers: Gerry Byrne; Anna. Lunts; Andrea Campbell; Winnie 1 Murphy. Chamber of Trade, 53 Queen Street, 5.30pm.

Party Conference BRIEFING For just £2 you can get this amount of space to urge delegates to back a resolution that you support, to remember an issue you feel strongly about or come to a meeting you are organising ... and its amazing how much you can cram into a space this size!

Just write to Nik Barstow, c/o 41 Ellington Street, London N7.