Work-in curns out for support Women in struggle

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Paper uf ¡amuarge Latrersr Me, ventent I rgfsziwe.t Arghts way to stop the cuts and closures.

Managers have tried a whole series of manoeuvres, tricks and harassment in an attempt to discredit and break the occupation. They have failed miserably at every turn.

Smear

Their attempt to use the local press in a smear campaign backfired when relatives agreed to patients being interviewed. The press coverage changed totally, in support of the occupation.

of the thE Branch Secretary.

by refusing to let him to to the hospital during working hours. The Administrator agreed that this was contrary to agreed procedures, and said that agreements were not valid during industrial disputes.

The Branch Secretary insisted on the status quo being observed under the agreed grievance procedure, and management have now backed down.

Intimidating letters to all staff, including the local GP, telling them they should not be in the hospital outside worktime have strengthened the workers, who insisted that the union officials challenge management's right to send such letters.

They also pressurised the officials to write to all union members, confirming that they could continue to picket, and would have full union backing in the case of any harassment or victimisation.

Window

Since a Senior Nursing Administrator leapt through an open kitchen window, no managers have been allowed into the hospital. The local nursing officer broke an agreement to phone wait! before arriving, and has been refused entry ever since.

The workers have gone from strength to strength. The pressüres of continuing normal working routine, attending occupation meetings, picketing, aswell as carrying out normal domenstic chores and child care arrangements puts tremendous demands on the women in the hospital. But they are determined that Thornton View will not close.

They have been leafletting all the local hospitals this week, in a concerted effort to get other hospital workers to promise to take supporting strike action.

Workers at Hindle's Gears, who have been out on strike for 12 weeks have been on the picket line to give support, and the hospital workers have also gone to their picket line.

A • demonstration through Bradford on Saturday 10 is planning to link up with the march by Hindle's workers on the same day.

-The links between the workers who recognise that they're fighting for the same basic rights of employment and services will be a strong message to the Tories.

Meanwhile, the District Regional Health Authority faced with figuring out their defensive move.

The fight at Thornton View is the first major occupation in the National Health Service for 2 years. It is vital that it receives the total support of the labour movement. The Tories have made clear their intention to dismantle the NHS. They will be watching the situation in Bradford. It is up to us to ensure that what they see convinces them that they will not succeed in a bid to privatise health and destroy our health service.

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