Build up the links!

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ATTer March ZY. After March 29 THOUSANDS of workers will strike and demonstrate on March 29 against the Rates Bill.

This Tory Bill which aims to put direct limits on local councils' spending is due to finish in the House of Commons on March 28, and go on to the House of Lords in April.

The protest - 'Democracy Day' — is organised by the TUC and the Local Government Campaign Unit (which is sponsored by several Labour councils and trade unions).

David Lloyd of the Local Government Campaign Unit told Socialist Organiser: "Since 1979 local government has been in the front line of the government's attack on services and the public sector in general.

Awakening

"We hope that "demoстасу Day' marks the beginning of an awakening about what Thatcher and her cabinet colleagues are really doing.

"So far they have passed the buck to local councils when it comes to cuts in spending, but people are ¡now beginning to point their fingers and saying that the buck stops at the Cabinet."

NALGO and NUPE have authorised their branches to strike on March 29 and some NUT branches are likely to strike too.

It will be a strong show of opposition to the Tories' assault on local services and local democracy. But what next? How to organise to defeat the Tories?

The most important job to build links.

Stewards In each local authority a joint shop stewards' committee must be built. Countil unions should take up affiliations to trades councils and (where they can) to Labour Parties. Links with the Labor Party should also pe developed through council workers' Labour Party workplace branches.

Joint committees linking pouncil workers in whole ¡reas — for example Lontion of metropolitan authorities; and privatisation - these are their methods.

NALGO, the biggest local government union, has a policy of no cover for unfilled vacancies, non-cooperation with the abolition of metropolitan authorities, and support for local branches taking industrial action against compulsory redundancies.

At a conference of NALGO local government delegates on Tuesday 20th, a resolution instructing the union to organise for national strike action in support of such local action was defeated. But without that fight for national action, each local group of workers can be isolated or intimidated.

The object of the Rates bill is not directly or simply to cut local rates or council spending. For that purpose it is a rather clumsy instrument. In Scotland, the Tories already have similar powers to those in the Rates Bill. Noel Hepworth, an expert on local government, explained what's going on in the Times of January 16.

Pick off •The rate-capping proposals contained in the Bill are unlikely to produce, either immediately or in the foreseeable future, the kinds of reduction in overspending that the Government wants.. The Government... must know this to be the case. But if the real objective is not expenditure control but simple limitation at the government's initiative of rate increases in a few authorities, then the legislation will achieve that."

In other words, the Tories are intimidating and picking off councils one by one, and groups of council workers one by one.

Mere public opinion will not stop them. Industrial action can - provided that it is widespread and well-organised enough. If the union leaderships will not organise for that widespread action officially, then the rank and file must organise unofficially:

Labour councils can help: *By refusing to make the cuts that the Rates Bill aims to impose.

*By defying the undemocratic ruling class law.

*By confronting the government.

*By helping to organise industrial action to defend such a stand.

A declaration by a large number of Labour councils that they would follow this policy could force the Tories to withdraw the Rates Bill.

"All-party"

But not even the left Labour councils are doing that. Their line is that it is too early to talk publicly about tactics if the Rates Bill is passed.

For now they are supporting such protests against the Bill as March 29. But they are appealing for "all-party supprt" not for industrial action.

They are asking supporters to lobby the Lords. And on the 29th they will be bringing Tory members of the Greater London Council and a leading Liberal onto the platform at the London rallies, alongside Neil Kinnock and Len Murray.

Such tactics are just the other side of the coin of the Labour councils' attempts, pectable' • Labour activists should demand a change of course. Stop trying to persuade the Tories. Start fighting them.

We need not only to fight the Rates Bill but also to discuss what movement's alternative should be:

Alternative *Defend existing local democracy: demand increased powers for local authorities to levy whatever taxes they decide on. Put the burden of taxation on the wealthy.

*Cancel the councils' debt burden. Nationalise the banks and finance institutions without compensation. Interest-free loans to finance projects to JOHN HARRIS