Aberdeen Nurses Strike 1924

Aberdeen Nurses' Strike
November 1924


Thie dismissal by the Parish Council of the nurse-superintendent at Oldmill Hospital, Aberdeen, led to a sympathetic strike by 23 of tlie 30 nurses employed there. The nurses
who refused to undertake duty were at once served with a notice ordering them to leave the hospital by mid-day on the following dny (20th November 1924).

They refused to leave the premises until they had been repaid the sum which had been contributed by them for superannuation purposes. The next move by the Parish Council Committee was an application to Court for power to evict the nurses from their quarters at Oldmill.

On Saturday the nurse-superintendent and 23 of the nurses left Oldmill. An effort was made by the hospital sub-committee to induce some of the nurses to resume work, but when they learned that nine of their number, regarded as ringleaders in the strike, would have to go they refused tlie sub-committee's offer. A Board of Health official visited the hospital, but it is understood that he informed the nurses that the Board would not interfere with the jurisdiction of the local authority in dealing with the trouble at the hospital.

NAWU Journal December 1924

Thora Silverthorne NUCO & Spain 1937

NUCO NURSING NOTE

Miss Thora Silverthorne now matron of the International Brigade Hospital on the Madrid front, continues in her good work. The Spanish officials pay the highest tribute to the English nurses in Spain and we arc proud that Miss Silverthorne is a member of N.U.C.O

NUCO Jounal 1937

Normansfield Strike - 4th May 1976

Nurses often faced petty and tyrannical rule by maverick Matron's and Doctor's, often the threat of union action led to improvements, however at Normansfield Hospital, a hospital for the mentally handicapped in Kingston, South London.

Nurses and patients were faced with a very dictatorial regime of the Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Lawlor. When all other methods of bringing problems to management's notice had failed, Nursing members of COHSE, led by Vic Palmer local COHSE steward, walked out on strike. By 2:30 Dr Lawlor, the consultant psychiatrist was suspended.

While COHSE was attacked at the time for supporting the action of the nurses, the subsequent public enquiry showed an appalling quality of life of the patients and a failure of senior medical, nursing and administrative staff to co-operate with each other.

It was not until the 1990's when the Chief Executive of the UKCC stated "that had she been a nurse at Normansfield during that period, given that all other avenues had been tried, she would have joined the strike in the interest of patient care"

Rushcliffe - Thora Silverthorne view

By THORA SILVERTHORNE, S.R.N.

1943

NURSES who tried 'vainly In the years of peace to secure reasonable conditions of service, will soon receive a new charter at the hands of a committee presided over by Lord Rushcliffe.

Nurses are now so important a factor in Britain's war economy that I anticipate many of them will be surprised at the far-reaching reforms (which the committee will propose.

Since war broke out the nation has been paying for its failure to provide conditions for nurses, consistent with their contribution to the community. In peace there was a grave shortage of girls willing to accept the hard conditions of a nurse's life. In war, with the greater demands in the hospitals, the shortage has been more acute.

Perhaps, the most damning fact of all has been that. Owing to the absence of agreed conditions of service, Mr. Ernest Bevin, (Minister) who is able to conscript girls for other forms of war work, has been unable to issue regulations to deal with the nurses.

Ten Years Delay

No one can say that the danger of a serious nursing shortage was not known. Ten years ago .a committee set up by The Lancet made a series of proposals tor making nursing more attractive. But nothing was done.

In 1938, an inter-departmental committee set up from the various Government Departments concerned made similar proposals, designed to provide reasonable standards of salary, and to abolish some of the Victorian, restrictions still imposed by many hospitals.

Again, nothing was done

I returned from service with the Spanish Republican Army (Matron in the international Brigade), I tried to organise A Nurses Trade union (National Association of Nurses)- I believed then, as I believe now, that the problem will not finally be solved until nurses organise on a trade union basis in the same way journalists, architects and other professional workers. We considerable progress, and in a number of hospitals where we secured strong membership important concessions were quickly secured.

Shortly afterwards the trades Union Congress issued its Nurses Charter and since we had no intention or desire to compete with existing Trade Union organi-

sations (NUPE) , we merged our association in one of the Unions which sought to organise the nurses.

But the Trade Union Movement has still failed to solve the problem. There are six Trade Unions Inside the T.U.C. and one out- side, all competing for nurses. If they would only get together and agree on a single organisation, appealing to the professional pride as well as the economic needs of the nurses, I believe the problem could be solved.

The Rushcliffe Committee will do a great deal for the nurses, but no section of the workers can afford to rely only on State action. The nurses need their own organisation which can represent them in negotiations and can

guard their interests at all times.

I should like to see the Rushcliffe recommendations as the starting point, to be followed by a country-wide Trade Union campaign to convince the nurses that they must act themselves if they are to secure and retain decent conditions. Such a campaign would also seek to show them that in this way they could make an even greater contribution to the war effort. .

The action of two London hospitals in establishing Joint Consultative Committees in which nurses as well as other sections of the staff are represented could be followed nationally it the nurses were organised.,

Cheap Labour

I hope the Rushcliffe Committee will realise that nurses, in the year 1943, cannot be treated like the young Victorian-women of Florence Nightingale's day. Some of the restrictions on nurses are just too silly for words, particularly when one realises that girls in war Industry and the Services are bearing a very consider able part of the war effort

It is to be wondered at that girls fight shy of nursing when they are not allowed to be out after eleven o'clock, when fully trained nurses, are not allowed to live out, when all sorts of restrictions are imposed on their private lives' Which no employer in any other profession would dare to suggest?

The nurses also have a right to demand proper facilities for training. It is absurd that girls should be expected to attend lectures after long hours' on the wards. Girls who have worked all night cannot absorb highly technical instruction at lectures at eleven in the morning. Yet that is the practice in a number of hospitals.

The training of doctors is strictly supervised. That of nurses is completely haphazard. The General Nursing Council, which Is" responsible for the nurses' training schools, should also have the duty of seeing that the schools give-adequate instruction. At present, the blunt truth is that the hospitals are securing cheap labour from the probationer nurses and giving instruction as, an after thought.

Can be Done

The immediate reforms for the nurses should Include a 96-hour fortnight, with payment for overtime option for all girls to live out arrangements for the nurses' homes to be run on hostel lines; recognition of the right to organise and to hold Trade Union meetings; and abolition of unnecessary restrictions on personal liberty.

To those who say it cannot be done, I would say that for one section of the nursing profession it has been done. Mr. George Gibson (General Secretary of the Mental Health & Institutional Workers Union) has built up an organisation for the workers in the mental hospitals, which has secured conditions That superior to those of the nurses in the general hospitals. What is more important to the nation at the" present time, the members of his Union have been able to play a more effective part in the war effort.

NOTE

Chair of the Association of Nurses was Nancy Zinkin

article from probably News Chronicle 1943

French Nurses Strike 1988 & 1991

LES MISERABLES

French Nurses Strikes

When the French authorities used tear-gas and water-cannon on a nurses' demonstration last month, injuring several protestors, it served only to enrage further a profession already at the end of its tether.

Nursing in France is in crisis. Staff shortages, low pay and poor conditions
of work have led to a veritable hemorrhage from the profession. There are
some 600 000 French nurses but only 280 000 of them are working. More
than half have quit nursing for better- paid jobs and the country's health
service desperately needs them back.

In 1988, a French nurses' strike was big news and now staff are back on the streets saying that the concessions they thought they had won three years ago have amounted to nothing.

The public are backing them, with 78% of those questioned in a poll saying nurses were right to go on strike. And nurses staging a day-and-night sit-in outside the Ministry of Health have been overwhelmed by offers of support — not to mention croissants and coffee — from local residents and from passers-by.

The doctors are on their side too. On October 24 the nurses staged Operation Infirmiere Zero — a one-day strike during which, by agreement, doctors
took on nursing duties. To keep up the pressure, the nurses are staging a
one-hour walkout every day.

They are anxious to point out that their campaign is on behalf of the patients because standards of care have fallen to an all-time low. One nurse quoted in the latest issue of L'Infirmiere, the French nursing magazine, said she had worked in care of the elderly for 11 years, 'but it's not possible to go on like this any longer. In my area, there are two nurses for 110 beds. The only answer is for me to leave the profession.'

Staff shortages and the extra pressures that leads to are the main grievances, but pay is a real source of discontent too. French nurses are on a pay scale with public sector workers and earn between £750 and £820 a month. However, they want recognition that their work carries more responsibility than postal or
refuse workers and so they are asking to come off that scale and boost their earnings to £950 a month.

The profession also wants improved supplements for working unsocial hours and they regard the £6 extra they are paid for doing a night shift as an insult.

The 1988 dispute led to the formation of La Coordination Nationale Infirmiere, the first-ever union in France solely for nurses. One year later, mainly as a result of personality clashes, a breakaway Union Infirmiere France was set up. Both unions share the same goals but their leaders are unable to settle their differences and form a united front.

While nurses continue to hand in their notices in increasing numbers, it is also becoming harder to recruit new entrants to the profession. In another public poll, more than half of those questioned said they would hesitate to recommend nursing as a career for their children.

Meanwhile, a recent headline in a daily paper sums up the current black mood. 'Infirmiere, un travail de chien.' 'Nursing is dogs' work.'

Janet Snell

Nursing Times 6 November 1991

NOTE
the CGT is still the premier union in France for nurses. UNISON works closely with the CGT

Why Nurses should strike (1988)

Lesley Fisher, I work as a night sister at St Ann's Hospital in Tottenham, North London. I have been a nurse for 20 years and on 3^rd February 1988 I shall be on strike.

This action is not only, or even primarily, about pay. Nurses are extremely angry and bitter about the state of the NHS and frustrated that they cannot deliver the care their parents need. They are fed up with closures of wards and cuts in services, with staff shortages, with moral blackmail and exploitation, underfunding of pay awards and the government's declared intention of

cutting taxes rather than increasing health service funding. They are amazed at the hypocrisy of a government that, in the same week as it claims to care about shortage of specialist nurses, attempts to cut special duty payments. Nurses are incensed by Mrs Thatcher's speech in which she insisted that it is we nurses, driven to this action and at the end of our tether, who are guilty of ruining the NHS.

And, it must be said, our nurses were made extremely angry by Trevor Clay's
divisive remark that his members are the only nurses who really care. This issue
should not be turned into for an inter-union dispute. We are all nurses and we have the same problems and concerns. We must be united even if we have differences in tactical approach. We have open communication with local RCN members, many of whom found Trevor Clay's speech inflammatory and who have, subsequently, rejected the RCN in favour of NUPE.

We have tried other ways of signalling our feelings to cuts, closures and underfunding by all sorts of means — lobbies, petitions, demonstrations, candle-lit vigils, occupations, road-blocking and well-reasoned arguments — but the most that has been achieved are temporary respites. Parliamentary pressure doesn't work and Mrs Thatcher will not speak even with the distressed parents of sick children.

It seems that direct action by the nurses themselves is the only course left for us to take. After the action taken by 38 nurses in Man chester the government at least temporarily drew back from its intention to cut special duty payments. This has given us confidence in the effectiveness of strike action. But it will be a token withdrawal of labour. We will not be attempting to picket out other workers — this is not an industrial strike.

It goes without saying that nurses, what-ever union they belong to, will not desert patients or take part in any action detrimental to their care. As working nurses know, many clinical areas already function on skeleton staffing levels, and in many cases 'emergency cover' would mean more — not less — staff. This refutes the argument that patients will be affected by reduced staffing, levels in wards where nurses are taking action. In my own hospital, if enough agency nurses cannot be found, striking nurses will provide the cover and donate the money earned for that particular shift to charity. This will show that money is not the main issue of concern. We have talked with patients and they are immensely supportive and understand the reasons for our action.

Nurses do not take the decision to withdraw their labour lightly. We, in Haringey, have decided to take this action because we genuinely believe that only this will bring to the attention of public and politicians the ever-worsening plight of the NHS and its workers. We think that the government has ignored and under-estimated the real and growing concern that nurses feel for their patients and for the NHS, and we hope and pray that today will make the government realise that nurses are at the end of their tether. Without an increased commitment to the NHS, many more nurses will be withdrawing their labour permanently — and not just for 24 hours.

Lesley Fisher

NURSING TIMES FEBRUARY 3.VOL 84, NO 5. 1988

Note

Lesley Fisher former UNISON national health care sector Chair UNISON London health care sector chair until 2007 - still 85% UNISON membership in her Haringey (St Ann's Hospital) branch

Born in Belfast, N Ireland, came to Addenbrookes, Cambridge to train as a nurse, later worked at the Elizabeth Garrat Anderson (EGA) where she be came involved in NUPE, later worked at Princess of Wales (Wood Green) and St Ann's Hospital

1974 Nurses Dispute - Hospital Worker

Steve Ludlum

Editor of Hospital Worker/NUPE Steward

MANY of the student and younger nurses now beginning to campaign on pay may not remember the great nurses revolt of 1974, so Hospital Worker has been looking back at its reports from that tremendous year to see what lessons they offer us today.

In February 1974 Hospital Worker No 7 gave no hint of the explosion about to occur. A front page article by a nurse in NALGO outlined the recruitment crisis of the time-the 30 per cent dropout rate, the RCN's stranglehold on the negotiating machinery, the pay delay, and calling for unionisation and pointing to recent successful canteen price campaigns by nurses, concluded,

Our only wav out is to organise ourselves locally into existing trade unions and use them to force changes through. If we build up our muscle over small issues we'll be in a position to take up national issues".

The same Hospital Worker gave an account of the pay position: the gradual abandonment of the 1971 25 per cent plus revaluation claim, the RCN's subsequent welcome to Heath's Phase Three in '73. when the original claim was lodged with the Pay Board (yes it's all happened before!).

Nurses Take Action

In a report by a NUPE nurse we read of a NUPE meeting at the House of Commons to launch a recruitment drive. Amazingly, the two NUPE officials presiding admitted not knowing what the progress of the nurses' pay claim was Perhaps this was because the unions had already accepted the phase 3 offer in January without informing the members! (By the way, at this same meeting, a NUPE steward, explaining to a NUPE sponsored MP Tom Pendry, that we wouldn't seek a full-time union post until they were elected, was advised "Don't get too hung up about democracy!". (Pendry is now appropriately a Labour Whip).

But all this was small beer in the midst of a miners' strike which was soon to bring down the Heath government. Who suspected then what would be going on in a few weeks' time?

For a month later, a Hospital Worker Nurses Special reported on a terrific wave of industrial action over pay from Hammersmith, Edinburgh, Norwich, Ipswich, Mappley, Leeds, Darlington, Balham, Merton, Glasgow, Cumbernauld, Liverpool, Birmingham, Croydon, Bristol, Salford, Manchester, Maidstone, York, and Romford came reports of countless rallies, marches, pickets, short strikes, solidarity meetings, work to rules, bans on paperwork, canteen boycotts, bans on routine admissions, on agency nursing on private patients, on out patients, refusal to act up, even motorcades!

All the big towns had set up joint nurses action committees linking dozens of smaller groups in hospitals, and in SW London this had widened into a multi-union solidarity campaign, led by Wandsworth busmen who struck in support. Hospital Worker together with the big metropolitan committees, had called

a national action groups conference to try and unite the movement and its demands. The new Labour Government wasn't offering any hope. Within weeks of coming to power, Healey had reversed election statements and declared that wages did, after all, cause inflation. And Health Minister, Barbara Castle, former leftie, had announced that the NHS would have to wait for funds as

"most of the additional wealth the country creates in the next few years is likely to be used to salvage our balance of payments situation and to increase investment".

But the warning signs of a sellout were in the air already, and Hospital Worker advised

"Any nurse can tell them that mass action in the hospitals does more to shake up the Government than any expert negotiator. Six months of spontaneous canteen boycotts by nurses started off this whole rumpus, and pushed the National Negotiators into action.

We must make them see that their negotiating strength lies in strong well-organised workers in hospitals. We're in the unions, we are the unions. Through our local organisations we must use them to put forward our demands, fight the way we want to fight and make sure any settlement comes back to us for our approval before it's agreed".

And indeed the next Hospital Worker declared "Nurses Shame the Squablers".

The RCN had issued a circular warning its members not to expect support if they were indulging in action. NUPE in the name of the Social Contract (haven't we heard it all before?) had withdrawn its official support from the nurses, and COHSE was sniping at NUPE instead of leading action. Neverthless, the action committees seized on COHSE's limited support and with NUPE and even RCN members, carried on regardless.

The National Nurses Action Groups Coordinating Committee born at the Hospital Worker Conference had called a national march in London for July 8, eventually 10,000 strong, and was pleading with nurses to unite and appeal to other trade unionists for support— with real success. All over the country ancillary and technical staff joined stoppages etc (by now the technicians were on strike on their own account!). In West London 20 odd Engineering Shop Stewards from the Park Royal Industrial Estate descended on a bewildered Administrator at the Central Middlesex Hospital and warned him that if he victimised a single nurse he would cause a district general strike! The whole Manchester dockforce had stopped for two days in solidarity. 100,000 workers on Tyneside had struck for an hour for us, 4,000 workers at CA Parsons giant factory walked out to join a nurses' march passing the works.

Most dramatically of all perhaps, nurses picketed the pitheads at dawn in South Wales, and the miners struck for the day!

With a steady increase in sympathy strikes taking place, Barbara Castle appointed the Halsbury Committee. The nurses answered with yet more action. The June Hospital Worker records an even larger a list of apologies to many left out for lack of space. But many of the reports and the editorial columns were warning again of the inevitable sell out unless the mass support of local action groups could be changed into one movement in control of the union machinery.

Halsbury Report

A NUPE steward in the North East reported "The fulltime NUPE officials called a meeting of the Nurses Action Committee recently, although they are not members of it-which promptly rejected the official union policy. We feel more pressures must be exerted on the NUPE executive to bring about a speedy and successful conclusion to the nurses claim."

It was not to be. Over the summer months the action fizzled out. Though in most areas , reporting anger at the sellout, action was continuing on local issues. Indeed within a very few weeks, nurses acting in local union branches were beginning to win thousands of pounds in back acting-up pay.

In October, Halsbury reported and gave the nurses their biggest ever rise, averaging 30 per cent. But the lion's share went to the highest grades up to 55 per cent rises worth £20 a week, with only 5 per cent for the lowest grades who had done all the fighting!

A Halsbury Special Hospital Worker reported almost universal rejection of the report and some close shaves for union officials hailing it as a victory at angry mass meetings. Still the tone of all the reports suggested a determined effort to carry the spirit of the campaign into a fight to unionise nurses and fight locally, summe up by Aberdeen nurses:

"We have seen that militancy does pay. We have realised the need for solidarity and cooperation between all Health Service Unions. To ensure this, a Joint Shop Stewards Committee has been formed for the Aberdeen Group of Hospitals and already joint action has been taken over banning private patients. We have learned that only by abandoning the idea of professionalism and becoming actively involved in the trade union movement can conditions in the health service be improved both for the workers and the

patients." '

Lessons

The serious lessons of '74 are to build mass action groups in the unions to unite nurses in different unions, and unite nurses with other NHS workers-demanding from them pledges of protect ion against the victimisation which young nurses are so vulnerable to. Not to turn away from the union machine because it seems a hopeless task to control it. It's not hopeless—in '74 the nurses in NUPE's North East division were highly organised within their branches and forced Fisher to support their action to the end officially,

months after the rest of the country had been told to lay off! And the overwhelming message from '74 is this—if nurses go to other trade unionists, in other industries, the support they get is un-believable. Certainly no other group of workers can command the same solidarity, not even the miners.

ITS THERE FOR THE ASKING!

Are we about to have a re-run? Again, election fever is in the air, again a new Social Contract (Concordat )has been hatched, and the unions are running for cover.

This time COHSE abandoned the ancillaries, and NUPE fought on. Again the RCN adopted its reactionary role and got out the begging bowl—but again the token action had started, again, apparently spontaneously, vigils, meetings, petitionings and small delegations to Westminster were reported with increasing frequency.

At the time of writing the most valuable lesson from '74 is that in a few weeks time anything could have mush-roomed from tiny protests now in progress. Let History repeat itself (at least the good bits!)

NOTE

Hospital Worker was primarily a Socialist Workers Party (International Socialist) publication with a rather simplistic analysis. However the Nurses Action Committees were very important to the dispute (COHSE was keen enough to recruit a number of these nurses as full time officers ie Bob Quick from Chester Nurses Action Committee)

"Insult" to Duke of York.

Red Flag on Asylum Building.

January 1927 National Asylum Workers Union Journal

Gateshead Town Council on January 5th refused to allow the Communist Party to hold meetings in the Town Hall. During the proceedings there was a stormy scene arising out of an incident- at the Corporation's mental asylum at Stannington, where, it was alleged, a "red flag" was flown while the Duke of York was at the neighbouring hostel of the Newcastle Poor Children's Holiday Association.

Councillor White said the statement was not true, and refused to sit down when ordered. After a good deal of uproar the Mayor explained that the red flag was exhibited from a window of a building on the asylum estate. When an employee was called before the committee he denied showing the flag and said it was flown by his daughter.

The Mayor said the committee did not believe the statement, and declared that the red flag was flown " to insult the Duke of York, the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, the Sheriff, and the Union Jack." He had never known such impudence.

It was agreed that the committee should further investigate the matter.

NOTE

Red Flags were regular flown by protesters from Workhouses in the 1930’s as part of the national unemployed Workers Movement campaign

Red Flags were flown over hospitals in Glasgow on July 5^th 1948 when the NHS came into being.

Red Flags flown over Monaghan and Letterkenny Hospital “Soviets” in Ireland

7,000 march in Sheffield (1973)

7,000 Ancillary Workers March in Sheffield

By Hector Mackenzie COHSE No. 2 Regional Secretary

COHSE Journal "Health Services" May 1973

On 16 March the Yorkshire Co-ordinating Committee decided that it was time to carry the battle for justice for ancillary members a stage further - to the streets of the major cities. The time was felt to be opportune because of the increasing number of messages of support from trade unionists out-side the Health Service and the anticipated support from the Sheffield Trades and Labour Council. It was time the public got the message,

To support the planned demonstration march and rally it was decided that there
should be a twenty-four-hour stoppage of work at all hospitals in Sheffield, Doncaster and Rotherham. Barnsley members were at the time already involved in strike action with stoppages of longer duration.

The subsequent demonstration on 23 March turned out to be one of the largest ever seen in the city of Sheffield - estimates put the numbers marching as high as 7,000. In addition to the unions directly involved in the dispute, there was strong support from other South Yorkshire unions, both from industry and from the mines.

Confederation members from Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham arrived in their coach loads to strengthen the huge turnout from the Sheffield branches.

The marchers left the assembly point at the Wicker Goods Yard in Sheffield and at no time during the next half hour could the tail end of the march be seen from the front: in fact, two rallies had to be hurriedly organised when the march terminated at the city hall, as the numbers involved exceeded all expectations. Speakers had to dash from the hall to address the thousands thronging

on the steps outside. Terry Mallinson, COHSE National Officer addressed demonstrators, along with Alan Fisher on NUPE and officers of the other ASC

unions. Speeches of support were made by officers and branch officers of many other unions, too.

The following day saw demonstrators taking to the streets of Leeds and Hull

The rally after the Leeds meeting was chaired by Sid Ambler, COHSE NEC member, and members were again addressed by Terry Mallinson and Alan Fisher.

The weather was kind to the demonstrators at Sheffield and Leeds, but by the time the Hull demonstration was due to move off, it had very definitely taken a turn for the worse. Spirits were not dampened, however, and after the march, the rally was addressed by the indefatigable Terry Mallinson and by John Prescott MP. More demonstrations were to follow - Newcastle on 31 March 1973 and Doncaster on 6 April 1973.

For people who are not traditional marchers, our members certainly made their

presence felt and the forest of banners placards and posters made an impressive

sight in all these cities. Leaflets setting out the ancillary staffs case were handed out to the public and the demonstrations were a triumph for organisers and marchers alike.

Isle of Man Nurses Strike (1982)

The Island’s nurses in revolt take historic action (1982)

Mike Pentelow (Morning Star) reports on the Victorian-style conditions of hospital nurses on the Isle of Man.

The nurses are taking action in common with their colleagues on mainland Britain

NURSES on the Isle of Man made history yesterday, becoming the first workers there since the general strike of 1926 to take industrial action simultaneously with their colleagues in Britain.

It is a sign of growing dissatisfaction with working conditions and antiquated attitudes to unions by the extremely right wing government, said COHSE

branch secretary Albert Kelly.

The nurses have imposed an indefinite ban from yesterday on non-nursing duties they have to do, which are normally done in Britain by plotters, laundry staff, cleaners and telephonists.

These tasks leave less time for patient care duties, said Mr.

Kelly. Coupled with a refusal to consult staff before introducing changes, the duties have led to the increased militancy.

Membership of the union on the island has soared in the last 18 months from just 25 to 500 out of a potential 1,000 and is still growing. The government has reacted by singling out COHSE from other unions to stop deducting their contributions from wages.

Chairman of the islands Health Services Board, Albert Callin, tried to stave off the action by pressurising nurses with letters sent direct to them individually asking them to continue normal working.

"Any action which affects the duties an employee has been engaged to perform," he wrote, must affect the "standard of care able to be given to patients." of the disabled and there were two disabled telephonists on the unemployment register at the time. But management refused to employ them, saying it could not afford it.

"This really illustrates the attitude of the extremely right-wing government," said Mr. Kelly. It can easily afford to employ them as the difference between the disability grant that they were paying anyway and wages would not have been great.

Another bone of contention is making nurses responsible for checking the reasons why burglar or fire alarms go off rather than employing security staff to do it.

This means nurses at night especially may face the invidious choice of attending medical or non-medical emergencies.

"We want the Health Services Board to have a policy of consultation and negotiations with the union," said Mr. Kelly.

At present they have to fight bitter battles for basic rights such as cooked meals facilities for nurses on the night shift who have to work from 8pm to 7am.

Perhaps the worst exploitation. however, occurs in the private nursing homes for old people which have sprung up because of the aging population. This has brought pressure on geriatric wards in the hospitals.

These homes often have charitable status yet charge patients £80 a week or more while paying staff on nursing duties as little as £40 to £50 a week.

The nurses are not allowed to join the union normally and there is no extra t>ay for week-end work. In, one case night work was paid with an extra l0p a week.

"One of the problems with the Isle of Man is that employers for years have been able to dictate terms," said Mr. Kelly.

Typical of this he added, was the government's refusal to accept any laws on employment protection, equal pay or sex discrimination.

He hoped British unions, many of whom hold their conferences on the island, would take a greater interest in its workers.

NOTE
COHSE later refused to hold it's conference on the Isle of Man because of its stance on equality issues (unlike NALGO), placing the COHSE branch undre great internal pressure, however it remained loyal throughout

The right to wear the union badge

NURSES STRIKE TO WEAR UNION BADGE

In October, 1918, there was a five days strike of the female nurses and asylum attendants at the Bodmin Asylum, Cornwall, members of the National Asylum Workers Union.

The strike was the direct result of excessive hours of duty (80 hours or more), bad conditions (no pay rise, poor food and accommodation), and systematic petty tyranny introduced by the new Matron Miss Margaret Hiney.

The matron however, meet her match when Mrs Hawken a nurse and former NAWU member at Prestwich Asylum arrived and organised 62 out of 70 staff into the union.

Many staff started to war the union’s distinctive badge, but were ordered by the Matron to “take off that thing”. . The nurses were hauled before the Matron and instructed to remove the badges, as a result the “ringleaders” Hawken, Hill, Adams, Richards and Whitford were dismissed by the Medical Superintendent

On the 22^nd October 1918, the staff were returning to the wards when they met Dr Dudley who informed them that they could after all wear the NAWU badge, but he refused to reinstate the rebel five, The women union members stated in response “all or none” .

What brought the trouble to a head was the wearing of the Union badges on duty by some of the nurses, who were suspended and then dismissed. Other nurses walked out with them, and altogether 39 women were on strike when Mr. Shaw (acting Secretary) reached Bodmin, and this number increased to 50.

All the 50 women were dismissed by the Medical Superintendent.

The negotiations that followed ended in the complete triumph of

the Union. The Visiting Committee of the Asylum, after

hearing Mr. Shaw and a deputation from the strikers, passed the

following resolution :—

" That the Visiting Committee recognise the N.A.W.U.,

and that the Asylum employees, being members of the Union,

be allowed to wear the official badge in such a position as not to

cause any injury to patients.

" That the Committee have decided solely in the interests

of the patients to reinstate all the attendants on strike."

The Matron was given a succession of periods of “sick leave” and resigned in February 1919.

NOTE

The moral of the story was not lost, and activists in COHSE would often recount the fight to “wear the union badge” to Nursing Officers, especially in General hospital’s who well into the 1980’s tried to stop nurses wearing union badges while allowing them to wear Royal College of Nursing.

1982 Rcn leaflet attacking COHSE & NUPE

RCN Nurses Pay – the Facts (1982)

THE CHOICE IS YOURS

Some thoughts to consider when reading COHSE/NUPE propaganda COHSE and NUPE do not believe that nurses' pay should be a 'special case'. The Rcn emphatically does. As a nurse, do you?

"The Rcn is doing nothing to help nurses get better pay. "

The increase of 1.1 per cent on the 6.4 per cent offer is totally inadequate, but had the Rcn's first ballot not demonstrated to a surprised Government the strength of feeling among Rcn members, it is unlikely that nurses would have been offered any more at all. Has industrial action yet resulted in any increased offer?

"The Rcn is being divisive in wanting more money for nurses than for other equally deserving health workers, and hasn't supported the TUC's campaign for better wages for all health service workers. "

The Rcn is under no illusion about the shamefully low levels of pay currently earned by many different groups of workers in the NHS, workers on whom the smooth running of the NHS depends no less than on doctors and nurses. But the Rcn exists to promote the interests of nurses, and believes that nurses are

special, as should the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council. Isn't it about time that all the organisationson the Staff Side of the Nurses and Midwives Whitley Council woke up to this fact?

"The Rcn doesn't strike, but rides on the backs of other unions which are taking positive action”

This Government seems determined, as few administrations have been before, to show that industrial action, whether undertaken by civil servants, railwaymen or health service workers, does not succeed. Rightly or wrongly, this fact cannot be ignored. The problem of the present pay round will not disappear. Sooner or later negotiations on the 1982 pay claim will have to recontinue and the Rcn says 'the sooner the better'.

"The Rcn is not worried about this year's pay talks but is pinning its hopes on a new mechanism for the future."

Because the other organisations are not exclusively committed to promoting nurses' interests, they have delayed, and continue to delay, talks to find a permanent solution to the problem of nurses' pay. The police and the fire service have successfully negotiated pay formulas that safeguard their pay in relation to

annual pay movements generally. The Government has now committed itself to do the same for nurses by next April. Do you want to sacrifice this opportunity by allying yourself with organisations who have no special interest in nurses?

"The Rcn only represents senior staff. "

60,000 students would disagree and there are certainly not 135,000 nurse managers! The Rcn represents all trained nurses and nurses in training with equal enthusiasm. It is the one professional organisation and trade union for all nurses.

"Nurses are leaving the Rcn in droves. "

Not true. The Rcn is continuing to receive a steady stream of applications from nurses who recognise that a nursing organisation is the only one qualified to look after their interests.

Finally, the Rcn lets its members decide. Would COHSE or NUPE dare to ballot their nurse members on the present offer?

Ancillary Demo 3 January 1979

To: All COHSE Branches, NEC Members and Officers

3rd January, 1979

NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION, HYDE PARK, LONDON

MONDAY, 22nd JANUARY, 1979

COHSE Branches have been notified of the pay offers in respect of ancillary and Ambulance Staffs, the ballot 0f these staffs as to whether the offers were acceptable has been overwhelmingly in favour of their rejection. Various meetings have taken place at the highest level nationally to effect an acceptance ^n the part of Government to have the classes involved i.e. Ancillary and Ambulance Staffs and Local Government Manual workers to be treated as a special case in respect of pay and a special enquiry to be set up with appropriate terms of reference, by the Secretary of State for Employment by agreement of other Ministers. These measures will continue to be pressed with vigour until our objective is reached.

The COHSE National Executive Committee will meet on Wednesday, 10th January, 1979 to consider positive action to be taken by COHSE in conjunction with NUPE, G&MWU and T&GWU in the interests of our members following the Demonstration on 22nd January. In the meantime it is necessary to organise a massive Demonstration of solidarity and to lobby Members of Parliament on 22nd January, 1979. The success of the Demonstration is of paramount importance to the whole of our membership Should it fail, the inevitable consequences would be the imposition of pay increases in the region of 5% for all Health Service Staffs, whilst settlements in the private sector of employment are being concluded between 15% and 20% of earnings. In order, therefore, to enable the National Executive Committee to give effect to measures in the interest of all members, it is vital for all classes of staff to participate in the 'Day of Action' on 22nd January and Branch meetings should be organised to draw up firm arrangements with this object in view.

Branches are advised to inform local management well in advance of members agreeing to attend the National Demonstration with a view to them being released from duty. In the event of management declining to co-operate, they should be informed that the number of members deemed necessary to represent the interests of the Branch at the 'Day of Action' will be withdrawn from work, ensuring adequate provision is made for patient care. Regional Officers will be available to give help and advice to Branches, should the necessity arise.

Let us march forward in unity and, by our efforts win the support of the public to ensure wiser counsels prevail in Government and that we win justice on the day for our Ambulance, Ancillary and Local Government members, thus securing like treatment for ALL Health Staffs on the day following.

I attach details of the arrangements for the 'Day of Action' confident of all Branches support.

1/79

E.A.G. SPANSWICK

COHSE General Secretary

3rd January 1979

The "Fightback " Campaign

FIGHTBACK was established 1978 as a national organisation, by several major anti-cuts campaigns. its aim was to support and co-ordinate any campaign or trade union action taken aginst the cuts in the NHS

FIGHTBAK CONFERENCE

FIGHTBACK AGAINST CUTS IN THE HEALTH SERVICE

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

We enclose leaflets for Fightback's Conference against Private Medicine.

The aim of the conference is to launch an active campaign against private

medicine throughout the trade union movement involving anti-cuts

campaigns.

The conference is designed to involve rank and file trades unionists and anti-cuts campaigns in the formulation of a Plan of Action that will build a campaign rooted in the shop floor, trade union branches and the community. It is only in this context that private medicine becomes anything more than a subject for paper resolutions.

To enable delegates to take arguments back to their organisations and branches there will be a Fightback Action Sheet on private medicine on sale at the conference. A full pamphlet on private medicine will be available later in the summer incorporating the conference decisions.

To allow us to prepare the best possible conference papers, we would be glad to hear from anyone who has information or experiences from local areas on private health care which mav be of use to other people. We would also like to hear from members of unions which have negotiated private health Insurance schemes.

CONFERENCE DETAILS

SPEAKERS; Andrew Jack, Metropolitan District of NALGO

- the facts of private health care.-

Jeanette Mitchell. Secretary Brent CHC.

- cuts and private medicine.

Andrea Campbell, COHSE Wandsworth and East Merton

- fighting for the NHS. .

CHAIR: Ernie Roberts, MP

There will be one workshop session and plenary sessions to ensure the

maximum possible debate.

WE ASK YOU TO;

Send a delegate to the Conference and your constituent branches to do so,

Argue for support from CATC' s and TUC regions and union Divisions

Send a donation if at all possible.

Include the leaflets in your next mailing [-further copies available)

Yours in solidarity,

Vicky Hutchins & Doug Holton

for Fightback

30 Camden Rd./ London NW1 01-485 8610

Origins of LHE

This is the original meeting that led to the establishment of London Health Emergency

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------`

London Health Service Campaign

AFTER JUNE THE 9^th 1983 (General Election)

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE ??????"'

During the General Election Campaign, the figures for the cuts in Lonion's

Health Service were re-calculated to include the notional extra 2% per annum

that is considered to be needed on top of an allowance for inflation, to take

account of the ageing population and the growing costs of medical technology.

This showed that the cut in cash allocations to London Health Districts this

year is in the region of £6 5millions!

This information was press-released in the last week before June the 9th, and

was also sent to Labour candidates standing in marginals. Whatever effect this had is lost in the crushing defeat inflicted on Labour. The prospects are now

grim for us all - A Tory Government with a massive majority in the House of

Commons ( even if they won with a minority of the total votes cast ), and

Thatcher is already dumping the 'wets'. For those of us active in and around

the Health Service, our job is to prepare for the new attacks that will un-doubtedly come. The best way if doing this is to examine past and present campaigns, in order to try to identify tactics that may be useful in the immediate future, and to encourage resistance in every form, both from Union members and from local community organisations.

Consultation documents are now out on a number of threatened hospitals, with a

string of final decisions due over the next few months. It therefore seems appropriate to ask all campaigns to get together to examine strategy. It is proposed to hold a day-school, that will look at all the ways that past campaigns have tried to resist closures and cuts in the NHS, with an emphasis on practical

possibilities - no rhetoric or hot air ! Although nobody likes to give up a Saturday, this seems the best day to run such a school, as the amount of ground

to cover rules out an evening. A creche will be provided for children, but please let us know if you need to bring your kids, so that the right numbers can be catered for.

THE LONDON NHS CAMPAIGN DAYSCHOOL OM TACTICS FOR RESISTING CUTS AND CLOSURES

WILL BE AT HUFTO HALL, 14 JOCKEYS FIELDS, WC1, OH THE 30th JULY, 10AM TILL 5PM;

Topics to be covered will include: types of industrial action; general campaigning

ideas; using the media; building community support; the role of the medical profession; who are you trying to influence? etc etc.

People with experience in these aspects will be asked to introduce each session, and then there will be work and discussion in small groups. The day is designed particularly for HHS trade unionists and members of community campaigns, but Trades Councils and other interested parties are also welcome to attend. It will not be possible for lunch to be supplied, so those attending should

bring 'sandwiches.; Alternatively a nearby pub does food. Tea and coffee will be available during the day. There is no fee, so please return the slip below as soon as possible. A full programme and timetable will be sent to you in advance.

Please return to Hackney Trades Council Support Unit, 34 Dalston Lane, London E8

ITGWU Irish Nurses Deal 1956

In our last issue we reported on the threatened stoppage of work by the mental hospital nursing staffs throughout the country following the failure of negotiations to resolve the matters at issue.

We are now pleased to record that this stoppage has been averted and an amicable and very satisfactory settlement effected following the resumption of negotiations with the representatives of the Managers of the mental hospitals under the auspices of the Labour Court.

The Court's intervention in the dispute led to the setting up of a Provisional Conciliation Council presided over by Mr. E. de Burca of the Labour Court, assisted by Mr. E. B. Barry of the Court, who acted as Secretary. Our representatives on the Council were ably assisted by Mr. James Larkin, T.D., General Secretary, Workers' Union of Ireland, Mr. John Foster, Workers' Union of

Ireland and Grangegorman Mental Hospital, and by Miss M. Sugrue and Miss C. Breslin of the Irish Women Workers' Union.

The Council's deliberation resulted in the following agreement :—

(1)that a permanent body on thelines of a Joint Industrial Council be established immediately to consider future claims relating to salaries and conditions of service of nursing and attendant staffs.

(2) that the following national salary scales apply to mental nursing and attendant staffs (exclusive of senior nursing posts):

Male attendants — £290+£5 to £305.

Male nurses — £345+£10 to £395, to £405 after 11 years, to £410 after 15 years, and to £415 after 20 years.

Female attendants—£265+£4 to £277

Female nurses — £305 + £10 to £365 and to £375 after 20 years

In addition to these scales £25 p.a. is payable to a Deputy Charge nurse and £45 p.a. to Charge nurses.

Cost of living allowances granted on a national basis on and after 1st November, 1952, shall be added to the above scales.

It is accepted by the Provisional Council that any of the parties may submit at any future date for consideration and determination by the Council a proposal for the amending of the above salary scales on a national basis and further, that any of the parties may submit at any time for consideration and determination bv the Council claims in respect of conditions of employment and service such as overtime conditions and payments and problems in respect of supervision and overcrowding.

Nothing herein contained shall prejudice in any way any personal plus allowances already being paid in any district mental hospital.

The Council agrees that the scales set out above shall be payable

on and from 1st December, 1955.

ITGWU (SIPTU) Liberty, March, 1956.

1982 Conference M.Star report

1982 Conference Morning Star report

COHSE Conference 1982

Morning Star Report

By JIM ARNISON Bridlington

Overwhelming vote to step NHS fight

DELEGATES attending the COHSE conference here yesterday voted overwhelmingly to escalate the health service pay dispute, but rejected calls

for 'all-out strike action.

The national executive's committee's emergency resolution, calling for a stepping up of the fight for a 12 per cent pay increase, was carried with only

15 of the 600 delegates voting against.

There were however repeated calls in the debate for all - out strike action and Mrs. Thatcher will find no consolation whatever in the more alanced decision of

conference to continue and extend the action already, begun. The union's general secretary, Alert Spanswick, said that the Tory government was on the run

"I believe we have already won the hearts and minds, not only of our members, but also of people of this country."

Never before had there been such an overwhelming chorus of criticism of government policy from the press, from patients and from the public.

"Other working people and their unions have taken your cause to their hearts in the most magnificent display of trade union solidarity it has every been

my privilege to witness," he said. Mr. Spanswick expressed a special thanks "to all the miners, the steel workers, to dockers and the seamen and all those thousand's of other trade union members who joined us on the one-day strikes of June 4 and June 8 and who will be joining us again on June 23."

The executive's resolution calls for the pay campaign to continue with selective withdrawal of key groups of staff, designed to reduce the NHS to, an accident arid emergency service only by the end of June.

It also called for increased support from the (trade union movement, including industrial action by other trade unions and financial and organisational support.

TROOPS THREAT

Mr. Spanswick made it clear that should any members of the union be disciplined (or carrying out official industrial action there would be an all-out with-drawal of labour in the locality concerned. And that should either troops or volunteers be used to break official strike action locally, there would be all-out withdrawal in (he locality concerned. In thedebate.

Mike Murphy, Maidstone, said that selective strikes were ineffective. He said that both members and patients suffered by piecemeal action "let's make It quick, sharp and short. Let's go all out and get it over with."

Andrea Campbell, Hackney, said that after all the selective stoppages had taken place members were no closer now than at the start., "We have got to take all-out strike action. We accept the NEC's resolution, it is going . to be a long hard road and we are not going to get anywhere."

650 HOSPITALS

Bill Dunn, (Ambulance man) Hanwell branch, asked how long the union could hold out in the event of an all-out strike and urged delegates: "Don't play into Mrs. Thatcher's hands. "She would love to go to the Tory conference to say that she had broken the health service unions." He urged delegates to support the NEC resolution.

Mr. Spanswick made it clear that the union was serving notice that industrial action would continue until the government conceded the claim.

There were now about 650 hospitals working on the basis of accident and emergency admissions only, and a further 1,500 hospitals were affected by disruptive action. It was wrong to suggest that the present strategy and tactics would not bring success. "What we have to do now is to extend and develop the actions we are already taking."

Seafarers' pledge

A special mass meeting of South Wales seafarers from

Newport. Cardiff and Barry yesterday promised health workers "any support or action they require during the dispute." The resolution; will be put into action today when seafarers Join the picket join outside St. David's, Sully and Hamadryad Hospitals, and later join striking miners and health workers on a demonstration through the streets of Cardiff.

Industrial Action 1979

COHSE - Glen House, High Street, Banstead, Surrey

To; All COHSE Branches, NEC Members and Officers

11 January 1979

NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE DISPUTE - SPECIAL NEC MEETING

10 JANUARY 1979

A special meeting of the National Executive Committee was held yesterday

at which detailed consideration was given to the form of industrial action to be taken by COHSE members in furtherance of the dispute in the current pay round for ancillary staff and ambulance staff, and in support of the claim made on behalf of nurses and midwives for special treatment on pay.

The following decisions were taken

Day of Action - 22 January 1979

This action is not intended to be confined to the grades referred to above. Our membership in all disciplines should take part wherever possible in accordance with the previous instructions issued to branches, as it is of vital importance that the demonstration be well supported.

Subsequent industrial action

It was agreed that after the 22nd January there should be continued industrial action on a selective basis organised locally and approved nationally. This action should be co-ordinated at local level to ensure that all trade unions involved are taking the same action.

The forms of action approved by the NEC are as follous;-

Ancillary Staffs

a) Ban on overtime working

b) Laundries: The action recommended to be taken in laundries shoud be - control from within; i.e. a limitation on through putt o be agreed locally. Total closure may be recommended in some cases but essential services must be maintained.

c) CSSD (Sterile Supplies) Again essential services should be maintained and the same principle as laundries apply. Industrial Therapy Departments should be asked to co-operate where they carry out CSSD work

d) Catering: All special catering should cease; i.e. official functions etc.

e)Cleaning Services All -clinical areas should be cleaned – Non clinical areas; i.e. corridors, offices, etc.

f) Post: Only patients' mail and pharmaceutical supplies should be delivered. Official mail should not be sorted or delivered.

g) Transport: This can be left to local discretion, but arrangements must be made for carrying of clinical needs, food, drugs and fuel.

h) Telephonists; Restrictions should be applied. Only emergencies should be dealt with. The same arrangement should apply to bleeps.

i) Porterinq Services: No movement of non-essential materials should take place. Delivery of food, pharmaceutical and sterile supplies is regarded as essential, as is movement of patients. Infected materials should be collected and disposed of. All other refuse should be removed from clinical areas but not disposed of. No collections whatever should be made in respect of non-clinical areas.

j) Volunteers: There should be no co-operation with voluntary labour.

k) Stores: No movement of non-essential supplies. Food, pharmaceutical and surgical supplies to be regarded as essential.

l) It is proposed that no action be taken in respect of boilerhouses, plaster rooms, operating theatres and casualy departments for the time being.

Ambulance Service

a) To operate a 999 Emergency Service only,

b) Banning of overtime.

c) Work to Rule; i.e. operate strictly in accordance with the Road Traffic Acts.

d) Selective strikes may be considered.

e) Revert to pre-1974 boundaries.

f) All ambulances to be fully equipped before leaving station.

Nursing Staffs

a) Ban on overtime uorking.

b) No clerical work will be undertaken by nurses unless associated with the direct care of the patient; e.g. prescriptions, diet sheets.

c) Limited selective withdrawals of labour will take place on the authority of the Regional Secretary. These uill operate on agreed days for short periods only at this stage provided the branch membership is agreed that this type of action takes place.

d) No nurse will carry out any domestic or non-nursing duty.

e) With the exception of 'acting-up' during a meal break, there will be a complete ban on 'acting-up' to cover annual leave, sick leave or off duty periods UNLESS the employing authority agrees that the nurse be paid for each shift during 'acting-up'.

All the above action will be reviewed at frequent intervals by the Action Committee of the NEC and will be escalated if considered necessary.

Dispute Pay

Dispute pay of £2.50 per day will be paid to members who have been officially called out by the authority of the National Executive Committee.

Finance

It was agreed that branches be strongly recommended to make a voluntary contribution of 10% of branch administrative expenses to a National Dispute Fund.

It was also agreed that branches be invited to make further contributions to this Fund by voluntary collections organised by them amongst the membership.

Vote of NO CONFIDENCE

It was agreed that a telegram be sent to the Prime Minister conveying a vote of 'NO CONFIDENCE' in Mr David Ennals, Secretary of State for Social Services.

The text of the telegram is as follous:-

THAT THIS NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE EXPRESSES NO CONFIDENCE IN THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SOCIAL SERVICES. IT CONSIDERS THAT HE HAS FAILED TO SUPPORT THE SERVICE AND HAS DESTROYED THE MORALE OF STAFF.

Branches will be advised of all developments as they occur, and in all cases of doubt should seek guidance from their Regional Officers.

E.A.G. (Albert) SPANSWICK

COHSE General Secretary

NUCO Nurses May 1937

NUCO Journal

The County Officers Gazette

May 1937

Letter from Reginald Ruttledge

I once heard a certain Trade Union leader declare that he had been trying to organise Nurses for twenty years, and had given it up as a bad job. He was good enough to add that he wished the best of luck to anyone else who thought they could manage such a hopeless job.

As an interested observer, I have been watching the attempts which have been consistently made over the past year or two by Councillor Mrs Beatrice Drapper, J.P., and Nurse Iris Brook, S.R.N.,S.C.M., to enrol such workers in this Union.

Did I say " workers "? Yes, deliberately. For it is surely high time that that ridiculous superiority complex fostered for so many years by starchy

Matrons was rooted out and consigned to the deepest depths of perdition. Of all workers in the world to-day, Nurses and Miners are surely the most worthy of that high and noble title—the most worthy, too, to be linked together in the bonds of Trade Union comradeship. Both are essential to our life and well being—both are subject to shameless exploitation; but where the Miner is becoming more and more master of his destiny, the Nurse is still a slave to outworn conventions. By the thorny, and often bloody, path of ceaseless agitation, the Miner is, by gradual process, seizing for himself greater comfort, a larger share of the fruits of his toil—he is able to force the attention of the public to his needs by startling action; but the Nurse is debarred, by the very nature of the profession', from anything but verbal protest against injustice. Even that, by long and diabolical custom, is, she is told, " un-dignified." She must carry on and endure the vilest conditions, the longest hours, the most wretched remuneration. Why? Because the Matron had to do it when she was young. Because it is her job to serve, and not to grumble. Because sacrifice of self is ennobling; the endurance of discomfort and hardship and long hours on sore feet all in the direct line of succession to the Florence Nightingale tradition, a tradition that Florence Nightingale never intended.

It won't do. That hypocricy must be de-bunked, once and for all. There is not one of us who has not the deepest respect, the most reverent admiration, for the profession of nursing. There is not one of us who does not associate the sight of a nurse's uniform with the ministration of angels.

That respect and reverence will not suffer at the thought of nurses as " workers," willing still to give their utmost to their service.

But, at the same time demanding of us what they serve, that they should be treated as human beings, and not as feeling less machines.

There is but one way to force home upon public attention the crying need for reform of nurses conditions. That is by the trade Union road - the high road to happier life. Direct action is denied – individual protest is impossible. What is left ? Nursing associations, run by the same people who most bitterly oppose reform ? No, a Membership of a TRADE UNION openly and definitely avowed to reduce hours, to increase remuneration, to fight all injustice, to oppose unceasingly any and all imposition.

The Nursing Section of the National Union of County Officers is growing up in this spirit, It is slow, I know. I know, too, that the leaders of the Section, not forgetting Dr H. Morgan, Patrick McHugh, Doris Westmacott, will not give in.

That is why I take this opportunity of appealing to all Nurses who may read this article to stand out no longer, but to throw their weight into the fight for humanising their service, which the people I have mentioned, with the N.U.C.O. behind them, carrying on to final victory.

REGINALD RUTTLEDGE

NOTE.—The Section is campaigning vigorously with special regard at the moment to the South Western London Area. Meetings have been held at Brompton, Hither Green, Wandsworth, Lewisham and Ladywell, and other meetings are projected. Branch Secretaries will be kept informed, and any information regarding the responsibilities in this direction will be welcomed by Beatrice Drapper.—Editor.

COHSE Banner 1964

The first national banner of COHSE was produced by patients and staff at Darenth park hospital, Dartford in 1964

see picture at March 2007 posting

Group 81

The first newsletter of Group 81 produced at the end of the 1981 COHSE Conference.

Group 81 was effectively the very "broad based" broad left in COHSE.

Hector MacKenzie COHSE General Secretary stated later of Group 81 " We either employed them or they faded away"

Group 81 did play a part in shifting the union from it's right wing axcess to a more "progressive" "main stream" union especially in the areas of equal opportunities

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GROUP 81

INTRODUCTION

Well comrades the farce that was the 1981 (so called) delegate conference is now over. As members go back to their normal routines the feelings of anger and frustration that were so apparent at conference recede. It is important that we stir those feelings again reminding delegates of the blatant control and manipulation that took place a Bridlington. We must also use these opportunities to inform people about the functions and aims of “ Group 81”. We must be seen as an “open conspiracy” willing to discuss our membership of Group 81 with anyone

Group 81 STANDS FOR

1. To establish democratic delegate control of Conference

2. Accountability and democracy within COHSE

3. For a minimum wage of £100 pw linked to 35hr week

4. Eradication of all private medicine

5. full Employment

6. Increased public spending, in health Education and housing.

7. Unilateral Disarmament

8. Equality of all races, creeds, colours and sex

NEC Elections.

If any member is preparing to stand in N.E.C. elections could we suggest tat they do so on a group 81 platform. This would give an opportunity for policies to be discussed and an indication of the potential support we could have within the union, along with the obvious benefits of having a left inclined N.E.C.

September Regional Council

It is suggested that at every regional council in September the following resolution should be on the

"That this Regional Council supports the aims of" Group 81"." Again this would

be an ideal opportunity to discuss our policies and gauge potential support in

the regions. This tactic allows "Group 81" to be seen as an active and

functioning force within the union.

Finance.

We in-bended to produce badges for the September Regional Council and a magazine around Christmas. Unfortunately these ventures will cost money and branches •which wish to sponsor "Group 81" should send cheques made payable to "Group 81", C/0 Peter Haworth, 55 Millmoor Crescent, Eynsham, Oxon. Bangour 906 and Oxford 645 branches have both contributed £50 to the above fund.

Magazine.

Any member wishing to contribute to a magazine could they please submit articles to myself by the first week in November, We hope to produce a good magazine which will be available for distribution at the January Regional Councils

,CAMPAIGNING FOR DEMOCRACY

Labour Party Deputy Leadership Election

Corades this is going to be our most important task over the next two months.

According to various calculations the Confederations votes at the Labour Party

Conference will be crucial in deciding the outcome of the deputy leadership

battle. The N.E.C. are due to meet on the 6th and 7th of August when they will

decide how the branches are to be consulted over the leadership question. We

must make sure that every branch which supports Tony Benn feeds this information back to Banstead. Hopefully the vast majority of apathetic branches who do not reply to Head Office circulars will maintain their normal consistency. For example to mount a campaign of support for Tony Benn would be counter-productive in Scotland but personal contact will work. Each member is asked to assess their region and use their own "judgment^ in maximising support for Benn.

This has been a very quickly drawn 'news letter to keep delegates .thinking

about "Group 81",Remember we will only survive by your activity.

Jim Devine

Branch Secretary

Bangour 906 COHSE Branch

NOTE:
Did Jim Devine get the name Group 81 from the 79 Group the left wing groupiing within the Scottish National Party (later expelled)

National Co-Ordinating Committee against Cuts (NCC) Estb 1975

The National Co-ordinating Committee against Cuts in the NHS (NCC) was elected at a delegate conference on the 'Fight Against the cuts in the NHS', held on 11 October 1975 organised by The Medical Committee Against private Practice (MCAPP).

The conference, with over 500 people attending (395 delegates), unanimously passed a resolution calling for
the transformation of the NHS into a health service responsive to the needs of the working class and under thecontrol of the working class.

The Labour government, under the guise of 'rationalisation', is carrying out closures of hospitals and wards, and cancelling building programmes, which is resulting in staff
redundancies and loss of services to patients.

The health service uniquely represents one of the few gains of the labour movement since the war, and is now being threatened as never before.

The past few years have seen an unprecedented rise in industrial action by health workers to improve conditions of pay and work. These struggles have resulted in significant'
improvement for workers, but the defence of the health service calls for a united response from the whole labour movement for a health service that really caters for peoples'
needs.

The conference resolution, and its implementation through the setting up of local and regional committees, is a first step in that direction.

The National C0-Ordinating Committee against Cuts Officers

CHAIRMAN: Ernie Roberts (assistant gen sec AUEW)
SECRETARY: Dr Paul Stern
NATIONAL ORGANISER: Janet Maguire
Jack Collins NUM executive
Brian Nicholson T&GWU Executive
Ann Holmes representative from Institute of Workers Control
Jim Jackson East London Action Committee against the Cuts
Ron Pearson NUPE United Portsmouth Hospitals
Ken Price NUPE Morriston Hospital Swansea
Steve Johnson NALGO Officer
Sue Lister rapresentative from ASTMS Oxford
Alan Kirkby representative from Hull Port Shop Stewards.Committee
Peter Amiott Medical Committee Against Private Practice (MCAPP)
Dominic Costa (MCAPP) .
Mike Silver (MCAPP)
Colin Smith (MCAPP)
Jack Sutton NUPE Manchester
John Mitchell representative from NATSOPA Joint London Branches
Jo Richardson MP
Patrick McQuade representative from T&GWU Rover Solihull
Steve Ludlum NUPE London
Bob Brett representative from East London NUT
Tom Waterhouse Official representative from NALGO NEC
Sylvia Prentice NALGO London
Ray Perry COHSE Norfolk
Dawn Judd COHSE Cardiff
Bill Starks COHSE Bristol
Ron Griffiths representative from Socialist Medical Association
Doug Cook SW Region TUC
Carolyn McCartney COHSE Norfolk
Paul Mitchell NUPE Southampton
Ron Thompson AUEW Sheffield

Secretary Dr Paul Stern 55 Bridge Lane, London NW11

Bill Geddes 'Rich Bastards' PP Speech 1979

Bill Geddes' speech to NUPE Conference in Scarborough May 1979

used by the Daily Mail to attack the unions campain against private patients

‘I don't want to spend time convincing you that private practice is evil. I would hope that every delegate to this hall is opposed to privilege and all it stands for.

We have already made some progress on this issue. But the problem is that this process is taking so long that the private health service, the BUPA vultures, are being given more time to build up their facilities.

All over the country applications are in the pipeline for permission to build private hospitals and clinics. These establishments are going to draw their staff from the NHS. Look at Camden, North London for example. At one end of the borough the Area Health Authority claims it cannot get enough trained staff to keep the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson hospital open.

At the other end of the borough the private Wellington Hospital is trying to extend its operation with one hundred new beds. They are not going to train new staff for this themselves. The only way that they can staff those beds is to leech off the NHS.

The private sector has its hand round the neck of the NHS..'

Skilled doctors and nurses will be lured away having had the cost of their training paid for by people who can't afford private practice for their bloody cats, never mind themselves.

These people have been trained at the expense of working people and they should not be allowed now to go away and make fantastic money for themselves.

This is a motion with teeth which will succeed if the union begins a campaign from today. It is saying that from January 1 next year, 1980, all NUPE members will refuse to provide any services to private patients, something we've' done in the past but haven't been very well organised in doing it. It gives us seven months to prepare, seven months for the Executive committee to educate the membership on what private practice is and the need to abolish it.

On that day every single rich bastard who comes into the hospital will only be treated on the basis of being a National Health Service patient and not because he's got a bit of extra money to pay the consultant.

The private sector has its hand round the neck of the National Health Service. I think it is our duty in this conference to cut that hand off.

Note:
Bill Geedes NUPE Branch Secretary Hammersmith Hospital
born Scotland 1943

COHSE Medical Services Guild 1948

COHSE Medical Services Guild 1948

A General Meeting arranged by the Medical Advisory Committee was held at the Ambassadors Hotel, London W.C.I. After general business, excellent contributions were received on subjects associated with the
National Health Service.
Dr. H. B., Morgan, MP., outlined the superannuation scheme, dealing with both the English and Scottish regulations, In pointing out that the whole scheme is extremely complicated, he stated that the Ministry were preparing an explanatory document which would lie available in the New Year for everyone concerned.

Dr. Stark-Murray (member of the S.W Metropolitan Regional Board) dealt with the work of the Regional Boards.

One of the tasks they had before them was to set up Hospital Management.
Committees, which would deal with the day-to-day work of the hospitals.

Names could lie submitted now to the Regional Boards for their consideration. One of the difficulties was that the Boards lacked authority at present. In reply to a question on contracts, Dr. Stark-Murray stated these remained to be determined. There was nothing to prevent organizations making representations to the Regional Boards at this juncture on this or smaller
matters.

Dr. Fitzgerald gave a paper on Staff Consultative Committees, and the. Meeting agreed it would be of great value if printed in The COHSE Journal
In bringing the proceedings to a close, the Chairman Dr. Charles Brook, member of the South East Metropolitan Regional Board), expressed tile appreciation of the meeting to those who had made such valuable
contributions.

Dr Charles Brook was COHSE Chairman of the COHSE Medical Services Guild and Labour LCC member

Dr Stark- Murray was also a Socialist Medical Association activist

Irish nurses strike 1980 and 1999

The Irish experience of strike action first occurred in 1980 over a pay dispute.

It lasted 17 days and mostly involved nurses belonging to SIPTU (then known as the Irish transport & General Workers Union - ITGWU)

According to ITGWU Nursing Officer Pat Brady the strike action was successful in that it achieved a major pay increase for nurses.

the union also recruited substantial number of members from the Irish Nurses Organisation (then like the RCN a no strike union)

IRISH NURSES STRIKE 1999

On Tuesday 19th October 1999 by the biggest strike in its history, as 27,500 nurses began indefinite strike action over pay and working conditions.

Members of all four nursing unions backed the strike by massive majorities on October 11. They rejected an offer by the Labour Court (a cross union-government body), which the government claimed amounted to a 23 percent rise on basic salaries.

SIPTU nurses voted 82 percent in favor of strike action, and the Irish Nurses Organisation, voted 96 percent in favor. While smaller unions IMPACT and the Psychiatric Nurses Association members backed the action by 89 percent.

27,000 nurses began on 19 October 1999. The key issue for the nurses was their bid to enhance both their pay and professional status to a level that they felt was commensurate with their qualifications and the professional demands which are made upon them.

The government, for its part, was fearful that further concessions would provoke "knock-on" pay claims elsewhere in the public sector. For this reason, the government was resolute in its determination to face down the nurses, partly in an attempt to dissuade other public sector workers from pressing their own claims. The strike was called off after nine days, after the nurses had secured some concessions that exceeded the terms previously offered following a Labour Court recommendation

TUC Nurses Charter 1937

1 96-hour fortnight and abolition of 'spread-over' system

[split shifts].

2 Enhanced overtime rates and discouragement of time off

in lieu.

3 Minimum month's holiday with pay.

4 Minimum sick leave with '13 weeks' full and 13 weeks' half

pay.

5 Sickness and disability compensation.

6 Trained nurses to have freedom to choose place of

residence, and nurses' home conditions to be fullv

adequate.

7 Superannuation for all nurses, transferable throughout

the service.

8 Abolition of unnecessary restrictions.

9 The creation of a National Council setting standard pay,

hours and other conditions, and local consultative

committees at hospital level.

10 All probationers to go through preliminary Training

Schools before working on the wards.

11 Facilities for higher training in midwifery, massage

[physiotherapy], etc.

Roy Oliver - COHSE Gay Rights

Roy Oliver was a nurse and branch secretary at Hungerford Hospital (established 7th August 1968) and later Reading & District COHSE branch.

Lead a successful campaign to save the 100 beded care of the elderly Hungerford Hospital in 1978/79

A key supporter of the Berkshire Joint Trade Union Committee which Roy chaired

A Liberal Councillor in Hungerford (later he defected to Labour).

He was a National Executive Committee Member for Region 6 and would wear his pink triangle "Gay Rights" badge with pride.

Roy was a popular NEC member and his popularity helped COHSE in securing an early trade union commitment to Lesbian & Gay rights. However he had earlier been slow handclapped for supporting equality at COHSE Conference.

COHSE's eaarly committment to Lesbian & gay rights culminated in the union refusing to hold its conference on the Isle of Man and its opposition to Clause 28.

Roy was involved in the Battle Hospital Miners Support Group

Like so many of his friends he died young.

NOTE:

The origins of the Reading & District COHSE Branch go back to the establsihment of the COHSE Peppard United Branch formed by branches in the Reading and Henley area in 1952 with Tom Kelly as Branch secretary

Thora Silverthorne - Nurse & Internationa Brigade

Thora Silverthorne

Nurses’ leader and International Brigadier,

Thora Silverthorne was born in Abertillery on the 25th November 1910. She was the daughter of George Richard Silverthorne, a miner at the Vivian & Six Bells Pit and Sarah Boyt of Bargoed. Her early years were spent at 170 Alma Street, Abertillery, she secured a scholarship to Nataglo County School (Hafod) and attended the local Baptist church run by Pastor Rev Ivor Evans.

She joined the Young Communist League at 16 and, when she was old enough, the Abertillery Communist Party. Her father was a founder member of the local Communist Party and active in the miners union. Thora chaired meetings with prominent speakers such as Arthur Horner, the miners’ leader. "Everyone in Abertillery talked politics," she was to say of these times.

With her mother’s early death, as one of seven children, she was forced to leave Abertillery for England. Initially she worked as a nanny for Sutcliffe-Bartlett, the Reading Labour MP, but also fitted in selling the Daily Worker to the local railwaymen.

She then followed her sister into nursing at the Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford and was involved in Communist Party activities in the city. She participated with her close friend Christopher Hill in the October Club. The health needs of the hunger marchers that passed through Oxford on their way to London were tended to by her “helping her self to bandages and dressings on the wards”. She recalled that “Their feet were often in particularly bad state.”In 1935 Thora secured a Sister’s post at Hammersmith hospital and worked closely with Dr Charles Wortham Brook and his wife, also a nurse, Iris.

In 1935 Thora secured a Sister’s post at Hammersmith hospital and worked closely with Dr Charles Wortham Brook and his wife, also a nurse, Iris.

Joined NUCO Guild of Nurses

At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War she volunteered to nurse, and was "elected" Matron at Granen hospital, caring for many anti-fascist German soldiers in the Thaelmann Centuria. The International Brigadier, Michael Livesey, died in her - arms a memory she never forgot. Later, she was herself drafted into the International Brigade.

On her return she married Dr Kenneth Sinclair-Loutit, who she had met in Spain, where he was the medical unit's administrator They lived at 12 Great Ormond Street. Loutit was elected as a “unity front” Councillor prior to the War for Holborn, London.

Her involvement as sub editor of Nursing Illustrated led her to establish a nurses union (The National Nurses Association). This was a consciously progressive union for nurses in direct competition with the reactionary (Royal) College of Nursing. The RCN and hospital managers attacked her as “not being a registered nurse” or “paid by Moscow”, during the late 1930s. With the help of Communist Party nurses such as Nancy Blackburn (Zinkin), the Association ran a very high profile campaign to highlight the poor pay and conditions of nurses. The Association latter amalgamated with NUPE. Bryn Roberts, the General Secretary of that union was a native of Abertillery and a man whom Thora admired.

After the war she became a union official in the Civil Service Association. As Secretary of the Socialist Medical Association, she met Attlee and other Ministers to discuss the establishment of the NHS in 1948.

She married Nares Craig (a relative of Lord Craigavon) from Clitheroe, Lancashire a member of the CP’s architect group and retired to Llanfyllin, Powys, North Wales for 25 years. Clive Jenkins and Frank Cousins were regular visitors there. Thora returned to London, to be close to her daughter Lucy Craig/Best (a Haringey Labour Councillor), a few years before her death on 17th January 1999. The funeral service at Marylebone cemetery on 25th January heard `the Valley of Jarama’, `The Internationale’, Cwm Rhondda and a recording of the Welsh hymn “Land of my fathers” by Paul Robeson

Iris Brook Nurse & SMA Activist

Iris Brook (Iris Benyon) was a Registered Nurse and Midwife (trained at Barts, where she meet Charles Brook)

wife of Dr Charles Brook, (A GP from South East London) London County Council Labour Councillor and founder member of the Socialist Health Association activists

Appointed temporary organiser for the National Union of County Officers (NUCO), Guild of Nurses in 1936, (later deputy to Beatrice Drapper) and as such led with Beatrice the first campaign for improved conditions for primarily general nurses 1937. The Royal college of Nursing opposing improvements on the grounds that they would bring the wrong kind of girls into nursing was involved in the first nursesn demonstration in Fleet street when

"Uniformed nurses carrying sandwich boards and wearing black masks first descended on an astonished London"

active in the Socialist Medical Association herself, involved in the Aid to Spain Movement, her husband was secretary

Iris colleagues included Thora Silverthorne of the National Association of Nurses, who she stood with on a number of occasions for election to the General Nurses Council

Lived at Mottingdeane, High Road, Mottingham, London SE9

Beatrice Drapper - Deptford Angel of Mercy

Beatrice M Drapper – Deptford “Angel of Mercy” or “Our Beatrice”

Born Deptford, South London

Student at Scott-Lidgett’s, Bermondsey University Settlement and an orignal member of the "Beatrice" Dunkin, Club for Girls

Beatrice Drapper stated "I owe all my sucess in life to the Settlement"

Lived at 7 Evelyn Street,

Helped in the election of Will Crook’s as MP for Woolwich, one of the first Labour MP’s

A school manager from 1902-1927, Swimming and Gymnastics lecturer for the London county Council Schools & Welfare Board

Labour Councillor for North West Ward, Deptford from 1919 – 1956 (resigned 7/3/1956)

One of the first elected women Mayor’s in Britain, Deptford mayor 1927-1928

Married Mr E. C. Drapper also a Labour Councillor who died in 1945

Helped establish NUCO at St Alfege’s hospital, Greenwich in 1918

Helped organise the feeding of Dockers families during the 1912 dock strike and was a leading figure in the campaign against the Chair of the Port of London authority who kept the Dockers in poverty. She was not alone

“O God strike Lord Davenport dead” prayed Dockers leader Ben Tillett

From 1919 voluntary worker for the Poor Law Workers union (later National Union of County officers and COHSE ) from 1929 – 1946 paid employee of the union.

She was heavily involved in a case involving Peggy O'Neil a nurse suffering from TB of the spine (not then an industrial injury) and a bed patient for six years, with Beatrice help she was able to help Nurse O'Neil start a new life in America.

Justice of the Peace 1921 for Blackheath division

Elected to Greenwich Board of Guardians 1907 -1930 as a Labour representative (three years as Chairman)

During the 1921 she helped feed up to one thousand Dockers at deptford Central hall during the strike "cycling from her home at 5am in the morning in order to serve breakfast".She bought two shops in Deptford and converted them into a club for striking women tin workers who she helped organise into a union, serving 200 meat and veg meals daily at 4d a meal.

The tin workers suffered terrible conditions and were pitifully paid. When they were taken to court for daring to strike she organised coaches to take the women tin workers to the Law courts hearings

Member of Lewisham hospital management committee

Officially opened the Woodlands Nurses home for nurses, Greenwich, December 1925

Appointed Chair of Chelsea Juvenile Court in 1945

Later moved to 46 Coniston Road, Bromley, kent

Cremated Southend cemetery 4^th December 1961

Patrick McHugh - St Pancras Hospital

Patrick McHugh

born in Ireland

45 years service

Chief Male Nurse at St Pancras Hospital (Observation Unit - psychiatric )

joined NUCO in 1925

took a leading part in the early struggles to improve nursing service conditions

Was part of the first public demonstration by nurses, when NUCO nurses team that took part in the "raid on the LCC" when leaflets were thrown into London County Council chamber and masked NUCO uniformed nurses, march down Fleet Street in 1937 with sandwich boards stating "we demand fair pay"

a member of NUCO national Executive Committee

"A remarkable gift of oratory"

his motto was "Let this day pass no one by"

member of the board of Governors at the National hospital, Queen's Square

retired 1952

died June 29th 1954

Tudor O Morgan - South Wales

Councillor Tudor O Morgan worked as a nurses at St David’s hospital in Cardiff and became the local branch chairman of the National Union of County Officers (NUCO).

He became chairman of the national unions NUCO Guild of Nurses in the late 1930's.

was secretary of his local Labour party ward and was a Cardiff City Councillor

He retired from the NHS after losing an arm in an accident in 1937

died 1949 aged 53

Frank McCarthy COHSE Regional Secretary stated "Will be remembered as one of the pioneers who worked tirelessly organising nurses and making them conscious of the value of trade unionism"

"His contribution to the building up of NUCO was an inspiration to others

"He did much work around the student nurses campaign in 1948

George Gibson - General Secretary

George Gibson was born in Glasgow, Scotland he became a Charge Nurse at Winwick Hospital and soon became active in the National Asylum Workers Union. He directed the the NAWU militancy after the end of World War One, which resulted in permanent improvements in pay and conditions as well as national bargaining framework. Elected General secretary of the National Asylum Workers Union 1913 As a member of the TUC he was involved in the TUC's campaign to organise general nurses in the 1930's and the 1937 TUC Nurses Charter. He was a member of the Rushcliffe Committee which led to the establishment of the Nurses & Midwives Whitley Council in 1948. He resigned as General Secretary in 1947 and died in 1953.

COHSE Established 1946

The Confederation of Health Service Employees (COHSE) was established on 1st January 1946 with a membership of 40,000.

COHSE was a merger of the Mental Hospital & Institutional Workers Union and the Hospitals & Welfare Services Union.

The need for merger was the belief in an "industrial union" within the proposed National Health Service (Established 5th July 1948).

The idea of including “Confederation" rather than union in the title was felt to be “all-embracing”, expressing the unity of all health staff and allowing for the expression of the views of “any particular or specialist service”.

It was felt that “COHSE” was the best way of shortening the title because it presented the image of a “real” “cosy” and progressive organisation.

Within the new union the dominate force was the MHIWU (25,000 members) with its base amongst nurses in the Britain's large psychiatric hospitals.

The union’s mental health origins go back to 1910 when the National Asylum Workers Union was established and soon secured a significant membership in the old psychiatric hospitals (Asylum).

It’s head office remained in Manchester (the old MHIWU head office) and the first COHSE General Secretary was George Gibson (formerly of the MHIWU)

COHSE’s motto was

“All for One and One For all

Its logo was a silver and blue rose with a cross through the middle