COHSE Banner - 22 January 1979

COHSE - 22nd January 1979

1979 Low pay Strike

The 1979 low pay strike

The first three months on 1979 saw the bitterly fought low pay strikes in the public sector. As action by hospital workers, school cleaners and dinner ladies, dustmen and other local authority workers spread in support of their demand for a £60 minimum wage and the 35 hour week, the media vented their wrath in a campaign of unparalleled hysteria. NUPE was labelled a 'fascist union' by the Daily Mail, and the extreme right-wing leader of the Electricians' Union, Frank Chapple, called hospital workers 'terrorists' in a Sunday Express article.

From the beginning, the public sector union leaders refused to call all-out strike
action — instead leaving it to local areas and sections to take whatever action they saw fit. The inevitable result was that the strike was very patchy. In the best organised areas — for example among local authority workers in Hackney and in Camden (both in London) — there was determined action which led to employers making concessions in Camden, they won the whole claim

But overall, the outcome was disappointing for many of the workers involved. The union leaders recommended acceptance of a 9% offer, plus £1 on account for full-time workers pending the Clegg Commission 'comparability' study, and nothing on shorter hours.

Low paid and part-time women in particular didn't gain much from the strike; the Clegg Commission recommendations gave the lowest grades (90% of whom are women) the lowest rises. Infact, the interests of women were very badly represented in the claim itself, which took no account in its demand for a 35 hour week that many women in the public sector are part time workers who already work less than 40 hours, and receive very low hourly rates. Roughly 75% of the membership of NUPE (the union with the largest number of members involved in the action) is women, but they are totally under-represented at all levels of the union. There's no doubt that this weakened the struggle.

Other divisions also took their toll: 'One of the worst problems we've got is inter-unions rivalry — especially between NUPE and the G&M. In our hospital we held a meeting last week of all four unions to try and stop these squabbles. And lack of information is a real problem. There could be a strike down the road and we'd only hear about it after it was over.' (Margaret Carlin, NUPE nurse, Glasgow Stobhill Hospital, quoted in Socialist Worker, 10/2/79)

Although there is a growing shop stewards' movement within NUPE and the public sector generally, this inter union rivalry and the lack of national and local co-ordination resulted in the better organised areas remaining isolated from each other, and unable to support the weaker areas. And this absence of a strong nationally co-ordinated movement of the rank and file made it much easier for union leaders like Alan Fisher to brush aside calls for all-out strike action.

It also meant that there was no organised force within the strike putting over
socialist answers to the real worries facing many of the low paid public sector
workers. The most pressing of these was the fear that if the employers conceded
the full claim, it would lead to a massive loss of jobs — especially part-time jobs - harder work, and worse services.

Organising to Win – Big Flame
217 Wavertree Road, Liverpool 7

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

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