Patrick Sikorski-stressed need for co-ordinated action against the cuts branches. "One small step for the class struggle, but a big step for Darlington' - that was how one marcher summed up the 19 June demonstration called by the Trades Council to protest against unemployment and the cuts. The 150 of us who marched bravely through the town - to the consternation of the onlookers, who were probably wondering how so few could make such a row - nevertheless represented a cross section of the problems facing the workers in the From Middleton St. George College of Education came a contingent of students. Only that week the college had received notification that next year's intake of students would be the last, and so by the end of 1977 the college will be closed with the loss of 260 jobs. Meanwhile, of those students lucky" enough to have completed their studies this year, 75 per cent will go straight onto the dole (sorry, "job centres').
Also represented were the nurses in NUPE from a local hospital engaged in a long dispute over manning levels. Support also came from the AUEW, ASTMS, and the local Communist Party, International Socialists and International Marxist Group Speaking at a rally at the end of the march was Darlington MP and Tribune Group member Ted Fletcher. He made much of his abstention on the vote to implement the Labour Government's cuts in public spending. 'Why didn't you vote against?" called one of the audience. Unfortunately Ted didn't have time to answer that, because he had quickly moved on to tell us that this was issues. what the bureaucrats don't want.
Council). This little incident sums up the attitude of the Labour lefttalkers in Parliament - when pressurised on your real record. confuse everyone with a few choice radical phrases.
The demonstration was part of a wider campaign, now just gathering steam, against unemployment and the cuts in the North East as a whole. On the initiative of the Durham Right to Work Committee, a number of resolutions were passed in union branches calling for a conference on unemployment and the cuts. This was taken up by the County Association of Trades Councils who, in conjunction with the Regional Council of the TUC, have called a meeting for 10 July in Durham Town Hall, from 10.30 a.m. to 1 p.m., to discuss these Now you may be wondering, along with myself, how it is possible to discuss such important problems in 24½ hours -particularly since three platform speakers have also been announced. The suspicion that the whole affair is to be stage managed to avoid rather than take action can only be strengthened by these arrangements. The best way to ensure this is not the case is for every socialist and trade union activist in the Durham area to be in the Town Hall on 10 July. That's just MIKE HOLBROOK (ASTMS, Wear Valley Trades
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