First, bureaucrats of AHA have begun to offer other jobs to the workers at the EGA, narticulariy to nurses and technicians. Second, they are attempting to drastically reduce the number of in-patients at the EGA.
These two presented the workers' leadership at the hospital with problems that need to be overcome. Although the AHA personnel officers have been excluded from the hospital by the Joint shop stewards. some alterna tive jobs have already been accepted by members of the workforce.
ARGUE If the shop stewards do not argue consistently against workers accepting the AHAS offers of new jobs, they will find themselves both tacitly admitting that the AHA. will succeed in closing the hospital and allowing the NHS bureaucrats to prepare for it by dividing the workforce.
This is particularly important as many of the workers at the EGA have not been drawn into active participation in the running of the and so are vulnerable to such AHA ploys. The demand for no redundancies has not been won by accepting jobs outside the EGA, but can only be guaranteed by saving the hospital itself.
The second problem facing the THE OCCUPATION of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital is now well into its eleventh week. The local Area Health Authority [Camden and Islington], which has interfered relatively little in the past weeks, is now beginning to manoeuvre; to 'soften up' the resistance of the EGA workers in preparation for an attempt to close the hospital for good.
EGA occupation is the run-down of in-patients and new admissions. presents the EGA stewards with difficulties. Although all the available beds at the hospital are fully used, there are definite signs that the AHA will now attempt have slowly to reduce the patients staying at the EGA.
Patients nave to go to the Whittington hospital (the designated home for the ghost of the EGA) for surgery. Previously they have been returned to the EGA for post-operative care. Now the AHA is beginning to keep them at the Whittington (in wards with rats!).
They have a good chance of getting away with this, too if the any leaders of the General and Municipal Workers Union branch at the Whittington have anything to do with it. Their miserable lack of solidarity with the EGA workers has meant that the Whittington workers have been given no opportunity to express any support for this struggle.
LOBBY The EGA workers have thereTore proposea a loboy Whittington, so that the workers There wil be aole to near une facts about the EGA struggle. This acton snould be supportca, especially by all hospital workers in the Camden and Islington area (including those in the ton), to stop ine hospital from becoming the future home of the dismantled EGA.
It is expected that the AHA will attempt to remove vital equipment at the end of January and try to close the hospital in early February. To prepare for action the shop stewards have picketing on 28 January (the likely date for removing equipment) and a delegate conference for all bodie of the labour movement on 12 sub-standard WhittingHealey's axe.
called Tor hospital closures These two initiatives should be health unions ASTMS especially other hospital and public service workers who are one cay To under the shadow of Solidarity action is vital to save hospitals. the EGA. The importance of the struggle is that it shows in practice how to fight the cuts, how to stop At present 55 London hospitals are threatened with closure.
EGA conference can discuss and Dan or a CamDas Wine NUPE, COHSE, NALGO, SUnC GMWU for their leaders to name action against the closure of the cA and a ine omer treatened if the occupation at the EGA S defeated, it will be clear where the respons Du wile — no winn the EGA workers who have built a 50). fight the cuts, nor other hospital workers attempting to get to grips with the the problems of defending the NHS against Healey and Callachan - but with the trade unior leaders in their refusal to call such strike action and allowing the EGA to fight on alone For details of picketing and the 12 February conference in solidarity with the EGA occupation, write to: EGA Shop Stewards Committee, EGA, Euston Road, London NW1 (tel. 01-387 2501, ext COLIN SMITH