Nowhere can the Labour Government's dramalac failure to stem the cuts in social expenditure be seen more clearly than in Leeds.
Last summer and autumn saw big struggles against attempts by the local council to slash spending by reducing teaching staff levels and cutting grant awards to local students and youth clubs. The housing situation is a dis. aster arca. With 30,000 on the waiting list the council managed to build 450 new boases last year!
New schools have had to be dosed because to save time, and therefore money, high alumina content cement was used in their construction. This is now crumbling away, disrupting schooling for thousands of kids. Public works are grinding to a halt with maintenance of existing council housing particularly hard bit. Not surpris ingly social workers have one of the heaviest case-loads in the country-an average of 50 families a piece.
It wax this situation that led militants of the International Marxist Group in Loods to start campaigning for a local the labour movement socing the necessity of defending the social aspects of their living standads as mach as the wagepacket, support for the conference is snowballing.
Two evunts in particular highlight its timeliniss. The labour Covemment has recontly authonsed the caboollation Da LEL miliOn prOgramme rar renta ing and extending sections of the Leeds General Infirmary: 115 million of the [27 million project has already boei spent. Meanwhile the local council has given planning permission to Allied Ing an empty mansion into a bracie hospital.
No wonder support for the confereoce is growing! The Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers shop stewards committee al Tango-Epco, a local engineering firm, has reacted cathur lastically to the circular advertising the conterence. they have sent a resolution to the AUEW District Committee urging it to get as many shop stewards as possible to attend. Discussions are also under way to work out the kinds of proIN A WEEK which saw a renewed develop the campaign against the cuts.
Any proposals will have to come to grips with the Following facts:
Firstly, the depth of the crisis i cocaled by the fablure of the loca. capitalist mg, the Evening Post, togeth or with a bunch of consultants, to save the Leeds General Infirmary' - despite collecting 120,000 signatures Secondly, the local Labour council Jurs have opposed the joint Tory/Liberal scheme to allow the private bospital not because such schemes damage the medical care of the working class hy undermining the National Health Service, bur on the basis that granting planning permission to Albed Investments woul set a procedent for building In the green-hell! They hoped this would splir the Liberals!
+Lceds 10 An innocent observer of the press might have been surprised to note thar Paton's exdale the homeless The Heathrow interview was cut short "Free as a bird", did they spy, It seems tun. its atlen lion.
* *Kings College Hospitali, Geoff Fancilt * *Chairmen: Terry Jacques (Presiden: *Leeds AUEW). Sponsors include: *Councillors Ron Sedler and Jim Roche; *AUEW District Committee; Leeds Trades Council: Crabtree-Vicker. AUFW 4444*. 3/831 The labour movement won't get far with this kind of rubbish. Against thes Tailures the conference must begin lo map out an alternative worker solation 3/83).
Hacking all work on the private hospi ml and direct action to force the council to roverse its decision would be a list CSLI step in this direction turthermore, a local demonstration could be held demanding the reversil of the cuts on the lationary and the turning over of the mansion to the NHS or to accommoAnother practical more would be the setting up of a workers enquiry into the local health serice. After all bal the consultants invahed in the save the Intirmary campaign ane abo A worker enquiry couk look at the needs of the Intirinary in leans of staffing levels, equipment, re hailing Prostammies and so on, Welca cares pond to the teeds and requirements of the working class as opposed to the coonitants and Ebois Inends It is to mapping out such a campaign that the conference will have to Ed Waller Joint Conference
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Wisecretery Leeds Area NUTI, G. Roberts * *NUPE shop steward, SL. James Hospitally
*Shop Stewards Committee; NUPE No 3 * branch; ATTI Liaison Committee: Leeds * *Conference Secretary, 31 Sissons Terrace.*