WELVE MONTHS ago Liverpool city council ok a courageous stand against the Tory attacks on cal government. It stood alone.
any other councils are facing the Tory axe. LiverDol Labour group has adopted the same tactic as ther councils, that of refusing to fix a rate.
embers took a report from the Labour group on • council's finances this year orse than last e no-rate tactic. The council is supported too by local government unions.
Five of the seven car's council are still in office, who are still intent voting against But since elections last abour has an overall maonty.
The council's Calllmaign to date has been in ower-key than 1984. Their much-publicised difáculties over the appointent of Militant supporter Bond as the head of relations unit, inst the wishes of the community. las en a severe set back for eir united fight.
The council's financial dight in the coming year reach record Citv council leader Hamilton recently We i take the course of •o take ine course on we have must lie squarely In the government.
your Party in Liverpool e doing what we think is for the people of the ETE CRESSWELL is secretary ALGO and the joint shop stewards committee.
ast year the city council unions he represents were attacks on local OCIALIST ACTION about the situation this year. THE Liverpool city conis meeting to fix its get for the coming year March. That meeting following the trategy, adopted by the calvarel efusing to set a rate. That the policy of the Liverpool Labour group.
positive Ivelopment as far as the cons are concerned. On day the joint tewards' committee has called for a one-day stopage.
Not that we necessarily far our not making a rate, we LeTe mailey. Not fixing a onal should national one tactic among many. ie also support a deficit base changed their tactics the national ¡cuation. In practice what appened last year * happened by accident as that they didn't make rate.
The financial situation : Liverpool is worse this but we can get the port ourer allbecause they aim ake action themselves his time Liverpool could up a deficit of £96 which far than the deficit had to deal with last The union's response is as last year.
ese called a sunke monstrate our opposiries on 7 March, ( the This year many, A recent meeting of Liverpool Labour Party which are now - and overwhelmingly supported the books ar This 'balancing would, according to recentlypublished NALGO report, require a ate crease of •per cenl 6000 council workers sacked. Since 1979 the city has lost £130 million in rate support grant, £96 million its housing investment programme further £67 million in housing subsidy.
was in as bad shoritory La short-term resolution ot a crisis that still persists. The big difterence this ycal that Liverpool is not alone. It will be entering the fight alongside many other Labour authorities.
Liverpool city council still has the SUDOUIL of every town hall union and of the black caucus in the fight to protect jobs and services. NALGO Pete Cresswell Secretary explains, that is despite the policies of the controlled party and not because of them.
of Liverpool the forefront of the first fight back against the government. He told day of the council's budget council if they vote not to meetin We support the cul jobs services. Beyond that it's unknown territory.
In conjunction with London Bridge, we're organising a steering committee joint shop stewards committees. We aim to have a conterence of local government trade fect this would set up a nanona condone connilice We also have links with Mersevside county council unions. Their council March.
We'll be lobbying it, and they support our initiative for a joint trade Council Rally before Liverpool council set illegal 1984 budget have gone from there, why the problem exists this and what we should ycal. do about it.
The dispute over Sam Bond's appointment has affected VALGO's relationship with the council. It isn't what was last year. HOweVer that doesn't actually affect whether we campaign with the council on the budget Issuc.
On the other hand the fact that the council propecting a goes set porting them does make more difficult. We say it's not a matter of supporting the council, it's whether they will support us, in a fight to save our jobs.
NALGO is sticking to its position that the Sam Bond post be readvertised. city council does not have the concence of the black community.
Supporters of the Militant newspaper just resort to a series of lies to try and prove that the council does. But the only support they have the District Labour Party and some council branches of GMBATU. Everyone else is opposed to them.
The main point is that the communitv opposes them over the issue It displays degree of arrogance LIcH that they're not prepared to back down They say to the unions that we should have unity.
way • thev see of resolving a dispute is for us to pack in.
Whatever NALGO
said, this dispute would not go away: The black community will not accept John O'Brien, chair of speaks