The Official .Journal of Cardiff Trades Union Council November1992 Free Avethenh

UNION THE OFFICIAL .JOURNAL OF CARDIFF TRADES UNION COUNCIL NOVEMBER1992 FREE AVETHENH

the Tories own legal system? Down in Penarth, Uandough Hospital is due to 'opt-out' of Health Authority control in April 1993. In effect, it will become a private hospital, able to do whatever its directors fancy. These • directors, again, are accountable to nobody, except their political masters in the Welsh Office. Uandough's 'business plan' remains a closely guarded secret. All the staff and public see is the glossy brochure, full of wonderful prom- ises, beaming managers and selected medics who have disgraced their profession by ap- pearing in such a publication. A foretaste of what is to come is the closure of two wards over the summer and the sacking of staff, including nursing staff, to remain within budget! A few years ago, Margaret Thatcher told the Another example of the farcical running of the If your medical complaint is not 'profitable' you Tory Party Conference that the N.H.S. was NHS was seen when Mrs. Janet Sainsbury, need not bother to go to Uandough. In future safe in their hands. Nobody believed it at the wife of the former Tory Mayor, Jeff Sainsbury, their sole motive will be profit, the only winners time, and recent events in South Glamorgan was appointed head of the Family Health Serv- being the highly paid managers, and some of Health Authority prove the point. ices Advisory in South Glamorgan. This ap- their cronies in the medical profession. In the general election in April, Ian Grist was pointment was made by the previously men- So the future does not look good for patients turfed out of his Cardiff Central seat. Another tioned Gwilym Jones, a family friend of the and staff in Cardiff. unemployment statistic? Hardly! Within weeks Sainsburys. For two and a half days work each The public can help by supporting local cam- his fellow Tory (one of only 6 Tory MP.s in week, Janet Sainsbury gets £11,720 p.a.! ( continued Page 3 ) Wales!) Gwilym Jones had appointed him to the Nice work if you can get it! position of Chairman of South Glamorgan Elsewhere, St David's Hospital is now a Health Authority. This is a part-time position, boarded-{Jp shell. No sign of the promised which carries a salary of around £20,000 p.a. neighbourhood hospital! and is accountable to nobody, except the equally unaccountable Welsh Office. At the Heath, Whitchurch and Velindre, a private company, Gardner Merchants, have sud- A trip around the local hospitals shows the denly been awarded the catering contract! extent of the crisis. Staff who were told last year thatthey had jobs At Cardiff Royal Infirmary, 98 jobs are due to for three years, now face the sack around be lost, obviously to the detriment of patient RINTING CO-OPERATIVE Christmas and the New Year! At best, they now care. Staff there have begun a campaign to face worse pay and conditions, working for the Ty Penderyn, Pen-y-Wain Lane, save the major hospital which covers the city Roath, Cardiff CF2 3NH private contractors. centre. Despite some noises from management rumours persist that CRI is planned to Gardner Merchant are part of the Trust House We offer an efficient speedy shut within the next three years. Forte Group who donated £60,00 to the Tory Party last year. The Tories reward their friends service for union journals Imagine, no accident and emergency prov~ and paymasters? sion between the Heath and Uandough!. The including despatch and future of the renal unit, and other vital services, However, they do not reward experienced, mailing if required. remain in doubt. capable and loyal staff. The result being that patient services are bound to suffer. Why not ring for a quote. To cap it all, when the manager Alan Trew dared to express his concern he was sus- At the time of writing, COHSE and NUPE are pended by the Health Authority, and the brother examining the legality of all this. It seems ob- Tel Cardiff 482582 vious to the unions that there has been some of Gordon Harrhy (General Manager of the Fax Cardiff 499429 SGHA) imposed in his place! crooked dealing, but can we prove it through iii) Early provision of a Cardiac Unit. iv) Satisfactory grouping of specialities. No Future for the CRI • v) Further improvement of academic facilities. vi) A maximum provision of 750 beds on a single site other than UHW Unless \Mefight Back vii) Four Neighoourhood Hospitals . The Management Consultant's preferred option was For months in the spring and summer, rumours 6) We'll send the sick home every night. around that the Cardiff Royal Infirmary was to the subject of much discussion within the Authority flew None of this revealed that the CRIwas to be closed. close. Staff were called to special meetings to and the UWCM and it became clear that whilst the This was finally admitted by the General Manager, discuss the "overspend" in the group (CRI, principles were generally acceptable, someadjustment Alan Trew, when he disclosed that there was a Rookwood, Prince of Wales (Rhydlafar) and to the service distribution and bed allocation was "secret" plan to close the CRI during the next three Lansdowne), which had reached £900,000 by necessary The main characteristics of the to five years, and build a multi-storey carpark plus July, and was expected by management to reach District Option are summarised as follows: a nolHTledical hotel bed unit at the Heath to £1.6 million by March' 93. This "overspend" is • Three major acute hospitals "replace" it. For telling the truth, he was suspended caused by the "cost improvement programme" on Sept 27th, and replaced by John Harrhy, the • University Hospital of Wales being implemented across the Health Service by brother of the Gordon Harrhy, General Manager of • Llandough Hospital the Welsh Office over the next 7 years. What this the Area Health Authority. He was originally sus- • New Cardiff Royal Infirmary. means is that budgets will be cut progressively pended on disciplinary grounds, but this has now over the period, from their already low rate. The • Provision of Cardiac Services at Llandough Hos- been changed to financial mismanagement, (the renal unit, for instance, already receives a lower pital "overspend"). The "overspend" or underfund as I fixed allowance per transplant than English Hosp~ • Location of the Accident and Emergency Unit in prefer to think of it at the Heath is much greater, but tals. the new Cardiff Royal Infirmary the management there are still in post! The rumour These financial constraints are not unique to the machine has it that the sale of the CRI site has • Grouping of rehabilitation services, including CRI, the Heath Hospital has already had to tempo- already been informally agreed with a large Insur- spinal injuries at the new Cardiff Royal Infirmary. ance Company, but only time will tell if it's true. • Four Neighoourhood hospitals. "Patients will benefit from the The combined effect of the redundancy notices • Complies with the academic requirements of the and the closure plans galvanised the already UWCM." provision of three major acute emerging protest. A petition had already been This option allowed for a steady fall in the number hospitals, " raised, and march organised. In the first consulta- of beds in use from 3453 in 1987t0319O in 1996. tion meeting on Sept 7th the Trades Unions de- At no time in this plan was the number of beds in use manded the withdrawal of the planned redundancy to drop below 3190. If the closure of CRI in 95/96 rarily close wards to save costs. notice until after consultation had taken place. This is allowed to go ahead on top of the premature Then on 18th August, the Director of Personnel, K has led to the withdrawal of the redundancy notice, closure of St David's and the non arrival of the H Bennett wrote to the Trades Unions involved but not to the planned cost saving. John Harrhy is planned Neighbourhood hospitals, then the number warning them of impending redundancies, and on to produce a new financial statement in November of beds in use would have dropped to 2300. Some 24th August he issued the statutory notice of 98 detailing how he intends to deal with the £1.6 of this drop could be alleviated by the "secret" redundancies to the Dept. of Employment. In the million "overspend". plans proposed new beds at the Heath. However in attatched consultation document the reasons for None of this fits with the South Glamorgan Health their own consultation document, the Area Health redundancies are given as :- "1) The organisational structure of the unit is no longer appropriate to the contracting environment and the emerging role of Clinical Directors. The Management arrangements of the Unit will be reorganised. 2) As part of the Unit's Cost Improvement Pro- gramme, the Portering Services will be re-organised, or where that is not acceptable to the Porters concerned, the service will be the subject of Competetive Tendering. 3) A potential reduction in the Works Department staff arising from the intention of the Community Unit to market test the service level agreement, they have with our Works Department by the end of the financial year. 4) Temporary closure of a ward at the Cardiff Royal Infirmary. 5) In line with good management practices, the Authority Strategic Plan for 1988/98, and makes Authority stated about Heath Hospital:- rationalisation of services involving Ancilliary and a mockery of the public consultation that went with Clerical Staff. "...intensively developed on clinical part of site it. This plan provided for the closure of the CRI in ...major car parking problems 6) Replacement of a 24 hour ward at Rookwood 94/95, and St David's in 95/96, and their re- Hospital by a day unit in accordance with the Welsh placement with a new CRI in 95/96 of 676 beds, ...functional survey indicates limited potential for Office Health Strategy." the expansion of the Heath to 914 beds, and additional development... .. It is interesting to note that there are no medical Llandough to 729 beds. ....£8.3 million maintenance backlog after taking reasons in the list, and for those not used to such They stated- account of recent capital investement." phraseology, a cynic would translate them into "Pati~ts will benefit from the provision of three Never let it be said we aren't prepared to give the plain English, as follows:- major acu,te hospitals, including a new complex .... " Health Authority the last word. We'll quote them 1) The unit will be reorganised along Thatcherite one last time, although we doubt they will honour "The Management Consultants produced 13 Op- lines. their own claimed ideals. " ...... in view of thefact that tions, which, together with 15 Options developed by proposals for permenant closure or change of use of 2) Porters must work longer hours for less money, the Authority were evaluated by a multi-discipli- "health buildings" can have a significant effect on or lose their jobs. nary team within the Authority and a short list of the local community, it is vital to ensure that the 3) We won't maintain equipment in the Hospital so options prepared. The Consultant's preferred option public and all local interests concerned are fully often, so we don't need so many repair staff. provided for:- consulted" South Glamorgan Health Authority, 4) We'll close a ward until ????? i) 3 major acute hospitals. 1987. 5) We won't write so many letters, so we don't need jj) New accident and emergency centre. Alex Bird GPMU so many typists.

2 SAVE OUR NHS cont CARDIFF 3 CAMPAIGN paigns, like that at CRI. Three docks boys proclaim their innocence The trade unions face a difficult period, in effect fighting the Government, via their quis- The Cardiff Three are Yusuf Abdullahi, Tony motive for the killing was established. lings in the Welsh Office and the Health Author- Parris and Steven Miller. In November 1990 An eyewitness saw a white man, dishevelled, ity. Obtaining the best possible services for they were convicted of the brutal murder of bloodstained and distressed leave Lynette's the public, and pay and conditions for their Lynette White, a prostitute, at around 2.00am flat, the murder scene, the morning after she membership must be the trade unions' prior- on February 14th.1988, St Valentines day. died. From their desciption the Police issued a ity. This can only be obtained by strong or- The conviction came after two trials. The first photofit, which was transmitted on ganisation on the ground, with the support of was abandoned when the judge died during his "Crimewatch". Since then afurther eyewitness the public. summing up. The second was the longest has come forward and corroborated this ac- In the longer term, the Health Authority must murder trial in British history. The only evidence count. be democratised. It should consist of demo- against them was Steven Millers partial con- The police never checked the Police National cratically elected local councillors, health fession. Steven has an IQ of only 75, and a Computer for similar crimes, but assumed the professionals who are committed to the NHS, mental age of 7. His confession was made murderer must be local. They arrested and trade unionists who work in the service and after six days of custody during his sixteenth charged five black men, two of whom were representatives of the Community Health interrogation. As soon as he passed from found not guilty. When Geraldine Palk was Councils. police custody, he retracted it, maintaining murdered on the night of 21/22 December Managers should be committed to the princ~ that he made it under duress. 1990, shortly after their conviction, there pies of the NHS, skilled and competent to run Therewere 145 hand and palm prints, including were many similarities in the way she was a service for the 21st century. one very clear palm print immediately above killed. As the Lynette White case was closed The NHS still holds enormous support. We do the body, which the Crown Pathologist in- no cross checking of blood or semen samples not need some misty ideal from 1948, which sisted must belong to the murderer, and a was made. was never perfect, but a modern accountable considerable quantity of the murderer's blood, The appeal case comes up on December 7th service for today's needs. The battle to save which was from a rare group. None matched at Cardiff Crown Court. Meanwhile if these the NHS will not be easy, but this is one area the convicted men. three are innocent, as most people who have where the Tories can be vulnerable. All three have alibis. Tony Parris was collecting read the court transcripts and examined the This is one battle none of us can turn away glasses at the Casablanca, Yusuff Abdullahi evidence believe, then the killer(s) of Lynette from. Keep the issue alive, and expose every was working all night at Barry on board the White and/or Geraldine Palk are still at liberty, criminal act of the Tories. Coral Sea, and Steven Miller was with a friend, and could strike again. It is late, but not too late! Yet!. David Orton. Further information from the Cardiff Three Steven Miller was Lynette's pimp and boyfriend, Campaign, 56Alice Street, Docks, Cardiff. Tel Keith Evans, COHSE, Whitchurch Hospital and did not hang around with the other two. No 46282l. Tony Parris in Cardiff Prison My first visit to a prison I was surprised how normal everyone seemed. We were people in shops, town, work, pubs, visiting. POVERTY WORSENS UNDER Even the children wanted to play in the queue to get in. And there you were, a face from your sisters, smart, TORIES • OFFICIAL an ironed prison shirt. Your eyes sparkle. It was like a meeting down the docks, In its' latest report on "Households below from 8% to 19% your sisters, us, giving cards Average Income" the Department of Social • The proportion of couples without children hearing news even gossip. Our card said, Security reveals a small slice of the true rose from 5% tol0% picture of poverty under the Tories. In a "The Cardiff Three are Innocent. Free The Boys." • The proportion of single parents rose from Helen Wilkins comparison of incomes "after housing costs" 19% to 50% between 1979 and 1989, after adjustmentto allow for inflation:- • The proportion of single people without children rose from 7% to 16% • Average income overall rose by 30%, butfor the bottom 10% it fell in real terms by 6% Although the number of children in the population fell from 13,8 to 12,5 million, the number • The share of National Income received by in families earning less than half the 1979 the bottom 10% fell from 4% to 2.5% average rose from l.4 to' 1.6 million. Both in LEADING THE TEACHERS OF • The proportion of families with no-one work- real and proportional terms there are more ing rose from 22% to 30% children living in poverty than in 1979. WALES IN THE 90's • The proportion of families with no-one in ful~ In 1979, 9% of the population (5 million peo- ARWAIN ATHRAWON CYMRU time work rose from 29% to 36% ple) were on less than half average income. By YNY90au The increase in average earnings of 30% 1989 this had risen to 22% (12 million people). overall in 10 years was produced to a large The rise for children was from 10% to 25%. extent by large rises for the better off. As a HE veryohe in the nation has benefited from result the numbers of people earning less the increased prosperity". Margaret Thatcher, half the average wage increased dramat~ House of Commons, May 1988. South Glamorgan Branch cally:- The statistics show that one in ten families c/o Wales Office • The proportion of pensioner couples rose incomes fell in real terms, and almost one in Sutherland House from 21 % to 33% seven of the population, who had previously 5-19 Cowbridge Road East • The proportion of single pensioners rose earned more than half average wage fell below Cardiff CF1 9AB from 12% to 42% it. Telephone (0222) 493110 .The proportion of couples with children rose Source: Campaign Against Poverty, 47 Upper Lloyd Street, Manchester M14 4HY 3 BRITISH RAIL • Tt I I I I •• 'wI... .. • .. I ; 11111 ~I •I,. , :I I~~I l'~I=- i~ f';' ...... ,. =1 r ~I~I I I I At some time all Governments have some silly ideas which they force upon the citizens of the country. Most of the time they realize that they could be wrong and scrap that idea. But every so often a Government appears who's sole aim is self immolation and destruction ot the country by the rigid use of its dogmatic ideas and beliefs. Such a Government we now have. To date they have disposed of assets, which have been held for many years as National Resources, to private ownership and profiteering. We are told that this would provide a better, cheaper service. In reality we have seen a greatly increased rate of price rises, a non improvement of "improved service", and in some cases a total destruction of industry by insideous parsimony. Having destroyed the Bus Industry, and Shopping Malls. These are just some of now attempted to totally annihalate the the proposals. What effect could this have? Coal Industry - because they knew that as At present we have a national fare struc- it stood no-one would buy it. They then turn ture and a national timetable. There are no to the Railways. guarantees that this would continue. to Historically, railways had been private travel from Cardiff to Birmingham you companies until 1948 when the national~ might have to buy three seperate tickets sation Bill brought them into public owner- for three seperate lines, and travel on as ship. This was done mainly because follow- many different trains. ingWW2, thefourcompanies-LMS, LNER, Naturally the "plum" lines would be sold SR & GWR could not afford the recon- first, leaving lines like the Valley Lines in struction of their systems following the limbo. Who would buy the loss makers? bomb damage and the age of their equip- Railway workers could be' sold off to new ment. companies, but what would happen if the Now in 1992 we have a Government hell go broke. What will happen to the pension bent on the destruction of itself and the funds, which the White Paper says will be country it claims to represent. It says in its frozen, but not how or by whom? dogmatic "wisdom" that the national rai~ This is not Privatisation but Fragmentation way system should be returned to the for its own sake. There is a growing wave hands of cherry picking privateers. How of concern, not just in the Labour move- are they going to do it? Having published a ment, but also in the tory camp that selling White Paper on the subject everyone is the Railways is wrong. We must make the "Citizen" Majo more confused than before. They propose public aware of the end result, and we urge to sell lines off to the highest bidder as a all trades union members to help our franchise, but no BR sector is allowed to ghost of Bee~ campaign. bid for it. All the stations are up for grabs, to be used as Hotels, Leisure Centres or RMT member, Cardiff. Rail-wayin

Six regional maps of railway lines proposed to be downgraded or closed were leaked to the union sponsored Better Rail campaign inApril. True to form this closure list was denied, just as British Coal denied the leaked list of over 100 pit closures in 1983. Since April two of the lines earmarked have been closed, and more are due to close soon. In Wales these include the closure of the West Wales coast route, the Swansea to Craven Arms and Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury lines,and the downgrading from Intercity standard of the North Wales coast route from Crewe to Holyhead, and the South BETTERRAIL Wales coast route from Swansea to Fishguard. p There will then be no Intercity connections to c A M A I G N Ireland. The downgrading of the Holyhead route has already been formally announced, 4 IE FINAL RIP.OFF?

think that support will always forth- leaders", cut price lines that get you in their my be shop with your wallet open, and they make a coming in respect of the privatisation of profit! British Rail..... My concern is to protect As well as these simple commercial reasons subsidised local services." Stephen Day - notto close lines, there are the social reasons. Conservative, Che(ldle. Rail is the least polluting means of high speed "ls it really in the national interest for us to transportfor goods and people. Rail is already allow cherry pickers to pick of the bits there and operating well under capacity, unlike they think they would like?" Robert Adley - the roads which will have to be built at great Conservative, Christchurch. expense. Despite the safety problems it has at In the list of 'Essential Requirements' in the present with electronic signalling and faulty White Paper, investment is not mentioned. It is doors, rail accounts for far less deaths and expected that the Treasurywill mak"eover £10 injuries per passenger mile than the very billion from the sale of stations alone. Will it be safest of roads. Rail delivers its passengers to reinvested? The proceeds from other the very heart of cities without causing any privatisations have not, but have been diverted additional congestion on the streets. to paper over the effects of this Governments disastrous economic policies. For every £1 The Government has produced a White Paper invested by BR last year, the French spent outlining its' proposals for rail privatisation. At £1.66, the Germans £1.89, and the Italians 20 pages it is one of the smallest ever. £2.69. The Railway Industry Association says Transport Secretary John McGregor, stung by £14 billion is needed by the year 2000. This is criticism said "It is nonsense to suggest the unlikely to be spent by the new franchisees, White Paper is presentation rather than who will be buying secondhand rolling stock substance .... Naturally, we must have a from the Government, and Railtrack will no Bill.... and it will be possible to go into more longer have the operating profits to fund it detail then. n from. What the White paper proposes:- Like many Tory MP's, the bosses are not British Rail will be divided into two seperate happy either:- parts - Railtrack, which will be responsible for "Without a national transport strategy tha all track and infrastructure, and an operating transport system will simply grind to a company which will operate passenger serv- halt." Robert Young, Director General of the ices which are not franchised. British Institute of Management. Routes, or groups of routes will be franchised lilt is absolutely essential that privatisation off. Private companies will be encouraged to bid for the management and operation of the is not used as an excuse for cutbacks on routes. Subsidies will still be given to uneco- much needed investment in the rail sys- nomic routes. The winning bidaers may well be tem. "Howard Davies, Director General otthe those who ask for least subsidy. On profitble CBI. lines, bidders will be expected to say how r resurrects the much they will pay the Government for the Alex Bird GPMU routes. The franchising will be done by a new ~hingto slash Franchising Authority which will negotiate, award and monitor franchises. For more information frastructure In due course, all BR's existing services should contact :- be franchised to private operators. BR's existing freight and parcels businesses and coach companies are already cashing in will be sold off - perhaps to a variety of bidders. Better Rail Campaign, on this route as a result. There will be a new right of access to the rail c/o RMT The reasoning behind these moves is very network for private operators of both freight simple. They don't in themselves make a Unity House, and passenger services. profit, and so when British Rail is franchised off 205 Euston Road, A Rail Regulator will be appointed to oversee under "Citizen" Major's piecemeal privati sa- London, NWl 2BL. tion, no-one will want to buy them. It was this the arrangements for track access and same one route at a time attitude that led Lord charging, ,to promote competition, prevent or abuse of monopoly powerand promote the Beeching to recommend his large scale route 50S Campaign closures in the sixties. What was learned then, interests of customers. and since conveniently forgotten, is that routes Stations will be sold or leased to private c/o ASLEF which in themselves make a loss, feed pas- companies. 9 Arkwright Road sengers onto other routes which make a London NW3 6AB profit. When they are closed, passengers Like the pit closures, many Tories are not switch to road, and the other routes decline, until happy about the proposals. they too make a loss. This is the simple hard "I do not want the Whips or Ministers to nosed reason why supermarkets have "loss 5 TRADES COUNCIL LAUNCHES EDITORIAL As we go to press the commons are aboutto vote PUBLIC SECTOR ALLIANCE on the ·substantive motion" on Maastricht, after ·Solidarity Forever" and "An Injury To One Is An fightback. Schools like Cathays High are a~ a ·paving debate". The first term comes from Injury To All" were rallying cries upon which the ready planning to opt out, thus creating a two somewhere deep in our unwritten constitution, trade union movement was built. In the current tier education system. Uandough Hospital is the other was invented and added to our const~ wave of Tory attacks on the public sector, also planning to opt out whilst Cardiff Royal tution last week. Exactly what they mean I've no these slogans are as relevant in the 1990's as Infirmary is set to close in the near future. Job idea, but Ido know what allowing this government they were in the 1890's. cuts are planned throughout the public sector to stay in office any longer means. The sense of John Major didn't waste any time revealing the in Cardiff, condemning hundreds to the dole daily uncertainty has removed all confidence true nature of his new ·caring" Tory regime and destroying jobs that should be going to from the business community. This nation was after his election victory in April. The mines school Ieavers. once the manufacturing centre of excellence of the world, and now it is a land of financial and the rail are to be privatised, along with But workers from Companies House through advisers. Despite 300 years reserves of coal Royal Mail's Parcelforce, at the cost of thou- to Cardiff Royal Infirmary have shown they are beneath our feet, we now import the majority of ~nds of jobs. The ·reforms" of the health not prepared to take these cuts lying down. our energy needs. All our social and welfare service and education are steadily destroying Through strong trade union organisation and services, all our industrial and transport infra- fundamental working class services at the strike action workers have forced their em- structure are being destroyed by Government point of greatest need, as well as chucking ployers to shelve plans at both workplaces. policy. This Government cares not one jot for the thousands of skilled and able workers on the But if we are to win the big battles ahead we will people ofthis nation, and it shows. Oneperson in dole. Hundreds of thousands of civil service need to link up across the public sector. 603 is a millionaire, yet we have the lowest and local government workers are at the same Joint leaflets, public meetings, demonstrations unemployment pay in the EEC at 14% of gross time being made to compete for their own and eventually strikes can stop the Tories in wages, compared to 90% in Denmark. This is the jobs. their tracks. This is why we need a fighting least popular government since opinion polling Ironically, this is all being done in the name of public alliance. Make sure your branch dis- began in 1940, and in a recent radio phone in poll, 92% of people wanted an immediate Gen- the market. "The market knows best" we are cusses this initiative and sends delegates to eral Election, presumably to put rightthe dreadful told. And yet the Tories denounced this very the January conference. Solidarity Forever! mistake they made last time. same market as irrational and irresponsible in Jeremy Drinkall NUCPS September when it delivered its verdict on The Labour opposition has come to the conchi- sion that under such circumstances, the opposi· British capitalism and the pound! Needless to tions sole job is to oppose. say, it is the working class who are being made PUBLIC to pay for the mess in the bosses economy - The Parliamentary agenda, the ·Order Paper" is SECTOR by tradition totally controlled by the ruling party, with our jobs and our services. So much for to such an extent that no timetable or agenda Major's "classless" society! ALLIANCE paper need be published in advance. It is in order But the Tories cannot and must not be allowed CONFERENCE for it to be announced on the day, as the session to get away with it. Workers' solidarity can starts. This makes it very difficult for the oppos~ stop them in their tracks. The Tories have got SATURDAY JAN 23rd tion to plan it's position on the matters of the day. their plan. Their attacks on the rail and on the Normally most legislation will pass through many NHS, in the town halls and in the schools all Transport House stages of "White Paper", "Green Paper", discus- have one objective - to make ordinary workers 9.30 am to 4.30 pm, £5 per delegate. sions of Draft Bills in committee, etc., and the pay for the recession. It is time that we got a This conference is supported by opposition has plenty of time to make up it's plan. It is time we got together with one the Trade Unions in the Public mind, but the Government has the power to objective - to save our jobs, our unions, our Sector and will feature major bypass all that if it wishes and stick what it likes keynote speakers. services and our communities. on the ·Orde r Paper" when it likes, because there Registrationdetailsfrom the Secretary, are no written rules. Cardiff Trades Council has called a Public KeithEvans,109 LydstepFlats,Gabalfa, However at each vote in Parliament the oppos~ Sector Alliance Conference for January 23rd Tel 623927 or JeremyDrinkall,Tel 497274 at Transport House to help kickstart the tion has only the the specific piece of legislation, as it is presented, to vote on, not some broader principle. Each Bill has to be judged on it's merits alone, and unless it is totally in accord with it, in all it's detail, the opposition is right to -- WORKING TOGETHER IN WALES oppose. This Government is now so far beyond Wales Co-operative Centre prOvides Free Services to help create employment the pail that it must be opposed at every oppor- through Workers' Co-operatives. tunity, without compromise, inor out of Parliament. Workers' Co-operatives are democratic businesses which two or more people Paddy Ashdown meanwhile seems destined to can run, pooling resources and responsibility. Profits are shared, and each go down in history as the Liberal Democrat leader who kept the worst Tory Government ever member is personally involved in the quality of product or service. in office, if his MPs follow him obediently into the Wales Co-operative Centre has Development Officers based in Bangor, Government lobby that is. By the time you read Wrexham, Ca'rmarthen and Merthyr Tydfil, as well as marketing, training and this the result will have come and gone, but if he fmandal advisors based in Cardiff. has kept the Tories in power any credibility hehad - FIND OUT MORE _ is gone, his political career is finished, and the Liberal Democrats will probably disappear with by phoning Cardiff (0222) 554955 him. WALES CO-OPERATIVE CENTRE Alex Bird, GPMU. The Labour party is of course in favour of the Treaty of CANOLFAN CYD-WEITHREDOL CYMRu Maastricht, the whole one with the Social Chapter, that Llandaff Court, Fairwater Road, CARDIFFCF5 2XP is, not John Major's expurgated version. That however Founded by Wales rue. Sponsored by Welsh Office, Welsh fell in Denmark, as the preamble clearly states it must Development Agency, Mid Wales Development, E.E.e., County, be ratified by all countries or it cannot come into force. Borough and District councils of Wales The recent ratification by France, and any further attempt at ratification here is pointless, as itis already dead. If we wantto proceed with a closer Europe a new treaty is required. 6 Mon Nov 9th - Amnesty Intemational Meeting, The Asylum Bill, a talk by Rita Austin ofthe Welsh Refugee not under 18 or over 60, have not stayed on in LISTINGS Council. Friends Meeting House, Charles Street, education because they can't find work, are not 7.30pm. on a semkompulsory training course or Enter- Each issue features a listings column. Send us Sat Nov 14th - Conference against Racist Murders prise Allowance and who have not been dis- details of your meetings or events, regular or one & Attacks. Organised by ARA and Greenwich Coun- qualified for not 'actively seeking' jobs which do cil. Details Tel 499769. off, and we will include it for FREE. not exist." The figures compilied by the Alternate Mondays at Chapter Arts Centre, 7.30pm, Wed Nov 18th - Wales Pensioners AGM, Transport independant Unemployment Unit on the 1979 Canton and Riverside CND. Details from Ann Lukes, House. Further details from Les Paul, Tel 225141. basis, which are very much in line with those Tel.. 221841. Sat Nov 21st - United Nations Assn Christmas Fayre, compiled by Eurostat, the EC statistical office First and Third Monday each month, Penarth CND. Temple of Peace. were 3,998,000 in September, and so will be Upstairs lounge, Albert Road Community Centre, Sat Nov 21st - Demo against the Asylum Bill in well over 4 million by now. 7.30pm. London. Coaches will be laid on by Wales ARA. Source; Unemployment Unit, 409 Brixton Road, Details Tel 499769. Second and Fourth Mondays of each month. Amnesty London SW9 70G. International, Friends Meeting House, Charles Street. Mon Nov 30th- Fri Dec 4th. In the week of World 7.30pm. AIDS Day on Dec Ist,Thames TV are once again Second Tuesday each month. Roath Action for producing a series of programmes, AIDS Update Western Mail & Echo Private Tenants. Venue details from Keiron Hatton at '92, 1O.40pm on HTV.There will also be a campaign make the news, Adamsdown Law Centre, Tel 498117. organised by the Cardiff Aids Helpline, details of how but do they report it? you can help from PO Box 34, cardiff CF2 4NE Last Tuesday of each month, Cowbridge Peace Mr Bob Tyler, a GPMU member, with the Tues Dec 1st - Charter for Pension Fund Democ- Group. Chapel Cottage, Colwinston, 7.30pm. unions backing, has taken the Western Mail & racy, Founding Conference. The conference is aimed First and Third Wednesday of each month, Caerphilly Echo to an Industrial Tribunal for unfair dismissal primarily at member trustees, but is open to anyone CND. Workers' Hall (Back entrance) Behind Snooker and won. In a unanimous decision the Tribunal Hall. who has an interest in representing beneficiaries. Camden Centre, Nr Kings Cross, London, 2.oopm. awarded him £10,000 compensation. As a First Wednesday and Third Friday of each month, £11.75, concessions £5.88. Details from PIRC, result the GPMU are considering other similar Llandaff and Fairwater CND. Venue details Tel.. Challoner House, 19-21 Clerkenwell Close, London claims against the Western Mail & Echo and 552825. ECIR OM. Tel 071-972-9060. other regional newspapers. Maybe I missed it, Second Wednesday of each month, Cardiff Ant~ Fri Dec 11th - The European Community - Develop- but I don't remember seeing that story in their Apartheid meets at the WAAM office, 224 City Road mentaned Democracy. 9.30am to 3. 30pm, £25 inc papers! at 7.30pm. lunch. Speakers include Lord Howe, Dr Endre Juhasz Last Wednesday of each month (except Aug. & and Wayne David MEP. Details from WCIA, Temple UNION EYES is published by Cardiff Trades Dec.), 5.30pm - MSF Insurance Branch meets atthe of Peace, Cardiff. Council and edited by Alex Bird Oddfellows Club, Newport Rd., Cardiff. Sat Jan 23rd - Public Sector Alliance conference Printed by Fingerprints (TU) Job No. FP4385 First Thursday each month, Mid Glamorgan CND. organised by Cardiff Trades Council. Transport Write to the Editor:- Otley Arms, Pontypridd, 7.oopm. House, 9.30am. The conference will feature major Second Thursday of the month. Wales - Cuba Re- keynote speakers from the Labour and Trades c/o Fingerprints, Pen-y-Wain Lane, Roath, source Centre meets at the Adult Education Centre, Union movement, and is sponsored by the Public CARDIFF CF2 3NH. Tel. 482582 Fax499429 28 The Parade, Cardiff, 7.oopm. Sector Unions. Further details from the Secretary, The opinions expressed in Union Eyes are not Keith Evans, 109 Lydstep Flats, Gabalfa, Cardiff Third Thursday each month, Transport House, necessarily those of the Trades Union Council CF4 2QX, Tel 623927 7:00pm, Cardiff Trades Union Council. unless rndicated. All material is copyright Car- Third Thursday each month, Gwaelod-y-Garth Peace diff Trades Union Council © 1992 unless other- Group, Village Hall, 8.oopm. Unemployment hits 4 million wise indicated. Reproduction is welcomed by Third Thursday each month, Llanishen CND. Church Forget the Official "figures". As we are all, I'm sympathetic publications, and all fees will nor- Hall, Heol Hir, 7.30pm. sure, only too well aware the official total for mally be waived, provided publication is not for Last Thursday every second month, (odds) - Cardiff unemployment is almost 3 million. However profit, and a credit is given. Action for Fair Elections (a non party pressure group since the Tories came to power in 1979 they for Proportional Representation), Roath Community For further details on the Trades Union Council have altered the basis on which the "figures" are and its activities, or for affiliation details, con- Centre, Ninian Road, 8.oopm. Contact Charlie compiled over 20 times, so they now should be Pearcy, Tel. 619890. tact the Secretary, Keith Evans, 109 Lydstep titled "The number of those people unemployed Flats, Gabalfa, Cardiff CF4 2QX, Tel 623927. Every Saturday, 10.00am 'til 5.30pm. - Peace In- who are able to succesfully obtain benefit, are formation Stall run by Cardiff Peace Shop in the Hayes, opposite Mothercare. First and third Saturday every month, 10.ooam til 5.oopm. - Anti Apartheid Information stall run by UNION OF SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE W:i~E~A~~~;E:r~~~T~E Cardiff Anti Apartheid Group, in the Hayes, next to AND ALLIED WORKERS CARDIFF CFl 4RN the Peace Stall. Woodcraft Folk, the cooperative youth movement. Regular meetings. Details from John Gurr, 484041. Greenpeace Support Group meets regularly at Fight with Usdaw against low Ray Intervol. Contact Brigette Wilson, Tel 691310. Fri Oct 30th - World Aids Day Seminar, Ferrier Hall, City Hall. Details from Cardiff Aids Helpline, PO Box SUDDortwomen in full-or 34, Cardiff CF2 4NE. Sat Nov 7th - Part Time Workers Conference, Trans- port House. Organised by Women's Advisory Com- Dart-time jobs, ,Olng workers mittee of Wales TUC. Details from Simon Jones, Wales TUC, Tel: 372345. ,andever,one fighting for Sat Nov 7th - Health, Wealth & Poverty. A conference organised by the Socialist Health Association at Camden Town Hall. 10.30am. £15/5. Details from a decent wage. SHA, Tel 071 7036838. Sat Nov 7th - ARA demo in London in memory of Rohit Dugall, the 16 year old boy murdered near the BNP headquarters. Details from Wales ARA, Tel UNION OF SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND 499769. ALLIED WORKERS

7 One Day Strike at Those Blasted Tenants Road, Gibbonsdown, Barry CF6 3DA. The summer issue isthe first of anoccasional Paper Companies House from Roath Action for Private Tenants. Although a 'The wales Yearbook 1993 local group, the paper contains horror stories of On Friday 7th August, CPSA and NUCPS The third edition of what can .only be described as appalling landlords from all over Wales, plus advice the Wales political "Bible". Deadly dull, yet fascinat- members in Companies House sent a shock on how to fight them. ing. An absolute goldmine for election data, unem- wave to management. After years of defeats, 4pp A3, No cover price. Availablefrom RoathAction ployment statistics, population data, and lots of victimisations and an injunction against strike for Private Tenants, 15 Splott Road, Cardiff CF2 addresses. Simplyand logically arranged. Essential. action, management at the civil service agency 2BU, or tel 498117. 380pp soft cover A5, ISBN0 9500429 4 3. £11.50 thought they had the unions licked. A one-