The Yorkshire Area Couneil of the National Union of Miners is calling on its members to mount a Ballots will be held across the Yorkshire coalfield in the next few weeks on this recommendation, one-day strike in solidarity with the nurses pay struggle.
and if successful a date will then be set for the strike.
The Yorkshire miners action should serve as an example for the entire workers" movement. The nurses are a key sector of workers, providing an essential social service. but their pay and conditions are absolutely atrocious.
For years they have been taught that they are not workers but members of a 'profession", and that their first responsibility is to their patients. But increasingly nurses are coming to see through such arguments, which are only excuses to them miserable wages and squeeze the maximum amount of work out of them.
Nurses can see that those who lecture them on responsibility to their patients are the very same people who cut back on the money available for the health service, allow overcrowding of health facilities, and are responsible for dangerous staff shortages.
Nurses are fed up. They are waging a militant struggle for their demands, despite the opposition of the Labour Government and the reluctance of the trade union leaders.
The Labour Government has ofFered them nothing except an 'inquiry. This may take months, dur ing which time spiralling prices will continue to cut into the nurses tiny paypackets, No substantial pains will be won from the Labour Govcrament except by mass action.
But there are limits beyond which nurses industrial action cannot go without hurting the patients, most of whom are working people.
It is up to the labour movement to see that the nurses are not caught in the horrible dilemina of having choose between their patients immediate well-being and an effective fight for decent wages and a better health service. All trade unjonists must show that they are prepared, on behalf of the nurses, to take whatever action is necessary to force the Government to get When the Yorkshire NUM sets its date for strike action, workers throughout the country, especially miners in other areas, should plan to join them. Every trade unionist should strike and demonstrate to show the Government that they are behind the nurses, and to serve notice that trade unionists will act again, even more forcefully, if the does not meet the nurses" demands.
A blow struck for the nurses is a blow for the entire working class: It is a blow against low pay, for a better health service for working people, and against the social contrack and any form of wage restraint