The Folkestone explosion like all 'spontaneous eruptions has a long history. The powers that be - Friday May 16: are an unsophisticated lot. The link up between police, magistrates, teachers, and local worthies is instinctive and uncomplicated by either imagination or liberalism. Consequently they come down equally hard on anyone who breaks out of line in any way. This means rockers, 14 year old girls who read Victor Serge, young seamen who get pissed, grammar school boys who go to political meetings, pot heads, visiting are not cnough trained staff on the wards. especially on night shifts, to ensure that doctors treatment instructions are carried out, Nurses ard expected to work shifts as directed, and frequently do not know until two or three days before exactly when they will be working. Thus any regular social life becomes almost impossible. There is no reason why nurses should not control for themselves who worked when: but this would undermine the hierarchy of "the profession".
Student nurses are supposed to study in their own free time, after putting in a full day's work. Although the idea of training on the ward was first put up just after the last war, very tew hospitals have the staff or the inclination to provide such training. Any murse who speaks out Pie sure of the setaus brought either. Most "Terest to smiley form uni mean just cave in under constant arrassment from Matrons and Sisters. There is no organisation they can tum to for support, and solidarity is non-existent as yet.
Nearly every nurse you talk to will grumble and complain about her conditions. But they are all afraid of victimisation. They are trapped by a professional ethos which denies them the right to organise for basic rights because "militancy they "want results".
Bobbies come down High Street, after closing time. Find usual congregation talking in the road (a virtual precinct banned to all but commercial vehicle and fuzz cars). Among them was a fairly large contingent of well seasoned merchant seamen who probably disliked being punched around by fuzz several years younger than they. Bobbies aggrievedly tell people to move on -nobody takes much notice-- they can approach Harry Brunt, tell Mr. Brunt to move on. Mr. nurses goes totally unrepresented. Since the militant agitation started, the RCN has issued a keeping wages down. "Nows Bulletin" for hospital notice boards, telling nurses what they were doing ahout the pay as you cat scheme. This is the first minor victory. What was actually achieved was not the E1 per wook increase in training allowance asked for, but free tea and cocoa.
Despite all the virculation-boosting sympathy for their cause in the bourgeois press, nurses still have to make a concrete gain as a result of recent agitation. They remain one of the worst-paid groups in capitalist society, and then conditions of work border on the foudal. The last pay increase nurses received was five months ago, paid under an agreement reached two years ago The Royal College of Nursing, the principle intending to submit a pay claim until March 1970. By that time, many nurses will either have starved to death or survived by leaving nursing. Even if the voice and opinions of the ordinary nurse were heard on the national negotiating body, the Nurses and Midwives National Whitley Council. there would be little use. The Council is designed to stifle any grass-roots pressure which the Nursing Organisation cannot ggied with an the alleged responsibility of foreign muses in The Nurses Action Group recently former by students and nurses from hospitals in North London, could form a nucleus of a democratic Nurses" Union. The difficulty at the moment is in making contact with nurses and persuading them chat their grievances can only be met by united action. NAG has called a demonstration fo Wednesday June 18th. The demands they are making include a 40-hour week, payments for being on call. duty rotas to be planned well ahead, fair sharing of unpopular hours, longe tine for essential study and no victimisation.
The demonstration will start at 10.30 a.m at Tower Hill, and will go to Parliament by way of Fleer Street. Everyone who can is urged to support the demonstration Dwarf readers should try and contact nurses in their nearest hospital, tell them about the demo, and talk to them about conditions and pay. Frequently, any offers of help in organising tom trade unionists or students, will be greatl appreciated by them.
Further details of the demonstration, and leaflets for distribarion, can be obtained from the Nurses" Action Group, at 23c Bramfield Street, N.I.
Costain are being instigated by five comrades Sunday May 25 - Whit Sunday: A general assembly is advertised and held near Folkestone harbour. A megaphone is used and everyone, especially the many spectators (about 200) is encouraged to speak. Discussion ranged from the events in Folkestone to the brosder issues of capitalism versus socialism, and particularly the mechanics of workers' control in factories. The general reaction of the initially hostile audience is very favourable