Hospital workers strike to defend trade union rights

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HUNDREDS of hospital workers struck at Southampton General Hospital on Friday 8 June. The strike was a response to local management's attempts to discipline NUPE shop stewards for out their Calle activities.

The two stewards, NUPE branch secretary Steve Ferris Chris Buckingham, secretary of the joint shop stewarus committee, faced dismissal following the tearing up agreed facility by manageaureements ment.

The strike follows the discovery bugging at a mass meeting called to discuss Eleve timisations. Management's action is seen as an attempt to break the most of the workforce before planned services later in the year.

Wider political issues involved, because Steve Ferris is past president of Southampton Trades Council leading member of the left in Southampton Labour NUPE has been at the forefront of support for the miners locally, with the facilities of the district office being turned over to striking South Wales miners.

The strike is seen as the beginning of a fightback. As Chris said: 'It is a measure of the strength and solidarity for the stewards who are being by ment.' • Messages of support 1o:

Office, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton.