No new incinerator in Barnstaple!

In conjunction with Devon County Council, North Devon Council has approved in principle the plan to build a rubbish incinerator as part of the redevelopment of a stretch of land by the river Taw in Barnstaple. The proposed incinerator would burn 50,000 tonnes of waste per year and is intended to ensure that the local authority complies with the European Union Landfill Directive, which aims to reduce the amount of refuse that is disposed of in landfill rubbish dumps.

However, these incinerators have been linked to a number of health problems, including increased risk of heart disease and cancer. They can release heavy metals, fine particulates (linked to cancer and heart disease) as well as polluted water, which could be an issue considering the site is a flood plain. They also release dioxins, the chemical implicated in the Irish pork recall.

The location of the mooted incinerator is right bang in the centre of town. Surrounding it is housing, retail units and the new further education college will be built next door! Downwind of it is more housing as well as a large secondary school. It is estimated that most, if not all, of the 25,000 residents of Barnstaple and nearby villages will be exposed.

A meeting for those opposed to the scheme was arranged last Tuesday (9th December). Two anti-incinerator campaigners from Cornwall were the invited speakers, and gave an in depth analysis of the environmental and health dangers, as well as emphasising that there needed to be a positive argument for an alternative, which could help comply with the EU Directive as well as provide a means to use the waste as a potential resource, rather than just get rid of it.

Much helpful practical advice was given, in terms of contacting officials and finding out information. However, the Socialist Party members present at the meeting made the point that getting over a technically and legally correct argument, while useful, would not win the campaign by itself. What is needed is to involve the citizens of Barnstaple in stopping this threat, by campaigning in the town and on the estates, and ultimately putting immense pressure on the Council. Both Lib Dem County Councillors in the town support the scheme, and are up for reelection next year, while the Lib Dem MP, up against a strong Tory challenge at the next election, is 'keeping an open mind', which translated means 'waiting to see which way the wind blows'.

The scheme is at an early stage at the moment, as is the campaign. North Devon Socialist Party intends to work and make the necessary arguments to stop these potentially dangerous plans.

Successful first meeting of North Devon Socialist Party

Last Thursday marked the first meeting of the Socialist Party’s new North Devon branch. New members from Barnstaple (pictured left) and Braunton, a mixture of youth and experience, met in Barnstaple Library to listen to an introduction given by Robin Clapp, the South West regional secretary.

The introduction was wide ranging, from the current economic situation to the role of the Socialist Party locally, nationally and (for the CWI) internationally. This was followed by a discussion of how the Socialist Party could work in the current climate to get our ideas across and shape events, which all who attended contributed to. There was agreement with Robin’s point about our work, in workplaces, colleges, and the wider world, was about a dialogue with working class people, listening being as important as getting our own views and analysis of events across.

We discussed how the party would build in North Devon, a large rural area with dispersed population, low union membership and no real history of left activity. It was agreed that our activities needed to be centred around helping youth and workers to organise, at the local Further Education College, individual workplaces and unions and through setting up a local branch of the National Shop Stewards Network. In addition to leading the fightback against low pay and exploitation at work, the point was raised that young people in particular need help in combatting the growing authoritarianism of the police and local councils.

Ambitious but achievable targets have been set for raising fighting fund and attending national and regional events, new members being very keen to learn more and get active. We are a small branch, aware of the challenges as well as opportunities of working as socialists in Britain in 2008. We are optimistic about the impact we can have in North Devon, while realising that it will take consistent hard work and patience to achieve what we want to.

Decontamination threat update - NDDH Trust decides to delay decision

In response to the many postcards sent to the Trust Chief Executive and the criticisms of the scheme by health unions, clinicians and professional bodies, the North Devon Healthcare Trust has decided to delay a decision on whether to outsource sterile services to private company Decon Sciences until September.

It has become clear to the Trust that there are serious deficiencies with the plan to privatise the services, including financial considerations on top of the health, practical and environmental problems previously outlined by Devon Socialist Party, and by UNISON and professional bodies such as the Royal College of Surgeons.

Six options are now being investigated by the Trust:

1. Do nothing;
2. On-site at NDDH;
3. Collaborate with a smaller number of Trusts to create an NHS-provided service;
4. Collaborate with a smaller number of Trusts with an outsourced provider;
5. Investigate a partnership with private healthcare providers such as BUPA;
6. Create a local NHS service, provided off-site.

Devon Socialist Party would favour options 1 and 2, which appear to be the same but differently worded. The current service is very effective. The Healthcare Commission's 2007 Report on North Devon District Hospital noted that "medical devices which can be re-used were properly cleaned in well-run decontamination facilities." There is no clinical rationale for outsoucing the services. Additionally, the distance of a Taunton facility could cause supply problems. The need for Decon Sciences to turn a profit could lead to the cutting of corners, as has happened elsewhere when Sterile Supplies services have been contracted out.

Sterile Supplies needs to be LOCAL.
Sterile Supplies services need to be done by the NHS.

Please continue to send postcards, letters and emails to Trust Chief Executive Jac Kelly.

South and East Devon strike report

This strike had a very local feeling with many picket lines within easy reach in many of the small towns in Devon. The holiday resorts of Teignmouth and Dawlish had four picket lines resulting in the closure of three schools and very dubious lack of Health and Safety cover in the other. Classroom assistants, technicians and caretakers were at the forefront in a determination to make a stand against low pay. This was their first taste of strike action and many felt that this was not the last against what they see as a paycut. What was surprising was how quickly they have learned to organise themselves into effective pickets given how little industrial action has occurred in this area over the past decades.

Towns such as Torquay, Totnes also saw schools and libraries close with disruptions in bin collections. In North Devon, Barnstaple Civic Centre had only a few going in but there was reports of agency staff covering for normal staff. Unison is following up this 'scabbing' with legal action. It was reported that one of the UNISON members was calling for unions to put up their own candidates in elections. Socialist Party members donated to the strike fund. These are things that the Campaign for a New Workers' Party fully supports.

Plymouth and Exeter saw fairly well attended demonstrations. However the impression of the 48hr strike was that this was about workers taking widespread strike action in their local area. As one picket said "We did not take serious action against pensions - but now our backs are against the wall and this is serious business, our bills have gone through the roof and we must defend ourselves and our families."

Report by SB, Secretary of Devon and Exeter Socialist Party

North Devon strike report

The national strike action called by UNISON Local Government workers met with a great response in North Devon. Pickets were out in force in a variety of places and were upbeat and in good humour.

Around 35 were present at the Works Unit in Seven Brethren and about 15 at the main entrance to the Civic Centre. Other places picketed included the Social Services offices near Bear Street car park.

Barnstaple library, Lynton House and several schools (including Ilfracombe College, Pilton Community College, Hatfields, Chaddiford Lane and Forches) were closed.

Very few UNISON members went into work. At the Civic Centre, only 3 'exempt' members did so, because they are in their last year of retirement and even these made their support for the strike known by wearing stickers. Only 2 UNISON members went into the Works Unit, much to the disgust of pickets who feel that these people should resign from the union. After all, why should they expect any future help and support when they have let down the strikers and flagrantly flouted the democratic ballot that decided on the strike.

The use of agency staff at the Works Unit has been called into question by UNISON. Colin Lewis, a UNISON steward at the Works Unit, quoted on the North Devon Journal website, says that agency workers were deployed to perform tasks they are not contracted to perform, and have never done so before. For instance, two agency workers who usually work on recycling vehicles had been working on refuse lorries on Wednesday. UNISON are threatening legal action because of this. The agency in question, Abacus, have denied strikebreaking, but it's interesting that no agency workers turned up to the Works Unit today.

Despite affecting their pay on these two days, UNISON members are convinced they are right to strike because they have reached the point where they have no alternative, to stop their living standards deteriorating further. Their resolve is even stronger given the recent figures revealing the inflation rate is rising even further, compared with the pay offer.

Their contempt for New Labour was clear. They no longer see it as the party for working people and one of them suggested that the time had come for the unions to stand their own candidates in elections.

By DL, a North Devon UNISON Health member

Pictures of today's strike action in Barnstaple

At the civic centre:





























At Lampard Community School:














At the Works Unit at Seven Brethren:





























Photos courtesy of Mark Bennett, North Devon UNISON member

Unity in action - together we can win!

In a show of unity and strength, public sector workers across Devon and the country have gone on strike in coordinated joint action. Taking part were teachers (from the NUT), further education lecturers (UCU) and workers in the Department of Work and Pensions (Jobcentre Plus) and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (both PCS).

For teachers and lecturers, the main reason behind the strike was pay, triggered by an insulting below-inflation 'pay rise' for teachers and the continued underpayment of lecturers in further education. For the civil servants, pay is also an issue (a three year pay deal where some will receive a complete pay freeze!), but also privatisation and job cuts led to action. Teachers and lecturers are also concerned with this, as well as increasing workload.

In North Devon, all secondary schools were closed for the day, a reflection of the anger and determination felt by NUT members. At North Devon College there was a tremendous 35-strong picket. Socialist Party members joining the picket to offer support were received well. The lecturers were pleased at the turnout, and one striker revealed that the strike had led to several inquiries from non-UCU members about joining the union. The problems faced by workers in further education in organising effective action centre around the multitude of different unions involved and increasing casualisation. Workers are organised not just into the UCU, but also the ATL, ASCL, UNISON and GMB. Anti-trade union laws mean that without a full ballot members of these organisations could be victimised for participating in action with the UCU.

The increasing casualisation at the college means that about half of the teaching staff are employed on an ad hoc hourly basis. This insecure and irregular employment is bad for the lecturers and their students, and obviously makes them very reluctant to raise their heads above the parapet and take part in strike action. All of this illustrates the need to organise united action across all public sector unions, and build a new political alternative to the main parties, which would enthusiastically campaign against the restrictive anti-trade union laws introduced by the Tories and kept on the statute book by New Labour.

Socialist Students and Socialist Party members also attended pickets at South Devon College and Exeter College. A lot of students signed our petition expressing support for the strikers. Many students also took part in the rally organised by the UCU from Exeter College to a rally held at St James Park, Exeter City's ground.

The rally, organised by Devon NUT, was incredibly well attended. The room was full to bursting and many people had to hand around outside the room and listen in. The broad range of speakers representing unions from the NUT, to UNISON, UCU, FBU, PCS and back to NUT (well it was their rally!) was admirable, as was the consistent theme of public sector unity. Addressing the rally, PCS National Executive member and Socialist Party member Mark Baker stressed the need for a political alternative to the main parties (all of whom condemned the strike action) and for unity: "On our own we can't defeat Gordon Brown's pay freeze. Together we can, together we will."

Eight members of the Socialist Party attended the rally. One of these, student teacher Jim Thomson, spoke from the floor following the main speeches. He stressed the need to combat the neo-liberal policies of New Labour and the other two main parties. The disaster of privatisation and private involvement in public services is clear, and he gave the local example of the costly and unpopular PFI scheme which rebuilt Exeter's secondary schools. Obviously, as well as industrial struggles to fight for 'public services not private profit' there will need to be political struggles too, which means unionists and campaigners must build a new party to represent the case for well funded public services where the priority is serving those who use it, and not lining the pockets of fat cats.

The rally ended with a tribute from the South West regional secretary of the NUT, Andy Woolley, to the late NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott. The tribute, like the rally and the atmosphere on picket lines, was positive and celebratory. All those present were aware, as Steve Sinnott was, that this action was the beginning, not the end, and that more struggles lie ahead for teachers and all public sector workers, in getting a decent pay rise, stopping job cuts and privatisation, and starting the fightback against neo-liberalism and the idea that public service = bad, and private profit = good.

Unity in action - 24th April joint public sector strike - some pictures

From the top:

Photos 1 and 2 - Strikers at North Devon College in Barnstaple.
Photo 3 - A picture from the well-attended rally held at Exeter City's St James Park.
Photo 4 - Socialist Party member and PCS National Executive member Mark Baker addresses the rally.
Photos 5 and 6 - Jim Thomson, a student teacher and member of Exeter Socialist Party, speaks at the rally.
Photo 7 - The picket line at Exeter College.
Photos 8 and 9 - The UCU, with supporters including members of the Socialist Party and Socialist Students, march to St James Park.

North Devon District Hospital - Decontamination Threat

In NHS hospitals Sterile Supplies departments fulfil a vital function by making sure that surgeons have everything they need during operations, including thoroughly sterilised equipment. Last year the Government falsely claimed (based on distorted interpreatations of relevant information) that these departments weren't meeting the standards of service expected of them.

Of course, you can decide for yourself whether this was deliberate or not, but the New Labour Government's obsession with privatisation seems to override any other consideration. After all, it wouldn't be the first time that they'd eased the path for private healthcare parasites to make good money out of the NHS.

Traditionally, and with good reason, NHS Sterile Supplies Departments are based in hospitals near to where they are needed, operating theatres for example. Now, the Department for Health has plans to replace these services with regional 'super-centres' run by the private sector. In the South West this would be in Taunton.

In April Northern Devon Healthcare Trust board will decide whether to accept the 'in-house' tender from North Devon District Hospital's Sterile Supplies Department or the one from the private sector company in Taunton - Decon Sciences. If the Trust Board accepts the outside tender the contract will be for 20 years. The contract may also include penalty clauses which would hit the Trust with a large amount of money to pay if they decide to pull out of the contract. Even if there are penalty clauses if Decon Sciences don't deliver an acceptable service 20 years is still an enormous commitment, especially if the standard of service isn't up to scratch..

With the existing services, the safety of patients is paramount. In the hands of private companies profit is the main motive, so the danger is always there that the company may cut corners to save money (and so make more money).

The British Orthopaedic Association has expressed its firm opposition to these developments. They are concerned with the threat these changes pose to the quality of care they can give to patients. For surgery, it is essential that sterilised equipment is readily available. If it isn't, there's a danger that the start of an operation will be delayed or unnecessary equipment won't be available if something unexpected happens. Either of these might mean the operation not being as successful as it would normally be. There is also a danger that infection rates might rise.

This isn't just scaremongering. One of these 'super-centres' opened in Birmingham last year. In the 6 months up to September 2007 there were 3,400 decontamination 'clinical incidents'. These included mislabelled, damaged, mixed up and badly packaged instruments. One Birmingham-based consultant pointed out that in one instance they had to open up 7 sets of surgical instruments before they got the properly sterilised ones they needed.

In the case of North Devon, there's an even bigger problem - the hospital is in Barnstaple, the supplier is in Taunton! The danger of greater delays in therefore greatly increased, along with the possibility of the items being contaminated in transit.

As socialists we are particularly concerned about the welfare of the staff at the centre of this storm - through no fault of their own. What protection would they have if Decon got the contract? Well, they get the glorious opportunity to work for Decon Sciences, i.e. move to Taunton or have to commute there. If they decide to stay with North Devon Trust they'll be given other employment, but how suitable or acceptable this might be to them is open to question. Considering there doesn't seem to be any problem with the past standards of service provided by these Sterile Supplies staff, all this must be doubly upsetting and annoying for them.

Whatever the cost might be to keep the existing service at North Devon District Hospital, at least it would mean that the department remained conveniently on-site and under the control of the local Trust. Some other facts also need to be taken into account. What effect would the proposed change have on the welfare of future patients in North Devon needing surgery of some kind? The risk of something going wrong just because instruments aren't properly sterilised or available when needed - is the hospital Trust Board prepared to face the possible consequences? Also, not all of (our!) public money paid to Decon Sciences would just be for services provided - a certain percentage would be given to them just to line the pockets of their shareholders.

Despite pressure from the Government to accept this, these changes aren't inevitable. Plans in Oxford were successfully opposed. Closer to home, the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Trust has declined to use the Taunton 'super-centre'. The Northern Devon Healthcare Trust Board isn't going to make its final decision until early April so there's still time to turn back from going down this potentially serious, risky and dangerous path.

UNISON branch officials in North Devon have been working with the hospital's Sterile Supplies staff to fight these plans. But they need more support. You can help by doing one or more of the following -

- Get your trade union branch to send messages of support to Northern Devon UNISON Healthcare branch. Pauline Brennan is the branch secretary. She can be reached at Level 3, North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, EX31 4JB or by email at northdevonhealth@hotmail.co.uk.

- Express your opposition to these plans by writing to or emailing the local MP Nick Harvey, your councillors, the Hospital Trust Chief Executive (Mrs Jac Kelly, North Devon District Hospital, Raleigh Park, Barnstaple, EX31 4JB) and your own GP.

Also please write to the North Devon Journal and North Devon Gazette.

Save our NHS national demo - free bus places left

On Saturday 3rd November there will be a national 'Save our NHS' demonstration in central London. Socialist Party members will be out in force as always, arguing not just that the NHS is an essential serve, but that the privatisation and introduction of markets and competition needs to be stopped and reversed.

The NHS needs to be a public funded and democratically run organisation to be a success. Cuts and siphoning off money to the wallets of rich shareholders of PFI and private health companies removes money from front line services and results in overstretched staff, fewer services and the rise of the superbugs MRSA and C. difficile.

The demonstration, organised by the health union UNISON, starts at 11am at Temple Place, Victoria Embankment. UNISON in Exeter and Barnstaple are running buses to (and from) the demo. There are still free seats left on the buses, which leave Exeter at 7am and Barnstaple at 5.30am (from the Square). If you are interested in getting the Exeter bus, please contact Jim at maj_mij@hotmail.co.uk. If you are interested in getting the Barnstaple bus, please contact Sue Harte on 01271 322353 or unisonhealthndevon@hotmail.co.uk .

It is still time to drive out the profiteers and save the NHS! Please make it to the demonstration if you can!

Recent postal action update from 'the socialist'

PUBLIC SUPPORT for the Communication Workers Union (CWU) action remains strong and in Bideford on 2 August only four out of 80 crossed the lines and scabbed. In Ilfracombe only two went in. And in Barnstaple only five out of 138 workers went in with no slippage in support.
Socialist Party members are helping to distribute CWU leaflets and have been approached by CWU reps to start organising a rally with other unions - NUT, UNISON, FBU - and are looking to contacts with the PCS and RMT. The theme will be 'Public Service not Private Profit'. It is hoped to expand this to other areas.

In the 'English Riveria', Torquay, a very effective leadership has led to a solid 100% turnout of CWU members. There are reports of unoffical 'work to contracted hours' and rows over use of workers' own cars, which has saved this bullying management millions of pounds over the years.
This '100%' was reflected in Newton Abbot. Teignmouth remains at 95% out, with reports coming in of agency workers being used. This apparently is illegal and a waste of time - one agency worker finished their round on a non-strike day at 7.30pm!

Sean Brogan

----UPDATE----

Since this was published in 'the socialist' the strike action has been postponed until September. Worringly, negotiations are taking place in secret behind closed doors, with only Royal Mail bosses Leighton and Crozier and CWU General Secretary Billy Hayes and Deputy General Secretary Dave Ward present. It does seem that Hayes and Ward are prepared to just get a few scraps off of Crozier and Leighton, despite the fact that anything short of complete victory for the postal workers in this struggle would open the doors for privatisation and the break up of the postal service which will lead to further setbacks in the future and weaken the power of the union to campaign and fight for its members.

JL

Devon Socialist Party in this weeks 'the socialist' and postal workers campaign update

Presumably owing to space, only one report of the postal strike from Devon appeared in this weeks the socialist, the weekly newspaper of the Socialist Party. That report, on the strike in Barnstaple, can be found here.

Socialist Party members supported pickets in Plymouth, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot and Exeter as well as in North Devon.

There was also a report on the successful new members and contacts meeting we held last week. That cannot be found on the website, so we reprint it here:

New members' meeting

The Socialist Party in Devon held a successful new members' and supporters' meeting where Robin Clapp, the South West regional secretary, answered questions on the Socialist Party's programme, our history and ideas.

The first aim of the meeting was to introduce the Socialist Party's programme to our supporters, many of whom, having only met us in the last few months, had never been to our meetings before. Many at the meeting asked why we follow the ideas of Marxism, and how that relates to our day-to-day campaigning.

Secondly, we hoped that this meeting would make the ideas of Marxism more accessible to newer party members. Many people can find the political terminology and theories complicated. We therefore need to take time to discuss and explain and read so all our members understand why and how Marxism gives us the tools to build a socialist alternative to capitalism. Two people decided to join the Socialist Party after the meeting and we sold six copies of the socialist.

Jim Thomson, Exeter Socialist Party

Meanwhile in a new development, the postal workers union, the CWU have announced fresh strike action starting at 7pm on Thursday 12th July. Devon Socialist Party fully supports this action, and will again do everything we can to support the postal workers, politically and practically, in any way we can, in what may become a protracted struggle. The future of tens of thousands of jobs, the pay and conditions for those who keep their jobs, and our postal service is at stake.

Postal strike - brief update

This is only a brief update on today's postal strike, there will be a more detailed report soon, when we have all reports in from Socialist Party members who have supported the postal workers across Devon, from Barnstaple in the north to Plymouth in the south to Exeter in the east, and plenty of places in between.

Generally though, the strike was near solid, and in Newton Abbot it was 100% out. The atmosphere on the picket line was determined and generally there was a good spirit. Our leaflets, copies of the Socialist and support were well received, and the postal workers can be sure we are behind them 100%. Speaking to some of the strikers, it is clear that while they are angry over the 'pay rise' of 2.5% they have been offered (which, with inflation standing at 5%, loss of early start bonuses and strings attached including mass cuts and 40,000 job losses, has got to be one of the measliest 'rises' ever offered), the main reason behind the strike was the privatisation and commercialisation of a public service.

Support for the strike from the general public was high (and very enthusiastic), proving once again that ordinary people can see through the lies, distortions and manipulations of the government and Royal Mail management.

It is not thought that managers working today had much of an impact on the effectiveness of the strike, being collectively described by one worker as 'about as efficient as a sponge in the Sahara desert'!

Concrete steps will now be taken in North Devon to forge public sector unity, by arranging a join meeting of all the public sector unions to move forward, campaign and fight together.