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Ballots and lobbies in Pontefract

PONTEFRACT'S 70-strong "Keep Our NHS Public" meeting unanimously supported the proposal to set up a broad-based campaign to defend local health services and fight NHS privatisation. If we don't organise a fight-back now, the health service will be destroyed.

Mick Griffiths Wakefield and Pontefract hospitals UNISON branch secretary (personal capacity)

The follow-up organising committee meeting of 25 people decided to organise regular public activities to build local support for national lobbies of September's Labour conference and of parliament on 25 October.

We plan a march and rally in Pontefract on 30 September and possible lobbies against the local health Trust Board and against all four local New Labour MPs who kept silent while the Trust was making health workers' jobs redundant.

The Royal College of Nursing together with UNISON have lodged a collective dispute against the Trust calling for a halt in the staffing review process. In its haste to make 'savings', the Trust tried to railroad through huge workforce changes. We're demanding the status quo while real negotiations take place.

Management made no concessions at the 18 August dispute hearing. So the joint trade union staff side unanimously decided to conduct a consultative ballot for industrial action.

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