keeps women in slavery.
DIMEN PPORT THE WINERS CLOSURES COAL gainst pen closure SOCIALIST OUTLOOK looks back to the role played last miners strike by women in the pit communities and in local support groups. ANNE-MARIE SWEENEY was an activist in the Oxford Womens Support Group (WSG) and wrote about that group's support for the women from Maerdy, South Wales, in the book The Miners Strike in Oxford'. IN MAY 1984 we recognised that a movement was develo ping - one that was to become one of the most essential factors in the strength and determination of the 12-month strike and the support it received.
In ue speeces tal women mado it was emphasised not restrict itself to the running of the food centres Jenny alone.
These women were not ships the families were enduring, but were arguing a political case for the miwre were wiessing he eins gence of a mass movement of wording cas women commited with an enorgy and passion which emment and win a victory for the miners. We wanted to give what The women from Maerdy faced many battles ahead, and one which the Maerdy and Oxford WSGs both share is that of Sightn; low trade unionists. This could take blatant forms -udging women at support meet. ngs not in terms of their political contribution but in terms of their legs: disregarding the aspects of work that women take seriously; putting womens reports at the botom o the acon: not oncour ging women to take part in deci ion-making or political discussion: relegating them solely to food col lection and distribution - on the assumption that's all they understand: speaking too long; and interrupting and dominating meet *None of the NUM spaakors could convey the sufferings of the mining communities as well as the women. But that was not all that the We were witnessing the emergence of a mass movement of working class women with an energy and passion which inspired us all ...
women could convey. The rapid development of their political awareness during the strike meant Inat women were eager to watch the news, End out what was going on at lodge meet ings, and be prepared to speak out n meetings attacking bureaucrati moves and erross or out virulent condemnation of, tor example, Kinnock and the TUC leaders...
In between speaking at moot. ings, press interviews and helping collections, the women took the opportunity to go round Oxford's tourist attractions with mem. bers of Oxford MSG.
They were dumbfounded at the beauty of some of the colleges and grounds, and expressed anger and rustration at the privileges be stowed on the children of the upper classes, while they were fighting or the right of their i children to go 600 yards underground in the hazardous, oppressive conditions of work, digging up coal.
They realised it was not an automatic privilege of those living in kers Ihing in Cowley share similar with those in the Rhondda, if not to the same extent (youth unemployment in the Rhondda is 70 per cent). There are many lesthe strike, but one of them is that while celebrating collective strength we must respect and acknowedge the worth of contributions, women, as individuals, make to that colective whole, especially given the odds they are working against The Maerdy pit closed in 1990. No. 38 Feb 27, 1993