miners
By ALAN THORNETT ON January 1. 1986. almost 9 months after the end of the great miners strike of 1984/S. there were still 550 miners sacked and eight still in prison as a result of the strike. The imrisoned miners are: French from Betteshanger, serv. ing 4 years: Chris Tazey. BetThompson, Frickly (3 years):
Sables, Armthorpe (18 Shirebrook (2½ years: Sam Beardsman. Markham; Russell Shankland and Dean Hancock from South Wales serving 8 years.
The labour movement has a clear responsibility not to turn its back on these miners victimised for putting up the greatest fight in detence of jobs seen anywhere in Europe since mass unemployment became a standard organised labour movement over the last 10 years.
These men are the symbol of the defeat of the strike. They have been used by the Coal Board and the Socialist Viewpoint No. 10 February 1985 p9 topmost ranks to the lowest levels. There are strikes and struggles taking place all over the country, with some sections, like the teachers, who never normally take action, being involved But the effect of the problems of leadership and of mass unemployment, a vicious government and a deep capitalist crisis, has meant that these struggles are not more widespread
The working class is being forced to look for political solutions. They must not be left in the hands of the "professional" politicians and TUC tricksters that confine that political solution to one which advances their careers while the capitalist system itself continues to exploit and oppress the working class.
for victimised
Peter Heathfield: backing March 2 demo government to punish the miners tor the stand they made. Most of them are not only victimised in the short term, they are blacklisted in the long term some probably for the rest of their lives.
Those who have turned their backs on this problem - both in the official movement and by withdrawal from
-2nd March
- should think the Support Groups about what it means. This issue now goes far beyond the NUM. The ranks of victimised workers are growing all other employers follow the time as
NCB methods. Silentnight and the
Ffestiniog slate quarry strikes are examples of it.
If there is a lack of resolve on this issue in parts of the labour movement who should know better the NCB has
* not relaxed its line. Where there have been reinstatements they have been
There have been no token.
reinstatements in Kent. In Scotland and the Midlands miners who have
Industrial at their cases won still being
Tribunals not are reinstated. In
Silverwood in South
National Justice for the anniversary of the 1984/85 Miners' Strike
2 years since the Great Strike began 1 year since it ended.
over 500 miners remain sacked and some in gaol the NUM's assets are still held under receivership the NCB continues to ignore agreed procedures more than 30 pits have been closed or are currently threatened
15,000 jobs have been lost
¡Demonstration
1.30pm Jubilee Gardens, County Hall, London SE1 call for
10 the release and reinstatement of all sacked and gaoled miners reimbursement of the NUM's stolen funds
• review of cases of gaoled miners and to show solidarity with the support movement, which has not gone away and which includes women's. gay and lesbian, and black support groups: members of other trade unions and labour movement organisations campaigning groups of miners, and the national and international support network
At 6.00pm banners to be exhibited can be taken to the Albert Hall
Rally
4.30pm Hyde Park
Speakers: Peter Heathfield (Gen Sec NUM). Anne Lilbur (President WAPC). Tony Benn MP.
Liz French (Kent gaoled miner's wife;, Martha Ossamor: (Broadwater Farm Defence Cittee).
Dennis Skinner MP. Roy Bullin (Coalville NUR).
(to be confirmed): Arthur Scargill (President NUM), Ron Todd (Gen Sec TGWU), Enc Clarke
(Gen Sec Scottish NUM). Tony Banks MP (chair of GLC). Sean Garretty (EETPU Fleet Sti. Ken
Cameron (Gen Sec FBU)
Concert
7.00pm at the Royal Albert Hail, Kensington, London
Songs from the sifuggle, including those from the Heroes LP produced by North East
Miners Support Groups, with special guest stars. Produced by the GLC
Doors open 6.00pm
Yorkshire management said they would consider reinstatements if the pit improved its productivity. They withdrew this offer after the pit broke the European productivity record.
The NUM is fighting to defeat the UDM and to restore is bargaining power in the pits. Every issue including the wage review is used to pile on the pressure. The labour movement has a responsibility to support that struggle not least by ensuring that the UDM is ostracised from the whole movement trade unions and Labour Party at all levels. Arthur Scargill - who represents the best class struggle traditions of the strike - must be detended against a growing campaign against him within Mineworkers Campaign Stalls: exhibition of miners banners Socialist Viewpoint No. 10 February 1985 pl0 the NUM itself
NUM activists need a new focus and organising centre for the left in the union after the open right wing role of the Communist Party during he strike and since. Groupings like the Yorkshire Miners campaigi Group need to be built and extend d. Nor is there much time for this. NCB voluntary redundancy policy is being systematically and selectively used to tempt militant activists out of the industry and weaken the fight to re-establish the union.
Despite these problems, and pit closures which are taking place with sickening regularity, the basis for a fightback against the defeat of the strike is there. Des Dutfield, a militant during the strike, has won the residency of the NUM in South Wales. The vast majority of militants who fought for the strike are still there. Many pits like Betteshanger in Kent are holding the line against closure. Horden in Durham has won a reprieve after a vigorous campaign; so has Darfield in Yorkshire, after battling against closure for months. It can be done and the fight has to be stepped up both organisationally and politically. The struggle needs to go beyond the present profitabilty arguments and back to the principles on which the strike was tought.
There are positive developments in the support movement as well. The National Co-ordinating Committee of Support Groups has been strongly
(Top) Horden colliery and (above) Darfield Main have
BU established with about 25 to 30 active groups supporting it. Some groups are stepping up their activities or even coming back into existence. International support is building back up as well. A delegation from France attending the last meeting of the Co-ordinating Committee - outlined a plan to establish a network of suport groups throughout France. There is talk of wide European co-ordination.
At the same time there has been a major development in the National Amnesty Campaign - now renamed the National Justice for Mineworkers Campaign. ean saved by campaigns.
Benn — promoting Justice for Mineworkers Bill.
The NUM have given the Campaign official backing and proposed a new broader structure for it. Billy Etherington, from the NUC Executive, is now chair, and Ed Fredenburgh continues as secretary.
There is a new steering committee which comprises 10 representatives from the NUM Areas: 10 from the Campaign Group of MPs; 10 from Women Against Pit Closures; 10 from the miners' support groups and 10 from other labour movement bodies. The National Co-ordinating Committee of Miners' Support Groups have two places. Arthur Scargill and Peter Heathfield are Honorary Presidents and there is an impressive list of Honorary Vice Presidents.
The remodelling of the campaign is linked to a new Bill for the current Socialist Viewpoint No. 10 February 1985 pll parliamentary session entitled the Justice for Mineworkers Bill, which will membery. bresented as a private
Bill by Tony Benn on February 27. The NUM have called for a lobby of parliament on that day.
In addition to this, the campaign has called for a major mobilisation on Sunday March 2, the anniversary of the strike. There will be a march through London to a rally addressed by Peter Heathfield. In the evening there will be a concert in the Albert Hall.
These initiatives are extremely Important for the whole of the labour movement. A big response could give a new impetus to an issue which will not go away and which will effect the whole labour moment for a long time to come.