The secret war against the miners is a book by british journalist and writer seumas milne, first published in 1994. The strike by the national union of mineworkers began on 6th march 1984, in response to pit closures, wage restraints and heavy reductions in government subsidies. After the 1984 85 strike and the subsequent closure of most of britains coal mines, it became a much smaller union. Miners there stood at the forefront of the fight against pit closures and the national miners strike of 198485. Across frontiers brings to life the fascinating story of the men and women who travelled overseas to speak to workers and raise support for the miners strike. The num took part in three national miners strikes, in 1972, 1974 and 1984 85. Jun 26, 2014 john dunn from the justice for mineworkers campaign speaking on the uk miners strike of 1984 at the marxist summer school 2014. In response, the national union of mineworkers, led by socialist arthur scargill, declared a strike, which began march 12, 1984, and didnt conclude until march 3, 1985. In addition to being the most bitter industrial dispute the coal miners strike of 19845 was the longest national strike in british history.
The children, aged 11 to 15, were heading for trade union holiday centres and the homes of french mining families. Booklist miners and miners strikes news from nowhere radical. National union of mineworkers leaflet detailing reasons why the strike should be supported dncb672. John dunn from the justice for mineworkers campaign speaking on the uk miners strike of 1984 at the marxist summer school 2014. The long shadow of the british miners strike april 28, 2015 paul dean remembers the struggle he supported 30 years agothe great british miners strike of 198485, whose story is. The miners at cortonwood immediately came out on strike and by march 12th the national union of mineworkers had made the strike national. Lesbians and gays support the miners lgsm was an alliance of lesbians and gay men who supported national union of mineworkers during the yearlong strike of 19841985. The miners strike of 1984 1985 was major industrial action affecting the british coal industry. The miners strike 198485 police, protests and public.
The conventional story of the miners strike, which began 30 years ago. During the 198485 miners strike, arthur scargill, the president of the national union of mineworkers num, was fond of finishing his speeches with the cry the miners united will never be defeated. How the miners strike of 198485 changed britain for ever. See more ideas about coal mining, billy elliot and history. This ferocious confrontation between the organised working class led by the national union of mineworkers and margaret thatchers conservative government was a momentous chapter in the history of the class struggle in britain. The num members put on a brave face, many marching back behind colliery brass bands, but t. National union of mineworkers say this will mean closing 20 pits and loss of 20,000 jobs. Yorkshire, the heartland of king arthurs powerbase. Calais two hundred children of miners on strike set sail for calais for a threeweek holiday provided by miners in the french communistled trade union cgt. The media portrayed these women as the supportive wives and daughters of miners, dutifully performing a domestic role that enabled their men to maintain the strike. Gascoyne, a forceful 59yearold exfaceworker who swears a lot, was the branch secretary of the national union of mineworkers throughout the strike of 1984 85 and until the pit closed. Apr 01, 2014 remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485.
In 1984, with the uk miners strike at its peak, the young german photography student michael. In britain, trade unions had traditionally launched strikes for claims on wage rises and rights at work, but strikes in defence of jobs had been very rare. Tens of thousands of britains miners have stopped work in what looks like becoming a long battle against job losses. The miners strike by mark harvey overdrive rakuten.
Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. Apr 28, 2015 the long shadow of the british miners strike april 28, 2015 paul dean remembers the struggle he supported 30 years agothe great british miners strike of 198485, whose story is retold in a. Thirty years ago today a strike described as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history came to an end. Jun 18, 2018 this article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. Margaret thatcher branded the leaders of the 198485 miners strike. Updated editions were released in 1995, 2004, and 2014. After successful strikes in 1972 and 1974 which prevented pit closures, calls were made for strikes in the early 1980s, eventually leading to the strike of 1984 1985. The strike became a symbolic struggle, as the national union of. Looking back at the 19845 miners strike solidarity federation. I was mesmerised by margaret thatchers cunning in taking on union might in the the selection of who to fight, how to prepare for battle, how to fight, where to fight etc.
Miners strike in nottinghamshire the diary of john lowe. John was a founder member of the communist party of great britain and took an active part in the 1926 general strike. The case for coal 1984 national union of mineworkers. I have written a book when we were miners ian isaac 2010 available at amazon and kindle. The definitive account of the strikethe best book on the thatcher era. In a foreword to the book, rick sumner, national convenor of justice for mineworkers, acknowledges the part played by the 198485 strike in virtually creating a new badge culture in the num, building on a relatively small tradition of national and area badges in previous years. Apr 05, 2014 the conventional story of the miners strike, which began 30 years ago, is now being challenged. With the 198485 strike, a whole new scene developed.
In addition to being the most bitter industrial dispute the coalminers strike of 1984 5 was the longest national strike in british history. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Shirley dent on how literature reflects the 1984 miners strike. The 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. It was a defining moment in british industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the british trade union movement. I have read many books on this subject and none measure up to this a great read. Opposition to the strike was led by the conservative government of prime minister margaret thatcher, who wanted to. It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board ncb, a government agency. Miners strike in south yorkshire and some scottish pits. Uk miners strike 198485 wikipedia republished wiki 2. The national union of mineworkers, headed by arthur scargill and mick mcgahey, its president and vicepresident, declared the strike. David edgar looks at the literature of the dispute and explores its legacy.
The bbc has referred to the strike as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. A novelist and ghostwriter in his spare time, he works as a journalist and chief subeditor on the yahoo. Gascoyne, a forceful 59yearold exfaceworker who swears a lot, was the branch secretary of the national union of mineworkers throughout the strike of 198485 and until the pit closed. Polmaise was the first pit out on strike, on 21 february 1984 two weeks before the national strike began and among the last to return to work. I have also written a thesis the decline if mining in the llynfi and afan valleys ruskin college. Miners strike of 1984 inspired kit habianics book until our blood is. May 19, 2014 in addition to being the most bitter industrial dispute the coal miners strike of 19845 was the longest national strike in british history. Britain has no female mineworkers, yet women became the driving force behind the miners strike of 198485. Mar 12, 2009 that is the legacy of the nums strike of 198485, a truly historic fight i have always said that the greatest victory in the strike was the struggle itself, a struggle that inspired millions. On march 3rd, 1985, the national union of mineworkers, led by arthurs scargill, voted to return to work after a yearlong strike, the longest and most bitter strike, and one that finished without an agreement. The uk miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action affecting the british coal industry. In the book, john mccormack tells the story of polmaise colliery in stirlingshire. Miners across yorkshire began strike action and on 12 march, a national strike was declared by the num, but no official vote was held.
Untold story of international help in 198485 miners strike. This article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. That is the legacy of the nums strike of 198485, a truly historic fight i have always said that the greatest victory in the strike was the struggle itself, a struggle that inspired millions. The miners strike that ended an era adam smith institute. In addition to being the most bitter industrial dispute the coalminers strike of 19845 was the longest national strike in british history. By the end of the strike, eleven different lgsm groups had emerged throughout the uk, with the london group alone raising. Nov 17, 2011 sheffieldborn jonathan symcox is the grandson of john lowe and has long been fascinated by the 1984 85 miners strike mainly through his grandfathers prolific writings. The strike by the national union of mineworkers num was led by arthur scargill, although some num members considered it to be unconstitutional and did not observe it.
Miners there stood at the forefront of the fight against pit closures and the national miners strike of 1984 85. This page was set up by a former striking yorkshire miner. The conventional story of the miners strike, which began 30 years ago, is now being challenged. Led by arthur scargill and the national union of mineworkers, the strike by the men who had spent most of their lives working down the pits at collieries across britain began in. They did so in the midst of the 1984 miners strike the most bitter and divisive. The son of a communist miner, he has kept its memory alive at the shirebrook miners welfare social club, founded in 1920. Perhaps because of this, the family moved to cambuslang in search of work, and it was here that mick went to school mick started work at age 14 at the gateside colliery. International support for the miners strike 198485. More than half the countrys 187,000 mineworkers are now on strike. National union of mineworkers president arthur scargill called the strike six months ago when the conservative government announced the closure of 20 uneconomic pits and the loss of 20,000 jobs. Remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485. Sheffieldborn jonathan symcox is the grandson of john lowe and has long been fascinated by the 198485 miners strike mainly through his grandfathers prolific writings.
Wcml mining unions and the 198485 miners strike miners. Opposition to the strike was led by the british government of prime minister margaret thatcher, who called scargill the. Ive got a half decent book entitled across frontiers. Richards book, miners on strike, dedicated a chapter to how unusual it was in 1984 for a largescale strike to be launched in protest at job cuts. Pages in category uk miners strike 198485 the following 18 pages are in this category, out of 18 total. Mining unions and the 198485 miners strike miners federation of great britain prior to the postww2 nationalisation of the mining industry, and the creation of the national union of mineworkers num in 1945, the mining unions were organised into the miners federation of great britain mfgb. They threw the gauntlet down, we picked it up has 3,276 members. The book investigates the circumstances surrounding the uk miners strike 198485. Loss without limit new edition by martin adeney, john lloyd isbn. Mr justice nicholls stopped short of ordering the num to ballot its membership, but the men who brought the case say they will return to work on monday. This list may not reflect recent changes learn more.
The miners strike of 1984 85 will always be remembered in british working class history as the most significant turning point in the power relationship between the working class organisations of the trade unions, and the state representing the interests of the privileged minority in the late twentieth century. Miners strike over threatened pit closures tens of thousands of britains miners have stopped work in what looks like becoming a long battle against job losses. The official yorkshire national union of mineworkers num area photographer in 198485 was the late martin jenkinson and this book of his photographs some never previously seen before serves as a unique social document on the dispute that changed the face of britain. Opposition to the strike was led by the conservative government of prime minister margaret thatcher, who called the. For a year over 100,000 members of the national union of mineworkers, their families and supporters, in hundreds of communities, battled to prevent the decimation of the coal industry on which their. Scargill marches with dinnington miners in 1984 rally. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board, a government agency. First read this book in the mid 80s when i lived in s.
Miners strike, 19845 the national miners strike 19845 involved 142,000 mineworkers and has been described as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. For a year over 100,000 members of the national union of mineworkers, their families and supporters, in hundreds of communities, battled to prevent the decimation of the coal industry on which their livelihoods and communities depended. Therefore, in march 1984, when the ncb announced its plans to close cortonwood colliery in south yorkshire and polmaise colliery near alloa, local strikes were called across the country. Miners strike 1984 jim coulter, susan miller, martin walker canary press, 1984 fiction 241 pages. The miners strike of 198485 will always be remembered in british working class history as the most significant turning point in the power relationship between the working class organisations of the trade unions, and the state representing the interests of the privileged minority in the late twentieth century. It was a defining moment in british industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the. Led by arthur scargill and the national union of mineworkers, the strike by the men who had spent most of their lives working down the pits at collieries across britain began in 1984 and ended on march 3, 1985. The national union of mineworkers num is a trade union for coal miners in great britain, formed in 1945 from the miners federation of great britain mfgb. Miners in yorkshire and kent were the first to down tools this morning by tonight they had been joined by. A novelist and ghostwriter in his spare time, he works as a journalist and chief subeditor on. The miners strike of 1984 85 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. Timeline of uk miners strike of 198485 upi archives. As featured in the yorkshire times, sheffield telegraph and nuj news leeds.
This was to become the bitterest industrial dispute in most of our lifetimes and marked a major defeat for the working class. In march 1984 more than 187,000 miners came out on. Brilliant insight team work make this a easy read about social history, union power, political strategy and will. Kit habianics novel is one of betrayal in a welsh village during the miners strike of 1984. His father, john mcgahey, worked in the mines at shotts, north lanarkshire when mick was born. How does literature reflect the 1984 miners strike. John lowe was at the forefront of the fight for jobs during the 19845 miners strike. The story of the miners strike, 19845 1st by ian macgregor, rodney tyler isbn. It was also seen as a major political victory for margaret thatcher and the conservative party. A dedication to the men and women who fought not only for the right to work but in the pursuit of a.
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