the pits and mining comwas to dismiss As Scargill Scargill's stateand the talk of has underlined Kinnock's turn and fudged policies MINERS AND miners' wives loyal to the NUM want an immediate national campaign to defend the union in the Notts coalfield. Already, many of those who supported the strike are Lynk's breakaway. As Pam Oldfield secretary of Nottingham women against Pit Closures explained: It's important we get some meetings off the ground as soon as possible. There should be meetings every night, even if only two people turn up.' The need for a national campaign clearly understood. Comparisons between the present confuSion disorganisation and the first days of the naThose who stood with the NUM then want swift action to defend it now.
'We've EUL certain amount of time. We've got get information out: leaflets, papers. The Norts Collier we've got to get that out. The Miner, it's got to be in there,' argued her husband Dave, a leading striker at Sherwood pit.
Everyone understand. what's at stake. Although Lynk's hand was forced, as Pam explains, the antiNUM forces are organised. "They've been in touch with other areas. We've just got to do the same.
Otherwise there's Arthur Scargill, and promising miners a rosy future if they stopped fighting for their jobs now and waited for the Financial Times has alread leaked NCB plans to close 50 pits in the next two years.
But despite these attacks, Kinnock was forced breakaway from the NUM.
The entire labour movement must now demand that such words are turned into ac tions.
Kinnock and Norman Willis could in fact destroy the Notts breakaway before gets properly une ground. There is not the signies douol liar a mlass Party-TUC campaign in the Notts coaltie d would prevent Lynk getting anything like the l1alOney he needs in the ballot for a breakaway even ballot for a fake 'fusion' with another scab union. pressing for action to isolate nothing to say you won't get a situation where there's two men down the pit doing exactly the same job, and one's in one union and one's in the other and different rates of pay are negotiated. The Coal Board will do anything to split the miners' Thankfully in some pits things are already underway. In Warsop Wellbeck strikers organised a meeting addressed ov ka Chadburn. Two hundred miners turned up, although only 82 men stuck with the strike till the end. In Gelding, where 42 of the 1300 men stuck it nat, all letsun has the has drawn up.
Meanwhile women discussing a picket of the a Labour government. This is scarcely any help when withdrawn from Don ConWhat is needed in Notts and Willis refused to give in the miners' strike. That is a campaign of mass meetings and appeals addressed by authoritative of the Kinnock and Willis should make personal appeals every Notts miner to stay within the NUM Personal These appeals should br backed up with clear and unambiguous statements that the TUC will refuse to recognise any separate Notts scab union, and that such a area headquarters at Berry Hill which will reaffirm the defending the NUM Both Pam Dave believe initiatives like these have come from the rank and file leadership thrown up by the Such a campaign will not be easy. Firstly, it has to aim to win all those committed the NUM, including miners who worked during Secondly, it has to he understood that the Board will do everything to split. Already there is talk of financial incentives for that breakaway, and letters have gone out to miners at Blidworth urging them to stick with Lynk.
Together the Board and women's action group, explained: "They'll offer a nice JuIcy CULO LEC BICHEUC to join the breakaway. So people are going to grab that think tney le alright. Then in 12 months time there'll be more sack ings, more pits closing, and then they'll withdraw money. Then they'll be worse off than in the tirst place.' Finally, there's the right Labour Partyand the TUC. wing bureaucrats Mansfield's MP Don Concannon, clearly supports Lynk, will fight for recognition for any breakaway that occurs.
HerE again noweve miners and their wives have beeun to act. in the bid worth Rainworth Labour Partv a resolutior was passed unanimously calling the national not to TELOISO breakaway and for individual branches not to join it.
Sue Petney, wife of a sacked miner and active ir Blidworth group, of those who joined the par their Scargill wi within the NUM. defeat The aim was to force Scargili to stand for election and defeat him. But this year's NUM conference democratically defeated that move and passed the decisive rule changes.
Support for the strike, and for those such as Arthur Scargill who led it was reaffirmed at NUM conference. It is precisely because they are unwilling accept the democratic verdict of the NUN membership that Lynk and Prendergast have called for a breakaway For once Neil Kinnock did get something perfectly right at the Durham gala, when would leave miners, cluding 'the Notts" ' miners, subject to a "powerful and arbitary management', and that the only people who ty during the course of th strike will leave in disgust if to the breakaway. But such a campaign has to be national.
members лоно мое couons l their branches demanding LITE • TUC and the Labour Party refuse the breakaway any recognition, and public ly state that will be the case Amendments should be forwarded to conference calling for this Branches should call on Labour movement leaders, including Kinnock Willis, to visit Notts to campaign on behalf of NUM. Miners' committees support should organise supporters to visit Notts to give practical help to the campaign The case for the national union has to be got across. Lynk is now the main card being played in the Tory and NCB's campaign to the back of the NUM. The labour movement can't af ford to sit back and adopt a 'wait-and-see attitude. Ac tion to isolate Lynk is need. ed now.
would profit breakawav would be the very people who threatening the coal mining industry'.
Now Kinnock will doubtless try to pursue his campaign against the leadership of the strike and the NUM by other means — including by behind the scenes manouevering That problem will be dealt with as it arises. But the immediate demand must be for the entire weight of the labour movement to be thrown into Silashing Notts breakaway That means with anyone who wants to and wall trom Kinnock downwards.
Kinnock and Willis won't act, then the campaign in Notts must be based on everyoné in thě labour to th words and decas. fight the breakaway in
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NEIL KINNOCK devoted most of his speech at Satur- day's Durham miners' gala to attacking Tony Benn and
breakaway som the NuM that