movement alike.
CAROL TURNER reports from Sheffield. THE DETERMINATION of women from the mining communities to consolidate their movement was marked by the first conference of Women Against Pit Closures as a permanent, national organisation in Sheffield on Saturday 17 August. That consolidation, in and of itself, is a significant achievement which will benefit the women's movement and the labour Despite the fact that many groups have shrunk in size since the end of the strike, the 700-plus women who gathered together that weekend gave testimony to the continued militant struggle of the women's support groups. tion of women is divisive of the working class. On the contrary, it is the ruling class who lay the conditions will benefit from, the real divisions that exists between men and women in today's society. Women are not only best placca lo unaelstand those problems, DecausE they expenance them first-hand. But they are also in the best position to know how to begin to overcome them.
conterence: it was the very Tuture one movement.
The WAPC movement will not live or die accor ding to what happened in Sheffield that weekend before last. But it's future will be decided, In lare measure, by whether lt continues to be a self-governing organisation of women from the mining communities, whose way of organising of fighting is determined collectively by the That's women were angry in Sheffield City Hall. And that's why the structures and the aims of the campaign will be the subject of much discussion in the local groups in the weeks months to come.
AT THE end of the day, Betty Heathfield spelled out the importance of the Sheffield conference. 'I want to remind each and every one of you,' she 'that we are part of a unique organisation. women haven't struggled before on behalf of jobs; I'm not saying women haven't struggled before on behalf of women's movement and the movement have been doing that for forming 'We have to start somewhere, and we're starting here today. We've had a song throughout our struggle: "We are women, we are strong'. Get up Closures.
OUR view is very positive after the It was good to such a large number of women there, and that so many groups are still active six months after the Women Against Pit Closures now with an important future.
Despite the problems of organisation and comfor fighting with the Naot r Minefor that reason the overference to continue the for associate miner ' Support for the families victimised miners is still the central campaign for most groups.
The women of Notts, at the sharp end of the atLACK Lynk' S fight awakar , are leading the Notts na tional. It was not an accident that two of the best contributions of the day both came from Notts. committee, and the Dial form should note it: don't get away from your grass roots.' Appealling for unity after a morning disrupted barracking led number of left groups attending the she said: "Think of Notts. Without unity we'll get Keep No as national . alla we ye gol li We can I De responsiDe Io the men in our area - but we are responsible for an -