•THE CAMPAIGN might go on through this year, it might have to do the same IT IS 12 months since the miners returned to work and there are still about 550 men sacked. Many of the offences are non-existent, mind trivial - the vast majority involving incidents or cidents with scabs.
At the time of the NUM special conference last November, there were 21 in prison and 962 dismissed. Only eight are now in jail: two each from South Wales, Kent, Derbyshire, Yorkshire. The vindicate taken towards strikers is illustrated by the fact that when the Court of Appeal reduced the sentences of Hancock and Shankland from life imprisonment to eight years, the police decision to the House of Lords. For the prosecution to make such an appeal is almost unheard of.
The case of the concrete block was a next year and the year after. As long as it takes, we will continue to remind the movement of its responsibilities. That was how BILL ETHERINGTON, chair of the Justice for Mineworkers Campaign, described its objectives to CAROL TURNER when she visited him at his Durham Mechanics office recently. The campaign will be launched with a splash this weekend. Bill graphically described the conditions which make if necessary.
never but we don't hear after day. alleged inattitude ones such as case. appealed the Justice for tragedy. We had days of hearings about that. But there wasn't much said about the third lad found not guilty. The Coal Board still won't give him his job back, that reported day The 550 sacked men who, two or engagea. three years ago, would probably have been reinstated by a phone call from the union rather than all the meetings and violence. arguments that are now going on. The situation is different from area to area. But by and large, those areas that appear to have a future have had more NUM success getting sacked miners back than Scotland Durham and Kent - although that is not strictly the The Midlands, for example, which expected to be a long-life area, has had little success getting sacked men back. None have been taken back in Notts. But South Wales has had quite a lot of plaints. men taken back Coal Board practice has varied. In Scotland everyone was sacked no matter how minor their offence. But here in Durham everyone who was involved in theft, that is stealing coal during the strike, was sacked but subsequently reThe ones who are leit are cases where there was a suggestion — I'd put it no higher than that The Coal Board is unwilling to take notice of anyone other than scabs. Any La scab makes an allegation, the has … to witnesses before the Board prepared to say that there looks as if there's some doubt. That is still hapNot many weeks ago a Durham miner's job was threatened for an incident that took place in a public house. We had the preponderance of witnesses and yet all management said was that they were 'letting him off' this time. They weren't prepared to accept there was no case to answer.
But I know of no cases of a scab being sacked for bothering a striking miner. And mere have oeen many li stances where there have been comOne of our secretaries was knocked to the - of Board Justice for Mineworkers Campaign is all about. It came out of a fringe meeting called by Trade Union Briefing at last year's Labour Party conference More than neeting in their lunch breal surprise to me, and very encouraging. We began by calling it the Miners Amnesty Campaign. At that time there EMP The am or iN Big one They campaign, blems of the national union in getting sacked miners reinstated paign group were the motivating force Certain people within the NUM are wary of using the term amnesty. connotations anniesly which accept done something wrong that they've got to be torgiven for ing about that for miners ing about justice ed the name to fit that criterion. Our purpose publicise the case for sacked miners.
Last through TUC and ferences and Labour Party are made to carry out conference resolutions.
There's no the these men 200 people attended in - quile e passed going before was to highlight the prothe for the cause.
There asking for that these someone has . But we're not talkwe're talk. . We eventually chang fund-raise two good motions gol going.
Labour Party con , which committed these bodies We've got to keep chance whatsoever of being sacrificed. The camPosters for the Heroes concert tickets a paign might go on through this year, might have to do the same next yea and the year after. As long as it tak we will continue to remind the mov ment of its responsibilities Both the TUC and Labour Party resolutions . supporting If people fall t vayside because of that strik even Neil Kinnock admits there is a lot of injustice involved - the movement has got to do something about that. Those men were fighting on behalf of fighting When the bills come in, those who were doing the encouraging have got to pay up thing, would like to see the Labour Party say it is going to instruct the Coal Board men have got to be taken back when it gets into power. l'd like to too do something about esponsible for the decision that these men be sacked. If we believ in socialism, we can't allow such peopl to continue in office.
In the meantime, the Labour Party and the TUC must do a bit more abou raising funds to keep the sacked miners Because of receivership, the NUM is not in sound financial position. Soor men will run out of unemployment pay, we are going to have to pay everything because every pound we give them will be deducted from their supplementary benefit which is means-tested.
At the moment, out of the national solidarity fund of the NUM, a marrie
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by a saries wo was subsequently round NO MINEA
to do all they could for the victims of pressure on, to make sure that the TUC