unions by crushing the miners.
• The Times reported: 'Coal stocks away from the pits are large enough to Sake TOT weeks, spread... If i dess not spread' were key words. The meanwhile did nothing to make sure the strike did spread.
reused Call meeting of transport to solidarity. The Seamen's when asked to put an embargo on the import of coal, turned down the request saying 'our members are. on articles when on board ship and they cannot break these.
The EEPTU and the GMWU both made pay deals for the didower workers which not help the miners' case.
From the very beginning the coverintent got tough. cut power supshid framied this on the plies whicl scalianeminers. Agecroft power shut down although it had 17 days •ocl SOCKS.
The employers and the state banded together to bre. Tne miners' resistance. At Dover scab on over wee boo ca day equivalent around £85 to drive through icket lines Although the drivers were armed with iron bars the police chose to igriore their weapons. At [Irm picket had his foot crushWhen someone sent a newspaper photograph to the Director of Public Pro- secutions which showed a SCaD Caven wielding iron bar he explained he did not intend to take any action!
Dennis Skinner the MP for Bolsover revealed that the cops were couragin drivers to go of 40 hour driving at the picket lines . rrom the start it was obvious the government win and they had no intention of fighting according to the Queensberry Rules.
the miners also decided to make their own rules Unlike Joe f the NUM complained that his members are being a damn sight more than would want them to be they did not restrict their pic miniono toes its. With million LUIS of coa stashed away who cared if the lorries miners spread their pickets London. Miners set out for East Anglia. Students and miners occupied Essex University and an action committee of miners, students and unemployed worker was set up watch over the ports for the movement of coal sup plies. Kent miners in action London 'naval blockade' was established wnen miners took over a pleasure boat went down the Tivel Wilt loudhailers stopping coal being taken in by boat to Battersea power station. The clashes on the picket lines even fiercer. One miner was killed by a speeding lorry.
But the miners hạd more sense than rely on the law so cherished by Murwill not be able to build u the cash to move our of fices.
Cuts on the paper will then become permanent • We need to urgentORGANISE rend their rights. Workers- to deICHU LACRORES self defence was used with effect. were pulled from their lorries and dumped on the road At Kersley the floodlights were shot out with an air drive store from this income. From this month we are asking all our supporters to increase their regular con tributions to the paper. rifle, the junction box for the lights was smashed with a sledge hammer I nails into heve six inch into the road aner sir sa broken glass over lorries ripped their tyres. At Longannet But to drastically cut our overhead costs, make a major saving, we also need to £30,000 minimum for our ises. When that „tor premises. is done we can take paper. We will also have paper back made a major saving ir costs that will safeguarc the long term future of Socialist Action.
• We know that raising this large sum of money is going to be more than a campaign of a few weeks. . But without it losses will just mount.
• We will beo raise af detailed plans to raise the money we need in the new year. But the most important point that our readers know their paper and what we ween police and pickets, the Birmingham working class stepped in. Two hundred shop stewards from all the major factories in the East Midlands district of the AUEW met. The next morning further police reinforcements moved in six lorries got out of the depot. Stewards Forty thousand workers factories answered the summons of their stewards came out on strike. Then 11,000 of them poured down the streets onto the picket line Like straws in the wind the police were blown aside 10.45 the 1902 the of 10 February 1972 calc the Saltley coke depot were closed and they never re opened until the govern.
ment had caved in to the While the TUC and the Photo: JOHN HAPPIS Labour Party leaders had nervously droned on about the need to respect the law gazing with transfixed HOTO workers defying it, the government and its sup porters read the writing on the wall moved settle. ment.
As the MP William Deedes put it: "The like Saltley was not how the law was interpreted but how. it could be enforced It was not doubtful law but numbers which held the police back.
intend to do is safeguard Its future The get for Xmas, can make a tremendous difference to If every eaders gave £5 we ca even more a house make our we welcome just as much contributions from those who can give far less have real confidence in the future of Socialist Action. In 35 issues it has established itself on the left. With help now it can expand much further in the future.
But first we must jump the hurdle of raising to safeguard our long term future. We appeal to our readers for urgent help.
The Editorial Board
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