THE DECISIVE action by the miners in Yorkshire, Scotland and South Wales has turned the tables on the NCB and the government.
Despite efforts by MacGregor and the media to split the miners, the first few days have been a major victory in round one of the fight against pit closures.
With one or two exceptions, miners everywhere have respected the pickets. The presence of Yorkshire miners in Nottingham will be of major importance for the strike ballots there. The pickets carry the message that pit closures can be fought, and overcome the efforts of the NCB to divide the miners.
This is democracy in action. From the areas most threatened, rank and file miners are carrying the demand for a united fight to their colleagues in 'safer' areas. Yorkshire NUM has now officially sanctioned flying pickets.
The determination of the rank and file is the strongest card the NUM has. At Kellingley in Yorkshire 1000 miners have volunteered for picket duty anywhere in the country.
In Doncaster another 1000 have volunteered. In Scotland miners are already heading South to help the Yorkshire pickets.
The action which has been so successful in the coalfields must be used to win the support of the rest of the working class, and to spread the struggle. The NCB and the Government hope to sit out the strike because of high stocks of coal - particularly at the power stations.
The lessons of 1972 and 1974 are clear. Movement of coal must be stopped, the power stations picketted In 1972 and 1974, it was not simply coal that was stopped at the power stations but all supplies. The rest of the movement has clear duty. FULL SUPPORT FOR THE MINERS This will mean support for the pickets, rallies in all areas, workplaces and colleges, tours, collections, accomodation for the flying pickets must be laid on.
This is a fight the Tories must not win. They can be defeated. This is not like the Stockport Messenger or the GCHQ disputes.
This time there are 180,000 miners in dispute and their solidarity militancy will make a big difference. The NUM leadership is not going to sell the strike down the river.
The Tories are more unpoplar now than any time since the Falklands War. With effective solidarity from the rest of the movement a decisive defeat can be inflicted on the Tories.
Building that support and solidarity is the most important task facing activists in the movement.
This is everyone's fight. The watchwords for all activists in the movement now must be 'All out to support the miners'.
Socialist Action 16 March 1984