AS THE STRIKE enters its ninth week, the Coal Board, amply aided by the British media, still insist that coal production in the Nottinghamshire field is looking rosy. This is decidedly not the case.
structive. Only two of Notts' 25 pits are anywhere near normal working: where less than five per cent of miners are working.
No coal at all is being produced at five collieries: over 95 per cent are striking at Blidworth; winders have refused cross Gelding; pickel Ines and at Silverhill, Ollerton diu Bevercotes tion has stopped for lack of face workers.
More miners are than in at 15 of the 25 pits.
That must make well Novel per Coll Nottinghamshire miners on strike during the eighth week.
The Coal Board claims Figures produced just over a week ago are inCalverton and Bilsthorpe, an 80 per cent attendance level and that all 25 pits are working normally. Someone must be wrong.
The British Association of Colliery Management (BACM) renowned for is manancy! — heard delegates to its annual weekend claim that production is at least 100,000 tons below the 250,000 weekly Lal SCEN Notts, below the 160,000 tons figure in the south of the coalfield. It also widely believed mal salts nave been cut from three to two.
The colliery managers' assessment lends credence to the unofficial list from Notts NUM branches, and puts a large question mark Over NCB figures. But after all, has been presented as 'the jewel in Maggie's crown'.
It is certainly the weak spot in the NUM dispute. By playing up the reluctance of the Nottingham support their aids not only the government and the Coal Board, Dul rigni wing leaders in the unions and the Labour alike in their holdfire approach.
WAlle smal percentage of Notts miners still makes industrial solidarity action harder build. That's why next Monday's national demonstration in Manshei in support the miners needs to be the biggest show of solidarity yet.
Socialist Action 11 May 1984