ment spelt out with total clarity its final policy for trying to defeat the NUM.
Six months brutality, an unparalleled campaign of press hysteria, financial attacks, threats and assaults, failed to break the miners. The 'back to work moyement' is a pathetic trickle which has no hope defeating the strike.
The real situation of coal stocks at the power stations is now being regularly exposed not sımolv bv lett wing papers but by BBC TV programmes such as Newsnight, the publications of the prestigous National Institute for Economic Social Research, serious Fleet Street press. The government does not have the coal stocks within the power stations to last the winter.
tact which the government can do itself which Call defeat miners. As the Gurdian put it last week the moment the first light goes out the government has lost the strike.
And that is why the governMacGregor turned to the one trump card they still have to play - the role of the TUC and its leadership.
the UNTONS 'management's of police wants to talk to the TUC. Peter Walker, Secretary legal have MICHIL OVCI of into place.
basher, David SDP, David government talk to the TUC.
Ener OVC
government's mally about anymore. nothing has said the five years.
is sheer have sunge mune cocdy six months ago openly scorned asserted right' to manage declared on Sunday he the Energy who is part OTUNE government that spat in the that, face of the trade union moveGCHQ NGA, declared on Saturday he is prepared to talk to the TUC The professional machinery of sell-outs, ACAS, is being rolled very tin-pot industrial di ator everv narenerie une Owen of the Steel of the Liberals, all demand that the MacGregor OLCT what? The Macuregor s case is not even Toreconomics As Arthur Sargill the National Coal Board plans to produce 497 million tons of coal in the next Even li not one single pit were closed it could only produce 480 million tons after the losses in this strike. It madness. to close This strike has been revealed openly and brutally for what it has always been. A political government, planned for • six years, to attempt to smash the National of Mineworkers into the ground. And now that she has been decisively and brutally defeated in her own open aLLCHOL LU achieve Thatcher now demands that the TUC steps in to do her dirty work for her.
What the NUM demands of the TUC is no more and no less than the policy that scored victe icat bru9 To ne coal -OTODONL power stations be used, that no coal be taken through NUM picket lines, and that no power stations be switched to fuel than coal. Simply that there be no organised scabbing on the strike. If that is delivered then this strike will win -and the government knows it.
Two unions, the TGWU GMBATU, have temselves the power to enforce that policy.
The TGWU GMBATU, with or without other unions, must start to im plement TUC Congress decisions now. They must be backed up and supported by all out financial backing of the TUC to the NUM and a national Labour Party-TUC demonstration in support of the miners. Local conferences are neded Congress decisions.
MacGregor and the govern. ment should be told only one voice speaks and negotiates for the miners. ship of the National Union of Mineworkers. Its elected presidenl Is negotiations and talks on settling the dispute take place there and there only.
But above all the delays in implementing TUC policy must be ended now. voted its policy. The discussion is on how rapidly to carry it out. Not on how the right wing can defeat it. The labour movement must fight for: • No. TUC talks government or NCB on the • All unions to TUC Congress decisions on the miners' strike now! • Full TUC financial backing for the miners! • Organise local labour movement conferences to discuss implementing TỤC GeCSOnS solidarity with the miners! • For national Party-TUC demonstration in support of the miners! • For a 24 hour general strike in support of the NUM! That is the leaderScargill.
Congress has with the implement extending CAN EAT THREE SHREDDED WHEAT SHINGT HINCD
Socialist Action 21 September 1984 Last week the SDP conference voted to accept David