AS SOCIALIST ACTION goes to press, the dockers look set to return to work and the issue of DOW much coal is supplied to Scotland's Ravenscraig steel works appears to be resolved in management's favour. But Mrs Thatcher and her government are in no position to win the dispute against the miners as things stand.
As winter approaches, the big question will the government get pithead coal stocks moving? — has yet to answered. No cracks appearing in the miners' determination to win. JACK COLLINS, secretary of the Kent miners, gave CAROL TURNER a sober assessment of the situation in his area.
What do you have to say about the TUC?
Many anticipated that there'd by no support for the miners at the TUC, that there would be a sense of frustration and disanpointment that would have the effect of destroying the fight of the miners. But of course it never went that way. The TUC did agree to support the miners.
To what degree they will support us I don't know, but nevertheless that is the official policy of the TUC. And it will enable individuals to organise support in an official manner in their valous umous.
white collar unions, the unions in the power stations will, I feel, give some unions there have declared for the miners. If they support us, the techniswitches - will not have too much inthere's no coal handled, if there's no ash taken away, if there's nobody to workers' role will be more important Does that mean you're hopeful about what came out of conoress? s it vour impression that it was a favourable Of course, I would like to see every worker in the country standing in support of the miners. I don't deny that 'm for the massive weight ot the working class to be used in order to support the miners - that's no secret! Bull uver ue orescut suluaulul, given the type of leadership in some too many hopes for the miners being supported by large sections of the working class in the sense that they will walk out of their jobs. But the we're getting, together with the moral support, together with the food donations we' re receiving are verv verv important. They will enable the miners conclude the strike quicker. But with the support we have, the miners can win the strike. And we're going to What role do you think the fourperson TUC committee will play? The talks have broken down and there's speculation about whether ACAS will be called in. Are those four people going to be calling for a negotiated setOur national union will never allow anybody to take over the negotiatons.
somebody who has never seen a coal mine discussing my tuture. It would be an insult to the miners to allow anyone from outside to take over the Nezouau ons arguments, and they might try to inNUM leadership.
Scargill and the national leaders know the case inside out. They will not be persuaded to give way.
night were suggesting Scargill has now said a third party might be brought in. But they way I read it, once again the media are trying to push the moveSo, what about the docks and the The situation in our Dover docks is as it's always been. Dover is not a tradi'tíonal dock in the sense, say, the port of London is. It is comparatively new with no dock traditions. There's no dock-working community in Dover as Ana mnere s a lol or part-uillie working I believe. So we would expect perience and background, to do exactly what they're doing break mer naoaa saake Richborough power station was built to burn Kent coal. Now it's burning oil. I understand that the type of oil they're burning is of an inferior quality, and that is causing pollution problems. There is a yard near the power station that stores damaged as a result of the polluted atæ re corcv There's little maintenance going on and tney re naving a lard is the same in Dungeness, the atomic power station. It's working flat out question of electricity generated by energy is that we think for uniceeosal y. understand that the workers are concerned about their jobs. But the argument is quite simple: you can generate electricity in stations powered by coal it's not a question of putting anyone unions in your area to implement the Trade unionists in this area are making a big financial contribution. And there are a number of unions refusing to handle coal and allied fuels: the rail workers, the seamen, and of course, some transport and general workers.
and we're tryng to do that all the time, assessment of your national leadership was obviously that it was the best they could get and something the!
as a result of that decision? Are they changing their strategy? - that Is 1 know the government have already workedounowto novele slocks ol tried. No expense will be spared to the drivers — have already been approached to ascertain whether the the event of things going wrong'. And ac navilsluSLuKe.
plan to use the territorials quickly?
continent. But that's their next move. How will you attempt to get other So we've already had quite a lot of What came out of the TUC wasn't wanted, but it wasn't a victory for the the Tories and the Coal Board will do HILCT would be prepared to drive trucks 'in we certainly know what 'things go broken the miners.
But I understand that we'll get a favourable response from those part-time soldiers. Many of them live in the communities where our people live. I don't think they'll want to be seen as coerente Do you mean you think the Tories There are indications it will be done they're away playing soldiers on the Every attempt has failed. The miners' It's obvious that the sentiment for the strike inside the NUM hasn't changed at all, that's very clear to everyone.
through the summer. Now that people are back from the summer break, are you still getting a good response Yes. We're certainly getting a good response from our own countrymen. But now we're getting a tremendous amount of support from abroad too.
CHe reci miners' unions have organised a campaign and made a tremendous collection. Already they're in Yorkshire to see the situation so they can report and food for us. The Belgian working class are extending their solidarity to Dutch socialist party are sending food convoys into Kent and so is the small now that people in other countries are doing the same, including the Soviet Union who are now collecting funds.
financial support than before. Money government's tactic was to take on the the time assumed they would break the miners government figures thought the strike gone, and it's not broken the miners. The season is now on the side of the miners. The miners know that - they know we Ie past tie worst perioa. As the days get shorter and the nights get coererencet Neil Kin Dak wa ese • V111g Kinnock wa than helpful in his speech to the TUC. He did what he's done in all his public speeches: he said the miners had a just them in any positive way, but by talking about violence he implied that the violence was caused by the miners. The media had a field day. That's the way he's said it ever since the strike began, and I presume it's the line he'll MENT AREA take at conference. What would you like to see coming out of conference, Well, about Neil Kinnock's attitude to the miners. don't know of hum ever being on a miners' picket line. I don't know of him being in any of the villages occupied by the police. Where is he getting his information from? Where is he getting all this nonsense about violence? He's being sucked it oppress TuCIS but anonymously. Let him go into the pit villages and see violence being created by the miners thousands of police - with horses and dogs and truncheons. We are now seven months into our strike and not one striking miner has been charged and proven guilty of a physical assault from the ruling class. He ought to te has taken the same line. He's neve: seen a picket line from the day he was born. He too is talking about the proWhen is he going to shor some Christian charity and send a bi: of food in for the kids, instead oi pontificating about the strike?
ing place are guilty of supporting it all those who line up with Thatcher -that, without the national and intersolidarity of the working which could lead to our children star.
And what about the Labour Party I'd like to see the Labour Party com stronger and much more determined to establish a socialist society first step along that road would be to declare for that section of the working class that is in struggle against the rulSocialist Action 21 September 1984