TO COUNTER media bias, a group of ACTT technicians and the Film Video Workshop, working with the NUM, have made a seres orsx amus. "'he Miners' Campaign Video Tapes' While all the tapes can be highly recommended, by far the most interesting and provocative is Only doing their job? police, the law miners.
Most of the film's commentary is provided by a group of Yorkshire miners who give their personal expenerce. police on the Orgreave picket line.
Women relate they are harrassed and atlackea by lne ponce, and tell of their admiration for the Greenham women who have endured such condiorrected shows the brutality of police attacks on unarmed pickets, and then switches to film of RUC and army operations against in the North police fighting black people during of 1982. HOLS Telling One of the miners tells how the strike has opened his eyes to the oppression of others.
I he miners are convinced that life can never be the same again ailer une strike The most telling points of the tim are made Dave Douglass from the Yorkshire NUM ecutive. 'People who think inal class is a matter of cloth caps or tops hats,' he ake une Orange men crossed lines. To think that the police are just workers in uniform is ridiculous.
The film also takes up the question of violence and intimidation by NUM members during the dispute. Rather than duck the issue, it explains why, when threatened with loss of livelihood, allackcu u police with riot shields, atons and horses, minets fight back. They have no choice.
The film makers have done a fine job. It's now up to us to use the videos. • The videos are each about 10-15 minutes long. They can be obtained from your nearest NUM head Goarters Films, or from PlatLondon (01-278 8394), or Films, Gateshead (0632 775532). plan devised by Nicholas Ridley in 1978 to smash the tion, sections of NALGO have squandered £25v,000 in an attempt to ensure that she is successful.
conar power envoyees NALGO's 1000-plus branWHILST THATCHER attempts to carry out the massive police repression and the threat of starvanational funds are donated £250,000.
The first response of the left to this challenge was complacency. It was thought that the call for should be sn smashed out of court. This left the initiative firmly with the right.
As result, the response of many national branch leaderships was 10 their heads campaign many members were resigning in protest. The barrage anti-Scargill propaganda in the media also helped the right. must learn from the right. They organised nationally and fought for their posi tion. They will no doub do the same again.
The only way to com bat the right on this issue is to deepen activity / in support of the NUM. The most successful approach in NALGO is the adoption of a pit.
In Newham Branch this has allowed miners and miners' wives to atteni union meetings and meet the members ace to • The left wil follon this course at the special tober.
A lobby has been organised for 8.30 am in morning, meetin! a leading NUM speaker on the evening before at Friends Meeting House, Euston Road at 6.30 pm
Socialist Action 5 October 1984