'WAR HAS been declared on the whole trade union organised labour in this country'.
reaffirmed the determination of the NUM to continue its defiance of the High Court.
Mr Justice Nicholls imposed the fine because, as he puts it, the union Arthur Scargill had 'wilfully, deliberately, knowingly and repeatedly broken his order that the •strike in Yorkshire should not be described as official.
NUM's
COltempt' relates not only to the Der. byshire areas, but also to Nottinghamshire, North Wales, North Western and Notres dreas. Obeying the court order would efmean calling off the strike in those areas, surrendering to the NCB.
That the reality about the rule of law.
une move by luc court to sequester NUM funds is crippling union's ability to continue the fight. If the courts can get away with imposing the fine, and seizing the assets of the union on this issue.
will certainly return for more.
which are supporting the NUM Will YOUNG be attacked. The NUR, ASLEF TGWU, GMBATU, and so on will all be liable to court action for 'secondary' industrial alliull.
The fine is therefore a serious blow aimed at the The Tories are losing the battle with the miners and action in the power stations is beginnWith these words the current issue of The Miner ing to bite. The legal action attempt weaken the NUM, the solidarity alTONS.
It is a challenge to the right that the must defeat. 'business as Police in action ușual' attitude is not suffiIf the courts proceed to seize the assets of the NUM there HUSi be widespread action to stop them.
The general council of the TUC should be recallthe NUM prepare the movement for à general strike. The High court must de ell unaer illusions ahe to the of HOVC ment, if it proceeds.
The left leaders have a particular responsibility in this regard. Left to itself, the general council will happily bury its head in the sand and, in the case of the right wing will stab the miners in the back.
fight needs to be waged to ensure that this does not happen.
The executives of these unions should meet and •ecare men take action in support of the NUM, and to call or the TUC to act The silence of the labour leaders on this issue must be ended. There will have fight prepare the movement for action. That fight needs to start immediately. 'It's class law' Jack Collins Kent NUM THE DECISION to fine the NUM £200,000 Arthur Scargill £1000 was taken by judge enacting class law.
'We're all in contempt' Bob Clay, MP for Sunderland North AT conference several hundred members were prepared to sign a declaration contempt, saying that if Arthur Scargill NUM were in contempt of court, so were they.
Most members don't want any equivocation on the law they are laws, emasculate the trade union movement. We will not accept them.
I agree with Neil Kinnock about civil law - if people wish to defy it and Every societv in the world makes laws to defend and perpetuate itself. We live capitalist society, so we have laws to defend capitalism.
Not a single judge comes from the working class. They are all from the ruling elevated by the ruling class, to enac rulin is she wi is the judges who should be democratised The working class should have a ballot to say who the judges are.
not surprised at the court ruling. Of course, the NUM should continue its official strike and ignore the decision of the courts.
We don't recognise class laws as these are, and we appeal to those miners still not in line with the matake the consequences, it's up to them. But what concerns me is the context of his statement, which implies unde CIIcumstances should anyone dangerous distinction.
If the law says shouldn't shout 'scab" then we're quite right to break it. If the law says we shouldn't intercede when someone on the picket line or in the community is bethe police, then we should break it The pickets should carry on doing what they're doing. What infuriates me is the silence about widespread, direct police violence.
The Labour Party, as a political organisation and an alternative to the prejority examine their decision. It's their union The rest of the labour should rally round , and continue their tinancia support to ine miners, so we can continu official strike. now they must become involved 1r ouI dispute.
When one section of une movementis on suce support them. need days of action, weeks of , and months of ac tion if necessary. tomorrow, got out of bed, If everyone woke and just sat on their hands Enf would be over, the government defeated, the wnole movement would be stronger for it.
sent government, should say loud and clear that it stands with the NUM, that it identifies with them and agrees with them that they should not be bound by decision a incal teled, es..
party can act as a catalyst coordinator for more widespread action, which is certainly going to Conc the Cout proceeds. Many trade union branches, trades councils workplaces already beginning to organise for this.
The Labour Party is in a good position to give political cohesion, provide leadership and bring together those peopl prepared to stand solid with the NUM. It should SO SO
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movement. That is the meaning of the f200,000 fine against the NUM. It is a calculated attempt to smash