On Thursday at scargill, speaking meeting organised Labour Briefing, replied to the court action against the Chairman, colleagues, I must confess that last night must have been a worrying time for some people. Listening worker Lord Denning giving forth on television when he said: 'It will 'ave to be the use of the law against these trade unionists.' And of course whole series of unelected judges dispensing noi justice but class law against our people who are involved in a struggle to maintain jobs, and to maintain the communities in which they live.
There's been a gauntlet thrown down. That gauntlet is being picked up. The miners' union has been told after seven months of official strike action that the strike is no longer legal or official. What utter nonsense!
In 1981 there was strike of the miners' union and the president the Gormley. There was no action at that time, no suggestion that there should have been a ballot.
I understand from reports on the media that the High Court today has been hearing an action brought against the National Union of Mineworkers, and the NUM president, seeking the sequestration of the union's funds and eking to commit the president of the NUM to Pentonville prison.
We're also advised by reports in the media that the case has been adjourned allegediy in order that the union and its president can reconsider in order to get clarity that aware of the decision of the High Court I thought we'd made our position clear.
But if there's any ambiguity or any doubt on the part of the BBC or ITV then in order to dispell it let's specifical ly state the union's position.
The national executive of the NUM meeting on Monday 1 October 1984 were told that a writ had been issued against the NUM. Following a full discussion the national executive committee unanimously agreed the following steps.
One, to fully endorse and support the views and comments expressed by the national president during the interview on Channel 4 news on Friday 28 September.
NUM.
Arthur at a by of his decision. the that tinue to deal Three, to reaffirm we've got a including tional delegate conference officials, the secretary, and the vice president.
continue to do alf in its only an unofficial was the position.
we were committee Coal.
Dhoto ing me We print here the major speech. The Socialist AcTwo, irrespective of the High Court executive unanimously day, reaffirmed its determination to con- months.
with the mineworkers' internal affairs in accordance with the rules and constitution of the NUM as befits an independent and free trade as official the strike action in the British coalfields, Yorkshire and Derbyshire, which has been sanctioned in accordance with national Rule No 41 by a na- the governing body of our union which gives instructions to all members of the national executive including the national president, accial I want to make it clear the NUM will power to will support for the miners' official strike in order to force the Coal Board back to figures the negotiating table. This dispute can be resolved provided closure programme announced by the National Coal Board on 6 March is with drawn, pits currently threatened with closure are kept open, and the Coal Board honours the Plan for Coal signed by the government, the National Coal Board and the trade unions. They must withdraw their insistence that pits should be closed on economic grounds, which is a clear violation of the Plan for I'm not someone who wishes to go to Pentonvillé prison. I'm not someone who relishes the thought of being committed in that way. But I want to make it absolutely clear that if the choice fac— and I would hope facing any other responsible trade union leader -is to be committed by a high court to Pentonville or any other jail for standing by this trade union or our class, or alternatively having to live with the imprisonment of one's mind for betraying one's class, then there is no choice as far as I'm concerned. I stand by my There seems to be a blind spot on the part of the judiciary, the government and the Coal Board. The miners' union did not go out on strike on FrIwe've been on strike for seven We've suffered appalling hardship during the space of that time. We've come too far, we've suffered too much, for there to be any compromise.
It is more important to stand by one's class, and to stand by one's members, than to cave in and accept the decisions of an unelected judge, or the dictats of a government that can't even spell On the basis of the NCB official of the 43,141 miners made redundant over the past two years, only 72 (only two per cent) have found alternative work. It's nonsense to suggest that miners would be in a position to Police picket at Orgreave have an alternative job, with four and a half million people unemployed.
The figures show quite clearly that for one miner to be made redundant, with all the factors to be taken into con sideration, such a pavments scheme. state benefits, the benefit for his son or daughter who cannot have a job, the total cost at the end of seven years is over £91,000. To KCCU that job available for daughter as well, £48,000.
alone social, political or moral sense. to create redundancy in this or any other industry.
Neil Kinnock in his speech on Tuesday as approximately £2 billion, has been made to look infinitesimal according to the study by Andrew NUM. By September, who has be ecos she British what Nigel Lawson particularly dispute. more in lost redundancy the loss of tax, the unemployment capitalists' cept.
that person employed, to keep would only cost basis the It doesn't make economic sense, let prolonging itmake sense.
The cost of the strike described by Glyn for gramme irrespective of taxpayers of this damaging and costly There has been £2.3 billion or production. Fifty four million tons of coal have been lost in the space of this dispute.
The Coal Board claim they wanted to take only four million tons of capaci ty out of this industry. They wanted to bring supply in line with demand - the maxim of the market conEven if one were to accept this approach, rather than the social and sensible one of the NUM, even on that current dispute with Board, and the fact that they are now with the government aiding and abetting them - does not They've got 14 times the capacity reduction that they themselves claim they required. They themselves sug gested they wanted a total coal output by 1989 of 497 million tons. That prowould have included closure, a programme of about 70 pits and 70,000 jobs.
The Coal Board themselves now
ship that ¿ fights' Socialist Action nuc
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