tinuation of the solidarity action.
Action about the current state of the strike.
What do you think about the negotiations the attitude of the NUM leadership?
Firstly, I think that the leadership is responding to strong pressure below, in its talks with the NCB. For example there were two resolutions from the Yorkshire area council the NUM, Cortonwood and Hatfield Main which clearly called for talks without precondlnorthere war strong feeling about this from the membership. So it's actually neen Yorkshire position that has been conveyed to the NEC and has become the NUM'S DOS LIONI any negotiations.
was also a call Northumberland delegates for an expanded executive, that greater participation Was by the membership in the negotiations. More people should have a say in what the Executive does says.
The same Northumberland delegates two weeks earlier were arguing tor a dispute.
What about the position of the hundreds of miners who've been arrested and ten sackele Our attitude on that is there can be absolutely no compromise on their reWe demand that central the negotiations. It's actually 700 miners now.
The collusion between the police and NCB is incredible. The NCB point out individuals on picket and tell the police who immediately go and arrest the targeted people.
We've got two miners Asken pit who've been charged with breach of the peace - the most. minor onence - who've been sacked and people at Edlington who were tound not guilty but have still been sacked Eaton, for the NCB, has made it clear in public that iney won t compromise on this so it will be a big fight because we won't give in either.
What do you think are the next steps for militants to take in the strike?
Those people who are going back now are making the situation much worse than before. They're takchance of ally those who've been sacked re-employed after being Secondly the role of NACODS will become more important again over the coming week. They're against the closure of pits uneconomic grounds the same as the NUM, ex cept they call for outside arbitrators to decide that each case should be taken on ils merits NUM on this would make our position What role do you see for the days solidarity tasks?
The davs of action on ll and 24 February should be ana ouill the solidarity action should bé stepped up while the talks are going on.
But there's more that can be done. We don't need to wait for the leaderships to call for action People should be taking action themselves and walking off the job. The rank and file should take the strike into their own hands.
There still big possibilities for the sabotage of scab coal. We're still in a strong position in the strike.
Yes, but the solidarity action still has to be fought for and led by the leadership, it can't be substituted for by the rank file. What about the disgraceful role of the LP/TU leadership for example?
Well, I think that this is an dispute Tensina hasn't got much to do with the Labour Party. It will be won by the miners and other people on the streets.
What about the role of the solidarity groups now in The solidarity groups should be transformed into Councils of Action that's their role now in the local areas they have that potential. We won the is et people to join ines as they did at Cortonwood this week.
We had a mass picket at Hatfield Main of about a thousand strong called the Women's Support Group This is what we should be doing now. If the media gave as much attention to the strike from that point of view as they do to the balance of payments or the falling pound we'd be very pleased National of Railwaymen, The National Union of SPEAKERS: Peter Heathfield, Tony Benn, Betty Heathfield, John Tocher, Phil Holt, Paul Whetton Firefighters Say The miners fight is OUR fight! IRE
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DAVE DOUGLASS is the NUM delegate from Hat- field Main, and is a member of the Yorkshire NUM executive. In this crucial week for the miners' strike he has been busy on the picket line arguing for con-
GRAHAM TOPLEY spoke to him for Socialist general strike to win the
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