field.
and the Baker's Union.
The attendance is likely to be smaller than the last Camden Town Hall in ecember not it will entatile be more representative trade union support. for the miners. Trade unions have been invited to send delegates and other bodies one.
its last meeting however the MWDC voted to allow all organisations attending send two The conference is open all members of NUM and women from the pit communities.
where ail the tury of the Coming the Tory government has been the NUM because the NUM executive nave rerusea to sign statement that would endorse the closure their une OILS Lilal They are the National Union of Railwaymen, the National Union of Seamen, the Fire Brigades Union members have fought to keep open for 11 months, it is vital that the solidarity movement decides on concrete Draculal itiatives that can help the miners win.
The first way in which this can be achieved is by backing the call that Arthur Scargill has made to step up mass picketing to show the Tories that their intransigence over will be met in full by a hardening of the pit communities by rallying support from other trade unionists. Three workshops will take place after the opening rally, one on unions, on solidarity groups and one women Against Pit Closures.
The trade union group will discuss a model resolution to be Laker all organisations calling for stepping up industrial support and for the active imTUC plementation guidelines.
It's likely that a central part of the discussion here will be how to deal with the TUC leaders who have sat on their conference decisions and done nothing to fight for support for the miners.
The solidarity workshop will want to discuss stepping up the fundraisthrough appeals both in Britain and abroad but it will also have to concern 1use.T with the mounting number of miners women who have been imprisoned during this dispute The vicious sentences they have received have little with the actual 'crimes' they have committed and rather more to do with the stakes in this struggle.
The shop discuss the March demonstration and call other initiatives that encourage the seltorganisation of the mining communities.
In the final plenary session there will be an opportunity for floor discussion many amendments have come forward to the statement agreed at the last conference.
The last issue of the see solidarity committe solidarity committee into 'councils action' will undoubtedly be posed.
Action While Socialist Action supporters will by then have worked flat out make 11 February a day when as many workers as possible do take strike action in support the miners we do not believe that the call tor a General Strike can come The MDWC is not an alternative TUC. It is not strongly implanted in the unions. It is_ an between the Labour left, the solidarity movement and sections of the trade unions which can play a vital co-ordinating role in centralising support work for the miners.
In bodies of the trade union movement we car step up the campaign fol industrial activi around focus like rebruary or around Coalville on January support for the LCDTU-called demonstration on 24 February.
But if the MWDC is to continue to be of use to the NUm it should not pas: grandiose resolutions that it has no hope of delivering on next weekend in Shef field.
Delegates credentials with the relevant material will be available on the door. £3 per petermie. Miners creche extn 215. More details are available 127, George Lane, …condor SE13 or tel 01-981 3289
Socialist Action 8 February 1985
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FOUR national unions have now sponsored the Mineworkers Defence Committee conference on 9 February to be held at the Octagon Centre in Shef-