OVER 1500 unionists and socialists met last Saturday in Duisberg in the heart of West Germany's Ruhr alcal to hear rally adressed by Peter Heathfield, Ron Todd and Anne Phillips from the support groups in South Wales.
'When in July we had came Germany received £185.79 from the Bundesrepublik,, said Joe rolmes, official German герneseurauve 'Since then over £250,000 has come to us through the office set up for us by the teachers ululL. which organised 490 meetings.' Another f250,000 was said to have been sent by - the German union leaderZOrle through by a e TUC abd a fund SuSdec ane the ISTC — of which the mues naso lar sect not a single penny!
Anne Phillips sulllmed up the feeling of the meeting when she said. 'We have, atter a year of struggle, had to suffer the indignity O1 Dowllg to the power of the state. But believe me, they have not broken the spirt of the British miners •'m not nere loday ll s id dor de headeneld.
Peter 'My pledge to you is to Cull ld the fight behalf of all working OCDIC •We both have right wing gocunmenls wause ability to pursue their capitalist policies dependent on developing subservient chance". We fight on.' German speakers were unanimous in condemning the strike-breaking their own union leaders who had permitted 1,760,000 tonnes • of coal to be sent to during the J0C Holmes explained that a lilassivt official ference scheduled for 12 January in essenl, been cancelled when German tidut leaders had instructed their members attend because they did not agree with the strike's allis.
'When we struck for the 35-hour week, demanded and got internatonal support. saic Karl Gruener, convenor of Bosch , ine Dortmund. 'Our leaders are cutting our throats by terusing tne most cemenl ary trade union duty More Inar £15,000 was collected at the meetng which heard that th TUM's office in Wuppel lai would stay open Io the next year to suppor the familie sacked miners continue solidarity activity.
Socialist Action 15 March 1985