The num national union of miners was on strike against job losses. May 11, 2016 the miners strike 198485 factchecking myths of the miners strike. Starting on 6 march 1984, it turned out to be the most important and bitter tradeunion dispute in britain. How does literature reflect the 1984 miners strike. Founding members mike jackson and mark ashton had organised a bucket collection to support the striking miners on the june 1984 london pride march and decided that more needed to be done to raise. The national miners strike 19845 involved 142,000 mineworkers and has been described as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. Mar 02, 2015 wives who joined their men on the picket line at garw colliery are hustled away from a coach carrying a strike breaker 28 of 30. June 18 the battle of orgreave 5,000 riot police took on 5,000 protestors, who pelted officers with bricks and stones. The yearlong strike involved hardship and violence as pit communities from south wales to scotland fought to retain their local collieries for many the only source of employment. During much of 1984, britain was hit by some of the worst industrial action the country has ever seen, as the national union of mineworkers downed tools. Black lungs england coal mining back to work world history great britain art projects the past textiles. Six ways that the miners strike changed british politics.
Before the strike, the government has ensured that huge quantities of coal were stockpiled, so they were well prepared for a long strike. The 1926 general strike and the defeat of the miners. This article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. The general strike was lost because it was betrayed. Dm was mainly a sahm and i was the eldest of 5 dcs. Lgsm who we are lesbians and gays support the miners. March 12 1984 national union of mineworkers num chief arthur scargill unites various strikes into nationwide industrial action, without a ballot. Charles foster seems to think that arthur scargill called out the miners in 1984. The real story of the miners strike in five questions financial times. The government wanted to shut 70 pits which they denied at the time then closed them and more when the strike was over. Mar 06, 2014 miners strike 30 years since the pit crisis of 1984 channel 4 news. The battle of orgreave did not stop any pit closures and the miners strike failed, so probably the only winners were margaret thatcher and her government, as their will prevailed and in doing so, they crushed arthur scargills power base and political ambitions. This has the effect of forcing most people to live off the lions share of their redundancy money.
Feb 02, 2004 the 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. The miners strike of 198485 will always be remembered in british working class history as the most significant turning point in the power. In march 1984 more than 187,000 miners came out on strike when the national coal board. Shirley dent on how literature reflects the 1984 miners strike. The 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. Factchecking myths of the miners strike letters politics the. Apr 01, 2014 remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485.
The miners strike of 198485 will always be remembered in british working class history as the most significant turning point in the power relationship between the working class organisations of the trade unions, and the state representing the interests of the privileged minority in. There were 31 arrests in july 1984 when 400 miners and 200 police. The strike began on 9 january 1972 and ended on 28 february 1972, when the miners returned to work. Wives who joined their men on the picket line at garw colliery are hustled away from a coach carrying a strike breaker 28 of 30. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. The miners strike hansard, 19 october 1984 search help. The miner s strike of 1984 85 was caused by the massive pit closure programme introduced by margaret thatcher and her tory government. Across frontiers brings to life the fascinating story of the men and women who travelled overseas to speak to workers and raise support for the miners strike. Hansard 18032005 1980s 1984 october 1984 19 october 1984 lords sitting the miners strike. Macgregor chairman of the national coal board said yorkshire would be the first to. Apr 08, 20 margaret thatcher and the pit strike in yorkshire. Timeline of uk miners strike of 198485 0 london following is a chronology of events in britains miners strike, the longest major labor dispute in the nations history.
Googling 1984 miners strike brings up nearly 300 000 links including a detailed wikipedia my dad was a striking miner so we had a year without his wages and obviously not entitled to benefits as on strike. James mccarthy remembers the 1984 miners strike that devastated south wales, crushed the num and left. My dad was a miner and told me they had to pay back any handouts they got whilst on strike. It has been thirty years since thatcher broke the miners strike the industrial action lasted for almost a year and marked the beginning of the end for the industry. It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board ncb, a government agency. James mccarthy remembers the 1984 miners strike that devastated south wales, crushed the num and left margaret thatcher a hate figure among those on the picket lines time heals all wounds, they say. Two mori polls of miners in march and april 1984 showed majorities of over 60 per cent in favour of a strike. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal. Thirty years ago today, on 3 march 1985, the yearlong miners strike came to an end. It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board, a government agency. International support for the miners strike 1984 85.
Mar 15, 2009 it split the miners, most came out on strike but some didnt. Keith pattinson photographed the miner s strike of 1984 and captured the harsh times and events that occured. It has been thirty years since thatcher broke the miners. James mccarthy remembers the 1984 miners strike that devastated south wales, crushed the. In defeat for the miners and the closing of most pits which would be useful now as we run out of oil. The government and the coal board said that some mines had to close because they were uneconomic but. I came away having learned a great deal, and i can honestly say i enjoyed the experience. The general strike would have won with ease, provided the leadership was effective. Accepting that a ballot might well have been won, ken capstick, an num ally of scargills, argued after the strike that organising a vote would have seemed like giving in.
Mining unions and the 198485 miners strike miners federation of great britain prior to the postww2 nationalisation of the mining industry, and the creation of the national union of mineworkers num in 1945, the mining unions were organised into the miners federation of great britain mfgb. Source 16 will paynter, my generation 1972 the miners lockout dragged on through the months of 1926 and really was peteringout when the decision came to end it. Remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485. The miners strike of 1984 1985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes britain has ever seen. Jan 03, 2014 during much of 1984, britain was hit by some of the worst industrial action the country has ever seen, as the national union of mineworkers downed tools and upped pickets to resist planned cuts to. This ferocious confrontation between the organised working class led by the national union of mineworkers and margaret thatchers conservative government was a momentous chapter in the history of the class struggle in britain. This is one of my favourite photos from the series, as it captures the desperation of the people and the power of the police in controlling sometimes brutally the striking miners. They wanted to replace britains use of coalfired power. The miners strike 198485 factchecking myths of the miners strike. The strike by the national union of mineworkers began on 6th march 1984, in response to pit closures, wage restraints and heavy reductions in government subsidies. The 1972 uk miners strike was a major strike involving a dispute over pay between the national union of mineworkers num and the conservative edward heath government of the united kingdom. The power to reverse this process of decay lies in the hands of those who are on strike or are contemplating the.
A crossparty agreement the plan for coal appeared to secure the future of mining in britain, two years after the february 1972. The 1984 miners strike and the death of industrial britain duration. Arthur scargill born 1938 was the militant, controversial president of the british national union of mineworkers who led the longest and most violent miners strike in british history. The events of 1984 were a culmination of many years of struggle by the miners to raise wages and conditions, and in the years immediately. Miners strike 30 years since the pit crisis of 1984 channel 4 news. Wcml mining unions and the 198485 miners strike miners. The london lesbians and gays support the miners lgsm group was formed in july 1984, four months into the yearlong miners strike of 19845. As she saw it, the defeat of the miners strike of 198485 cut the brake on the application of largely unrestrained market forces, not only in energy but in the wider ordering of society. One recent grey afternoon i visit the site of the old shirebrook colliery in northeast derbyshire with a former miner, alan gascoyne. Opposition to the strike was led by the british government of prime minister margaret thatcher, who called scargill the. On 1 march 1984 the national coal board announced that it planned to close 20 coal mines with the loss of 20,000 jobs.
A dedication to the men and women who fought not only for the right to work but in the pursuit of a. Mining unions and the 1984 85 miners strike miners federation of great britain prior to the postww2 nationalisation of the mining industry, and the creation of the national union of mineworkers num in 1945, the mining unions were organised into the miners federation of great britain mfgb. In 1984 police and striking miners clashed at orgreave. Miners strike 30 years since the pit crisis of 1984. The 1984 miners strike was the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. The government and the coal board said that some mines had to close because they were uneconomic but the miners disputed this. To mark the 20th anniversary of the 1984 miners strike, inside out revisits the miners who lost their jobs. Miners strike 19841985 working class movement library british history women in history world history communism socialism the truman show billy elliot research images the enemy within my dad was a miner and told me they had to pay back any handouts they got whilst on strike. Mar 12, 2009 how does literature reflect the 1984 miners strike. International support for the miners strike 198485. It was on march 6 1984, that the national coal board announced plans to shut 20 pits across the uk. The film parodies hollywood films by overdramatising the strike and changing most of the important historic facts. Lesbians and gays support the miners lgsm was an alliance of lesbians and gay men who supported national union of mineworkers during the yearlong strike of 19841985. This confrontation between striking miners and police, dubbed the battle of orgreave, was the subject of a historical reenactment in 2001, which was recorded in a.
One of the more evident aspects of this contradiction is the way in which miners, and their supporters, have remained silent about what they know of some of the hypocrisies of the bureaucrats who. Timeline of the 198485 miners strike march 12 1984 national union of mineworkers num chief arthur scargill unites various strikes into nationwide industrial action, without a ballot. Two separate groups of mineworkers from yorkshire and derbyshire went to court in an attempt to have the dispute declared illegal. Uk miners strike 198485 a detailed, referenced article covering about the strike, covering background, the sequence of major events, issues in the strike, variation in observing the strike, responses to the strike, mining and. This confrontation between striking miners and police, dubbed the battle of orgreave, was the subject of a historical reenactment in 2001, which was recorded in a channel 4 documentary by mike figgis. During much of 1984, britain was hit by some of the worst industrial action the country has ever seen, as the national union of mineworkers. May 09, 2010 ive got a half decent book entitled across frontiers. In march 1984 more than 187,000 miners came out on. Mar 12, 2014 timeline of the 1984 85 miners strike march 12 1984 national union of mineworkers num chief arthur scargill unites various strikes into nationwide industrial action, without a ballot. The miners strike of 19841985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes britain has ever seen.
Remembering the 1984 miners strike that devastated south. The end of an industry the pits come tumbling down. The decadesold feud that still divides communities. The miners strike is unlawful because a union ballot was never held, a high court judge has ruled. The beginning of the end for british coal the 1984 miners strike was the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. Now theres pressure for an inquiry into the events of the day. South yorkshire during the miners strike, august 1984. Gascoyne, a forceful 59yearold exfaceworker who swears a lot, was the branch secretary of the national union of mineworkers throughout the strike of 198485 and until the pit closed. Miners strike 30 years since the pit crisis of 1984 youtube. Between march 1984 and march 1985, more than half the countrys 187,000 miners left work in what was the biggest industrial dispute in post.
Miners wages had not kept pace with those of other industrial workers since 1960. Oct 10, 2016 in 1984 police and striking miners clashed at orgreave. Thatcher had it all planned to destroy the miner s union by using the police in a military role. One of the most famous clashes of the miners strike took place at orgreave. Addressing the icc you claim you say we lost the strike because the union stopped the pickets in the first weeks of the strike. One recent grey afternoon i visit the site of the old shirebrook colliery in north east derbyshire with a former miner, alan gascoyne. But ten years earlier the uks coal industry appeared to be on the way up. Margaret thatcher and the pit strike in yorkshire bbc news. How the miners strike of 198485 changed britain for ever. The miners strike marked the beginning of the end for britains coal industry. Much of margaret thatchers new neoliberal settlement, replacing the old socialdemocratic one, survived and indeed helped to shape new labour. On 12th march 1984, arthur scargill, president of the national union of mineworkers num, called a national strike against the pit closures.
An article about the 1984 miner s strike in wales, on the bbc wales history website. The miners strike of 1984 85 will always be remembered in british working class history as the most significant turning point in the power relationship between the working class organisations of the trade unions, and the state representing the interests of the privileged minority in the late twentieth century. An article about the 1984 miners strike in wales, on the bbc wales history website. Dec 02, 2010 an article about the 1984 miner s strike in wales, on the bbc wales history website. The son of a communist miner, he has kept its memory alive at the shirebrook miners welfare social club, founded in 1920.
Jan 11, 2007 the miners strike of 1984 85 will always be remembered in british working class history as the most significant turning point in the power relationship between the working class organisations of the trade unions, and the state representing the interests of the privileged minority in the late twentieth century. The 198485 miners strike after a period of relative stability in the second world war and the early postwar period, the british coal industry nationalised in 1947 underwent a massive contraction from 700,000 employed in 1957 to 300,000 by 1970, as alternative fuels were used to produce energy. My lords, i beg leave to ask the question standing in my name on the order paper. A quarter of a century ago britain was split by its most bitter industrial dispute ever. The long shadow of the british miners strike april 28, 2015 paul dean remembers the struggle he supported 30 years agothe great british miners strike of 198485, whose story is. Mar 08, 2009 a quarter of a century ago britain was split by its most bitter industrial dispute ever. Miners strike cartoon coal mining, cartoon, history. Stock photo police horses charge pickets at the orgreave coking plant in sheffield south yorkshire during the miners strike. One of literatures greatest strengths is its ability to take us inside the subjective experience of history into the heat of the miners. The effects of the miners strike are still felt today 30 year on. Mar 09, 2014 the effects of the miners strike are still felt today 30 year on. Mar 26, 2006 before the strike, the government has ensured that huge quantities of coal were stockpiled, so they were well prepared for a long strike. The catalyst for the strike was the announcement by the national coal board ncb on 6th march 1984 that it intended to cut national capacity by 4 million tonnes.
1246 681 1526 458 1365 565 1324 1117 324 1004 396 786 138 912 118 1505 194 748 259 73 1241 52 1223 326 1360 1059 1024 1118 42 1058