Gascoyne, a forceful 59yearold exfaceworker who swears a lot, was the branch secretary of the national union of mineworkers throughout the strike of 1984 85 and until the pit closed. Richards book, miners on strike, dedicated a chapter to how unusual it was in 1984 for a largescale strike to be launched in protest at job cuts. Perhaps because of this, the family moved to cambuslang in search of work, and it was here that mick went to school mick started work at age 14 at the gateside colliery. National union of mineworkers great britain wikipedia. 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 1984 1985. The strike became a symbolic struggle, as the national union of. The media portrayed these women as the supportive wives and daughters of miners, dutifully performing a domestic role that enabled their men to maintain the strike. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates. Led by arthur scargill and the national union of mineworkers, the strike by the men who had spent most of their lives working down the pits at collieries across britain began in. Pages in category uk miners strike 198485 the following 18 pages are in this category, out of 18 total. How does literature reflect the 1984 miners strike.
The miners strike that ended an era adam smith institute. The national union of mineworkers, headed by arthur scargill and mick mcgahey, its president and vicepresident, declared the strike. Untold story of international help in 198485 miners strike. It was also seen as a major political victory for margaret thatcher and the conservative party. Brilliant insight team work make this a easy read about social history, union power, political strategy and will. Britain has no female mineworkers, yet women became the driving force behind the miners strike of 198485. I was mesmerised by margaret thatchers cunning in taking on union might in the the selection of who to fight, how to prepare for battle, how to fight, where to fight etc. Miners strike in nottinghamshire the diary of john lowe.
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. 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. The bbc has referred to the strike as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. More than half the countrys 187,000 mineworkers are now on strike. Therefore, in march 1984, when the ncb announced its plans to close cortonwood colliery in south yorkshire and polmaise colliery near alloa, local strikes were called across the country.
Polmaise was the first pit out on strike, on 21 february 1984 two weeks before the national strike began and among the last to return to work. Opposition to the strike was led by the conservative government of prime minister margaret thatcher, who called the. They threw the gauntlet down, we picked it up has 3,276 members. Miners strike in south yorkshire and some scottish pits. The official yorkshire national union of mineworkers num area photographer in 198485 was the late martin jenkinson and this book of his photographs some never previously seen before serves as a unique social document on the dispute that changed the face of britain. This article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. In addition to being the most bitter industrial dispute the coalminers strike of 19845 was the longest national strike in british history.
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. The uk miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action affecting the british coal industry. In addition to being the most bitter industrial dispute the coalminers strike of 1984 5 was the longest national strike in british history. Looking back at the 19845 miners strike solidarity federation. The conventional story of the miners strike, which began 30 years ago, is now being challenged. Opposition to the strike was led by the british government of prime minister margaret thatcher, who called scargill the. On march 3rd, 1985, the national union of mineworkers, led by arthurs scargill, voted to return to work after a yearlong strike, the longest and most bitter strike, and one that finished without an agreement. The conventional story of the miners strike, which began 30 years ago. The miners strike by mark harvey overdrive rakuten.
Margaret thatcher branded the leaders of the 198485 miners strike. It was a defining moment in british industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the british trade union movement. Miners there stood at the forefront of the fight against pit closures and the national miners strike of 1984 85. The miners strike 198485 police, protests and public. Miners strike over threatened pit closures tens of thousands of britains miners have stopped work in what looks like becoming a long battle against job losses. The book investigates the circumstances surrounding the uk miners strike 198485.
The definitive account of the strikethe best book on the thatcher era. I have also written a thesis the decline if mining in the llynfi and afan valleys ruskin college. Wcml mining unions and the 198485 miners strike miners. In addition to being the most bitter industrial dispute the coal miners strike of 19845 was the longest national strike in british history. In the book, john mccormack tells the story of polmaise colliery in stirlingshire.
Remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485. Miners strike 1984 jim coulter, susan miller, martin walker canary press, 1984 fiction 241 pages. Nov 17, 2011 sheffieldborn jonathan symcox is the grandson of john lowe and has long been fascinated by the 1984 85 miners strike mainly through his grandfathers prolific writings. Timeline of uk miners strike of 198485 upi archives. David edgar looks at the literature of the dispute and explores its legacy. In march 1984 more than 187,000 miners came out on. For a year over 100,000 members of the national union of mineworkers, their families and supporters, in hundreds of communities, battled to prevent the decimation of the coal industry on which their. The children, aged 11 to 15, were heading for trade union holiday centres and the homes of french mining families. Miners there stood at the forefront of the fight against pit closures and the national miners strike of 198485. 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 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. A novelist and ghostwriter in his spare time, he works as a journalist and chief subeditor on. 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. Calais two hundred children of miners on strike set sail for calais for a threeweek holiday provided by miners in the french communistled trade union cgt.
Uk miners strike 198485 wikipedia republished wiki 2. They did so in the midst of the 1984 miners strike the most bitter and divisive. In 1984, with the uk miners strike at its peak, the young german photography student michael. Sheffieldborn jonathan symcox is the grandson of john lowe and has long been fascinated by the 198485 miners strike mainly through his grandfathers prolific writings. International support for the miners strike 198485. The story of the miners strike, 19845 1st by ian macgregor, rodney tyler isbn. The miners strike of 1984 85 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. Opposition to the strike was led by the conservative government of prime minister margaret thatcher, who wanted to. John dunn from the justice for mineworkers campaign speaking on the uk miners strike of 1984 at the marxist summer school 2014. Mar 12, 2009 that is the legacy of the nums strike of 198485, a truly historic fight i have always said that the greatest victory in the strike was the struggle itself, a struggle that inspired millions. By the end of the strike, eleven different lgsm groups had emerged throughout the uk, with the london group alone raising. Miners in yorkshire and kent were the first to down tools this morning by tonight they had been joined by. Miners strike, 19845 the national miners strike 19845 involved 142,000 mineworkers and has been described as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. Ive got a half decent book entitled across frontiers.
This list may not reflect recent changes learn more. Miners across yorkshire began strike action and on 12 march, a national strike was declared by the num, but no official vote was held. May 19, 2014 in addition to being the most bitter industrial dispute the coal miners strike of 19845 was the longest national strike in british history. This page was set up by a former striking yorkshire miner. How the miners strike of 198485 changed britain for ever. After successful strikes in 1972 and 1974 which prevented pit closures, calls were made for strikes in the early 1980s, eventually leading to the strike of 19841985. His father, john mcgahey, worked in the mines at shotts, north lanarkshire when mick was born.
The 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. Kit habianics novel is one of betrayal in a welsh village during the miners strike of 1984. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. Thirty years ago today a strike described as the most bitter industrial dispute in british history came to an end. National union of mineworkers leaflet detailing reasons why the strike should be supported dncb672. It was a defining moment in british industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the. Loss without limit new edition by martin adeney, john lloyd isbn. After successful strikes in 1972 and 1974 which prevented pit closures, calls were made for strikes in the early 1980s, eventually leading to the strike of 1984 1985. See more ideas about coal mining, billy elliot and history. That is the legacy of the nums strike of 198485, a truly historic fight i have always said that the greatest victory in the strike was the struggle itself, a struggle that inspired millions. Miners strike of 1984 inspired kit habianics book until our blood is. For a year over 100,000 members of the national union of mineworkers, their families and supporters, in hundreds of communities, battled to prevent the decimation of the coal industry on which their livelihoods and communities depended. Led by arthur scargill and the national union of mineworkers, the strike by the men who had spent most of their lives working down the pits at collieries across britain began in 1984 and ended on march 3, 1985. The case for coal 1984 national union of mineworkers.
National union of mineworkers president arthur scargill called the strike six months ago when the conservative government announced the closure of 20 uneconomic pits and the loss of 20,000 jobs. 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 the late twentieth century. The secret war against the miners is a book by british journalist and writer seumas milne, first published in 1994. A novelist and ghostwriter in his spare time, he works as a journalist and chief subeditor on the yahoo. During the 198485 miners strike, arthur scargill, the president of the national union of mineworkers num, was fond of finishing his speeches with the cry the miners united will never be defeated. Scargill marches with dinnington miners in 1984 rally. May 09, 2010 ive got a half decent book entitled across frontiers. 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.
Mr justice nicholls stopped short of ordering the num to ballot its membership, but the men who brought the case say they will return to work on monday. As featured in the yorkshire times, sheffield telegraph and nuj news leeds. This was to become the bitterest industrial dispute in most of our lifetimes and marked a major defeat for the working class. John was a founder member of the communist party of great britain and took an active part in the 1926 general strike. Booklist miners and miners strikes news from nowhere radical.
First read this book in the mid 80s when i lived in s. The national union of mineworkers num is a trade union for coal miners in great britain, formed in 1945 from the miners federation of great britain mfgb. National union of mineworkers say this will mean closing 20 pits and loss of 20,000 jobs. Apr 28, 2015 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 retold in a. It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board ncb, a government agency. I have read many books on this subject and none measure up to this a great read. Shirley dent on how literature reflects the 1984 miners strike. Jun 26, 2014 john dunn from the justice for mineworkers campaign speaking on the uk miners strike of 1984 at the marxist summer school 2014. Jun 18, 2018 this article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
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. Tens of thousands of britains miners have stopped work in what looks like becoming a long battle against job losses. John lowe was at the forefront of the fight for jobs during the 19845 miners strike. The miners strike of 1984 1985 was major industrial action affecting the british coal industry. Yorkshire, the heartland of king arthurs powerbase. In a foreword to the book, rick sumner, national convenor of justice for mineworkers, acknowledges the part played by the 198485 strike in virtually creating a new badge culture in the num, building on a relatively small tradition of national and area badges in previous years. After the 1984 85 strike and the subsequent closure of most of britains coal mines, it became a much smaller union. Apr 05, 2014 the conventional story of the miners strike, which began 30 years ago, is now being challenged. I have written a book when we were miners ian isaac 2010 available at amazon and kindle. 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.
Apr 01, 2014 remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485. In britain, trade unions had traditionally launched strikes for claims on wage rises and rights at work, but strikes in defence of jobs had been very rare. Looking back at the 19845 miners strike solidarity. The strike by the national union of mineworkers num was led by arthur scargill, although some num members considered it to be unconstitutional and did not observe it.