The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal. Conspiracy theorists have found support they always do. This is one of the towns which are included in strikes. 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.
How the miners strike of 198485 changed britain for ever. In this classic account, seumas milne reveals the astonishing lengths. Policing of the miners strike 198485 in northumberland. Dec 31, 20 thatcher and police brutality in 1984 posted by north pennine on december 31, 20 images on tv screens of vast armies of police invading villages assaulting anyone who came close enough to be beaten by a truncheon was a shock and went against everything id been brought up to believe and respect. Former prime minister, baroness thatcher, led the tributes for his contribution to british industry. The secret war against the miners is a book by british journalist and writer seumas milne, first published in 1994. 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. 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 previously to the great strike to prevent earlier attempts of pit closures, the most obvious attempt being in 1981 by the still new thatcher government. Oct 03, 2014 the miners strike 198485 this article is more than 5 years old. We have been collecting your stories and memories of the strikes.
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. The 1984 miners strike was the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. For 12 months miners fought an unprecedented battle to. The uk miners strike was a major industrial action affecting the british coal industry. 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 miners strike of 1984 1985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes britain has ever seen. Loss without limit new edition by adeney, martin, lloyd, john isbn. The strike left him as diminished as his pit, day dragging after idle day. Information regarding the policing of the miners strike 198485 in northumberland, tyne and wear and durham. Wholly unacceptable miners versus thatcher student party. Aug 25, 2009 the miners strike started in south yorkshire in march 1984 and continued for a year. It was also seen as a major political victory for margaret thatcher and the conservative party. The children, aged 11 to 15, were heading for trade union holiday centres and the homes of french mining families. The uk miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action affecting the british coal industry.
Changes in british society during the 20th century. On 19 july 1984, thatcher said in the house of commons that giving in to the miners would be surrendering the rule of parliamentary democracy to the rule of the mob. The catalyst for the strike was the announcement by the. Complete this summary thanks to the suggested link. Mar 09, 2014 the strike became key part of margaret thatchers legacy as prime minister and its telling that jim held a celebration in his pub when she died. The miners did not really agree this theory and in 19845 the miners were on the strike. She referred to union leaders as the enemy within and claimed they did not share the values of other british people. During the miners strike, thatchers secret state was the.
This account by peter wilsher, donald macintrye, michael jones, and the sunday times insight team into the 198485 miners strike came out in summer 1985, shortly after the national union of mineworkers went back to work. The book investigates the circumstances surrounding the uk miners strike 198485. Mar 04, 2014 the 198485 miners strike was the longest, most bitter national strike in british working class history. The strike became a symbolic struggle, since the national union of. In the 1980s margaret thatchers hardcore social an.
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 the miners strike, thatchers secret state was the real enemy within. Mar 05, 2014 in 1984 south wales miners joined a nationwide strike. Bbc south yorkshire history your miners strike stories. Wholly unacceptable miners versus thatcher student party cancelled durham uni students were asked to come with flat caps, filth and a general disregard for personal safety to represent miners. The strike only began to crumble when the ncb offered miners various pay incentives to return to work before christmas.
Mar 12, 2009 the majority of welsh miners initially voted against a strike but later played a major part in picketing and demonstrations. The matter was widely discussed in the press during the years strike, and after. The miners strike saw 203 elswick fd bty ra v achieve an amazing peak of training and capability. Uk hits 30year anniversary of miners strike uk al jazeera. A dedication to the men and women who fought not only for the right to work but in the pursuit of a. Thatcher and police brutality in 1984 posted by north pennine on december 31, 20 images on tv screens of vast armies of police invading villages assaulting anyone who came close enough to be beaten by a truncheon was a shock and went against everything id been brought up to believe and respect. For 12 months miners fought an unprecedented battle to defend their jobs and communities. It was also seen as a major political and ideological victory for margaret thatcher and the conservative party. 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. Margaret thatcher branded the leaders of the 198485 miners strike the enemy within.
Updated editions were released in 1995, 2004, and 2014. The film is set in a fictional town, everington, in durham county. The miners strike 198485 this article is more than 5 years old. Shirley dent on how literature reflects the 1984 miners strike. The 1984 miners strike i margaret thatcher num mining communities. The son of a communist miner, he has kept its memory alive at the shirebrook miners welfare social club, founded in 1920. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. Margaret thatcher and the pit strike in yorkshire bbc news. The miners strike started in south yorkshire in march 1984 and continued for a year. Speech to conservative party conference margaret thatcher. In march 1984 more than 187,000 miners came out on strike when the national coal board. She also forced miners back to work with no pay during the miners strike of 1984 and signed a treaty about the future of hong kong with the chinese in 1984.
Thatcher, scargill and the miners paperback 1 sept. The miners strike of 19841985 was an attempt by miners to stop the national coal board ncb and the government of prime minister margaret thatcher shutting down collieries mines. The miners strike in part the biggest single bloc of files in the 1984 release, and the most anticipated, relates to the coal strike of 198485. Much of margaret thatchers new neoliberal settlement, replacing the old socialdemocratic one, survived and indeed helped to shape new labour.
The government strategy, designed by margaret thatcher, was threefold. The video looks at the uk coal miners strike which took place between 198485. The 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. That is the legacy of the nums strike of 1984 85, a truly historic fight i have always said that the greatest victory in the strike was the struggle itself, a struggle that inspired millions. Apr 01, 2014 remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485. Miners strike 30 years since the pit crisis of 1984.
Margaret thatcher branded arthur scargill and the other leaders of the 19845 miners strike. 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. Margaret thatcher was prepared to declare state of emergency and use 4,500 troops to break unions. Thatcher refused to compromise, and by november 1984, the miners had begun to return to work, heralding what was seen as a crushing defeat for. Thatcher, scargill, and the miners wilsher, peter on. Miners wives rose to the challenge of supporting their men by raising funds and organizing food distribution, but were also active on picket lines and marches. The bennetts were a close family of alex, betty, lynn and little brother stuart, 11. 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. Feb 02, 2004 the 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. Booklist miners and miners strikes news from nowhere radical. How does literature reflect the 1984 miners strike. In march 1984 more than 187,000 miners came out on. An orgy of police violence was followed by a failed attempt to prosecute 95 miners for riot. The miners strike and her second term margaret thatchers greatest achievement during this parliament was in resisting the yearlong national miners strike.
In all probability this as just a slur originated by roger wndsor to extract funds from the newspapers on the back of some very sour grapes and a. The miners strike of 19841985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes britain has ever seen. Thatcher, scargill and the miners by sunday times 19850905. The strike became key part of margaret thatchers legacy as prime minister and its telling that jim held a celebration in his pub when she died. It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board ncb, a government agency. Haunting images of the 1984 85 british miners strike. On 3 march 1985, the nums executive narrowly voted for a return to work. The losses endured by the working class and their organisations as a whole with the. To be sure, the miners had a good deal and to try to prevent a strike the national coal board gave to the miners the best ever pay offer, the highest ever investment and for the first time the promise that no miner would lose his job against his will. She survived an assassination attempt by the provisional ira in the 1984 brighton hotel bombing and achieved a political victory against the national union of mineworkers in the 1984 85 miners strike. Margaret thatcher died on april 8, 20 at the ritz hotel in london because of. Immingham docks on the humber blew up into a national strike in 1984.
They did so in the midst of the 1984 miners strike the most bitter and divisive. Remembering the 30th anniversary of the miners great strike for jobs in the year of 8485. 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. A look at the british coal industry prior to the miners strike in a normal free market environment, supply and demand determines success. In all probability this as just a slur originated by roger wndsor to extract funds from the newspapers on the back of some very sour grapes and a forged num document. And never forgive the police who bruitalised the working. Margaret thatcher and the british coal miners strike. The majority of welsh miners initially voted against a strike but later played a major part in picketing and demonstrations. 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. Stories drawing on these files have been splashed in the press and revelations claimed from every perspective. The strike became a symbolic struggle, as the national union of. Thatcher refused to compromise, and by november 1984, the miners had begun to return to work, heralding what was seen as a crushing defeat for them and a major victory for mrs. 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. Thatcher and police brutality in 1984 miners strike 1984.
Untold story of international help in 198485 miners strike. A brief history of the uk coal miners strike 1984 85 youtube. It was a defining moment in british industrial relations, and its defeat significantly weakened the british trade union movement. Thatcher debated using military in 1984 miners strike the. Thatcher was given the nickname iron lady because of her leadership style. The 1984 miners strike i margaret thatcher num mining. 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. Timeline of uk miners strike of 198485 upi archives. Apr 04, 2015 the video looks at the uk coal miners strike which took place between 1984 85. Cover image of book reform, revolution and direct action amongst british miners. Confrontation between riot police and miners at the orgreave coke works in south yorkshire, june 1984. In 1984 south wales miners joined a nationwide strike. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The miners strike 198485 police, protests and public.
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. Nov 27, 2017 wholly unacceptable miners versus thatcher student party cancelled durham uni students were asked to come with flat caps, filth and a general disregard for personal safety to represent miners. The miners did not really agree this theory and in 1984 5 the miners were on the strike. A crossparty agreement the plan for coal appeared to secure the future of mining in britain, two years after the february 1972 miners strike, which had crippled the countrys power. In the united states, for example, individual people, acting in their own selfinterest and according to their own personal enjoyment, decided that it was better to live in the suburbs and drive an automobile. London following is a chronology of events in britains miners strike, the longest major labor dispute in the nations history. Whos who in the british miners strikes 1972197419845. I would love to lodge a foia request asking how many mtds were expended in that unit between 19831984 and then say 198889. Andy davies meets strike veterans taking part in an anniversary exhibition who, despite the outcome, have fond memories of the event. It is a heavyindustry town where the strike has no point. The 198485 miners strike was the longest, most bitter national strike in british working class history.
In yorkshire, the mere mention of baroness thatchers name is often likely to lead quickly to talk of the 19845 miners strike. With the news of her death at the age of 87, emotions remain high in. Badge dating from the strike, caricaturing thatcher. But ten years earlier the uks coal industry appeared to be on the way up. Milne was not the first person to use margaret thatchers most noteworthy 1984 soundbite for his title associating the enemies without in the. A quiz to help you understand the miners strike of 1984. Thatcher had avoided a miners strike in 1981 by backing down because coal stocks were low but she was unwilling to buttress what she considered a dying industry for long. Thirty years ago today, miners at cortonwood colliery in yorkshire walked out in protest at plans to close their pit. It reminds me why i went out with a collection can on my local high street to raise money for striking miners. The miners who go back to work in the mine are scabs. For a nostalgic and dignified backdrop to the miners strike watch pete postlewhaite in the acceptance speech in the albert hall in the final 10 minutes of the movie brassed off.
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