The miners strike was a painful industrial dispute which ran from 1984 until 1985. In a book published by the national coal mining museum for england, david john douglass writes that scargills responsibility for the 198485 strike is often exaggerated. In 1984 i spent 12 months photographing the miners strike in the uk. The unlikely story of the true heroes of the miners. Margaret thatcher branded arthur scargill and the other leaders of the 19845 miners strike. The miners strike of 198485 was a brutal clash between the miners union, which was defending jobs, and the thatcher government, committed to destroying militant trade unionism. The 80s, especially the glossier, more expansive middle and later years, are both relatively recent and pretty familiar to anyone who knows a bit of history. The major industrial action, which saw miners from across england. The coal miners general strike of 194950 and the birth of. Mar 04, 20 in both the united states and the united kingdom, miners unions and all of organized labor lost wages and influence after the strikes of the 1980s. Probe into policing during bitter 1980s strike finally gives miners hope for justice the move by the snp is a welcome recognition of injustice more than 30 years after 500 scottish miners. In march 1984 more than 187,000 miners came out on strike when the national coal board. The falklands war the untold story full documentary timeline duration. A wealth of items about the strike are available in the library collections.
The pits closed rapidly over the next few years, and in 1994 the industry was finally privatised. Notes on the miners strike, 19841985 notes on the strike of uk mine workers against closures and to save their union, the num. He examines britain in the decade of thatcher and the citys big bang, from the falklands war and the miners strike to bobby sands and the guildford four, from diana and the new romantics to the brixton riots and band aid, from the rubiks cube to the zx spectrum. A history of britain in the 1980s by graham stewart. Militants and scabs harry paterson look back in anger.
Miners strike of 1984 inspired kit habianics book until our blood is. Jul 06, 2010 miners strike of 1980s funded by east german communists, historian s say. Historians claim substantial sums of money in hard currency were. Margaret thatcher branded the leaders of the 198485 miners strike. However, in wales, the 19841985 miners strike laid the groundwork for community regeneration. Mar 05, 2015 at the start of the miners strike in 1984, bruce wilson was 29 years old, married with a mortgage and two young kids. The conventional story of the miners strike, which began 30 years ago, is now being challenged. The arizona copper mine strike of 1983 began as a bargaining dispute between the phelps dodge corporation and a group of union copper miners and mill workers, led by the united steelworkers.
The reason behind the strike was the vast amount of mines being closed down, which left hundreds of men unemployed. The article contains interesting information about the strike, its background, the aftermath and its importance to all workers in britain. North east englands 80s anarchopunk scene explored in. Apr 08, 20 on the 198485 miners strike there is no such thing as society. In late 1977 and early 1978, 160,000 coal miners 3 from west virginia to southern illinois, waged a 111day strike a strike often led by the rank and file and in opposition to the national leadership of the united mine workers of america umwaagainst the bituminous coal operators association bcoa. Harry patersons book on the nottinghamshire coalfield during the miners great strike of 198485 has been long awaited. Since its getting produced by american money the hollywood producers demand changes made to the screenplay while hiring al pacino as arthur scargill you might have heard of the term audience identification which simply put is an audience identifying with the characters in the film. While 1970 was the high point, the rankandfile upsurge continued for several years after that. The umwa desperate leadership called for a strike to begin on 4 july 1897. As early as june 1970, only one month after taking office, the heath government had to face a dockers strike and could not avoid the declaration of a state of emergency. How the miners strike of 198485 changed britain for ever. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal. Miners strike funded by east german communists telegraph. Marshalling a huge amount of source material ranging from political diaries, popular fiction, music and television of the time, he portrays britain in the 1980s in all its greed and social upheaval.
Miners strike of 1980s funded by east german communists. Aug 31, 2014 he acknowledges now that this is a line you can only use once in a pitch and explains that he went on to tell the story of miners in the dulais valley in south wales during the 19845 strike. Mary evans marx memorial library observing the 1980s brings together, for the first time, voices from both the mass observation archive and the british librarys oral history. The miners strike was a public and political battle whose symbolic importance was well understood at the time. In the 1980s, margaret thatchers social and fiscal policies devastated. The decision to run down uk coal production ripped the heart out of the former coalmining communities. Apr 08, 20 mrs thatcher s biggest conflict on home soil the miners and arthur scargill. The strike call met a favorable response by miners in pennsylvania, ohio, indiana, and illinois and in the end wage increases were granted. Mar 02, 2015 the miners strike considered by many to be the most bitter industrial dispute in british history ended thirty years ago. The british coal miners strike of 198485 was the most significant labor battle in that countrys past half century. The miners strike and the battle over the 1980s after 30 years the recent past becomes history, and the frenzied debates of contemporary journalism give way to the calm impartiality of the scholar.
A history of the south wales miners in the twentieth century 1980. I have read many books on this subject and none measure up to this a great read. Jan 11, 2007 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 fog lifts and we can finally see earlier events in their proper perspective. Six ways that the miners strike changed british politics. The film pride has reignited interest in the struggles of the miners in the south wales valleys in the strike of 19845. A new photo book exploring gatesheads 1980s punk scene, titled the station, has been published by steidl. The strike at the lenin shipyard is seen as part of a growing campaign to gain political freedoms and to improve economic conditions for polands labour force. Cover image of book reform, revolution and direct action amongst british miners. In the 1980s margaret thatchers hardcore social an. The pittston coal strike was a united states strike action led by the united mine workers union umwa against the pittston coal company, nationally headquartered in pittston, pennsylvania. On the back of gb84 david peace i was intrigued to learn more about the miners strike. During the miners strike of 198485 the late ewan maccoll composed and sung a ballad entitled.
The son of a communist miner, he has kept its memory alive at. The united mine workers of america utah education network. 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. David edgar looks at the literature of the dispute and explores its legacy. A community fighting for jobs and survival was wholly denigrated and depicted as violent by the majority. 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. He talks about the legacy of the 1980s and how this decade of. The 198485 coal strike met with a massive response from the state, most notably the drafting into the coalfields of thousands of policemen from other areas under the mutual aid arrangements. The miners strike 1984 was one of the longest and most brutal in british labour history. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Observing the 1980s oral history british library sounds. The official end of the strike came on 3 march 1985, when a vote was passed to return to work even without a new agreement with management. Wounds from the miners strike will take a long time to heal in some midlands communities. Releases of government papers are unlikely to alter radically our views of the strike.
The shutdown at british steel corporation plants across the country is in support of the steelmens demand for a 20% pay rise. Margaret thatcher branded the leaders of the 198485 miners strike the enemy within. The miners strike of the 1980s is often depicted as a bitter clash between ian macgregor and margaret thatcher on one side, and arthur scargill. Thirtyfive years on january 2, 2015 january 22, 2015 bleddynpenny in the wake of a year that saw an inordinately high number of wellpublicised and very worthy anniversaries from the first world war to dylan thomas and the miners strike the thirtyfifth year since the beginning of the national steel strike. The miners strike during the 1980s was a major british. The 1978 strike was the culmination of a decade of class struggle, but it was also potentially the first wave of resistance to the burgeoning employers offensive. The miners were also trying to earn fair wages and get benefits, but most importantly get their jobs back.
She was one of the most influential figures of the past century, and one of the most powerful women in history. The 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. Mrs thatchers biggest conflict on home soil the miners and. The coal miners general strike of 194950 and the birth of marxisthumanism in the u. Feb 02, 2004 the 1984 miners strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. Almost 200,000 coal miners went on strike to protest against proposed pit closures announced by the national coal board. While utah coal miners did not participate in the 1897 strike, they did recognize the growing strength of the umwa. Aug 10, 2017 pride is the inspiring true story behind the hit film. That the miners strike was a class based conflict i. Timeline world history documentaries recommended for you. Did thatcher use soldiers during the miners strike. Footage from the bfi and various regional archives is set to a score of the industrys trademark.
Much of margaret thatchers new neoliberal settlement, replacing the old socialdemocratic one, survived and indeed helped to shape new labour. Many miners previously went on strike, but the 1984 strike was the height of them all. The response to the 198485 miners strike in durham county. Shipyard poles strike for their rights shipyard workers in gdansk, poland, have staged a successful strike in protest over the dismissal of militant crane driver anna walentinowicz. With her rhetoric of the enemy within, thatchers position was hardly hidden. Mar 06, 2019 on 6 march 1984, the walkout at cortonwood colliery signalled the beginning of the 198485 miners strike. The unlikely story of the true heroes of the miners strike. The miners strike became the defining event of british politics in the 1980s. The catalyst for the strike was the announcement by the.
Derbyshire striking miners union leader vindicated. It pitted national union of mineworkers leader arthur scargill, a marxist commited singlemindedly to the welfare of his unions members, against prime minister margaret thatcher, ardent apostle of the free enterprise system, and. However the miners strike conformed to the difficult british industrial context of the time which was marked by increasing unrest. The subsequent strike lasted nearly three years, and resulted in replacement of most of the striking workers and decertification of the unions. Former miners hope an inquiry will reveal if they were spied on during the 1980s strike. A number of books have been published this week to mark the 30 year anniversary of the end of the miners strike, including from a rock to a hard place by beverley trounce and robert mercernairnes new novel about the strike and the politics of thatcherism, the storytellers. The unlikely story of the true heroes of the miners strike tate, tim on. In a book published by the national coal mining museum for england, david john douglass argues that too much focus. It has long been rumoured that thatcher sanctioned the use of the army and that squaddies were dressed in police uniforms and let loose on picket lines, to aid in crushing the strikers. This article argues that due to the divisions within the miners union about the way the strike was started, the thatcher government was able to exploit. Steel workers are staging their first national strike for more than fifty years. One miners incredible true story of deceit, betrayal and back stabbing during the miners strike of 1984 by ken ambler, simon ambler, et al. Seen in front of posters demanding no pit closures, around the time of the miners strike. I was recently involved in a twitter thread concerning the use of troops during the miners strike.
The failure of the miners strike in 1984 has been seen by many as the result of bad leadership of the head of the num, arthur scargill, the lack of support for the strike as well as giving credit to the governments preparations. In 1995 miners famously bought the tower colliery in. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. There are individual men and women and there are families.
How kevin durant s insecurities and frequent tantrums helped to break up the golden state warriors dynasty, book claims. Tuc and labour party leaders didnt throw their lot in with the miners. One example of welsh efforts to reinvent their rural economy is the dove workshop. In 1995 miners famously bought the tower colliery in the cynon valley. After the 1980 steel strike, many hauliers blacklisted drivers who refused to cross picket lines to prevent them. This was to be the first of 20 pit closures with the loss of 20,000 jobs. Arthur scargill b 1938, miners leader and trade unionist. Miners strike funded by east german communists east german communists helped fund the british miners strike in the 1980s, historians claim. 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.
The book itself is somewhat heavy going but is well worth persevering with. The 1980s was a period of important working class struggles in britain as well as in the rest of europe and the world. 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. On 2 january 1980, 100,000 steelworkers in britain struck in an unprecedented display of national unity and industrial defiance. The dispute started when the conservative government, led by margaret thatcher, announced the closure of cortonwood colliery in yorkshire. Policing and class consciousness in the miners strike by. Assess the view that the main reason for the failure of the miners strike in 1984 was the leadership of arthur scargill. The strike, which lasted from april 5, 1989 to february 20, 1990, resulted from pittston s termination of health care benefits for approximately.
It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board ncb, a government agency. 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. The thatcherite revolution, capitalisms response to the inability of keynesian economics to deal with the economic crisis, was a means of ruthlessly culling unprofitable industrial sectors and involved a brutal assault on workers jobs and living conditions. A page dedicated to the memory of the kent mining communities and the 198485 miners strike. Set in the 1980 s, this is the story of thatcherism, the miners strike and how they struck up an unlikely alliance with gay men and women from london. There is a prevailing view that arthur scargill, the num national president, called the strike. They did so in the midst of the 1984 miners strike the most bitter and divisive. Accounts of the miners strike, and its aftermath, as recorded by the whitehaven news. 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 branded the leaders of the 198485 miners strike the enemy.
Spgb 30p the past year has seen the publication of a variety of books, pamphlets and articles on the miners strike. Dm was mainly a sahm and i was the eldest of 5 dcs. Struggle the strike weapon lessons of the miners strike. Derbyshire striking miners union leader vindicated after revelations of rivals secret meetings with margaret thatcher. The miners strikes of the 1980s saw violent scenes across the country. And in retrospect, its clear that it was the last classfocused dispute of its kind. But the national steel strike is worth remembering.
Sep 30, 2010 he examines britain in the decade of thatcher and the citys big bang, from the falklands war and the miners strike to bobby sands and the guildford four, from diana and the new romantics to the brixton riots and band aid, from the rubiks cube to the zx spectrum. Probe into policing during bitter 1980s strike finally. A coal miner called paul manages to sell a screenplay featuring the british miners strike of 198485. The policing of wivenhoe and the essex ports during the 1984 miners strike, moira abdelrahim. And the subtitle, the story of the miners strike, 19845, refers to his specific task of revitalizing major sections of british industry. In this classic account, seumas milne reveals the astonishing lengths to which her government and its intelligence machine were prepared to go to destroy the power of britains miners union. Impact of arthur scargill on the failure of the miners strike. The state, the police and the judiciary in the miners. 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. Pride and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. In his new chapter hywel explores the links between the welsh miners associations and the lesbian and gays support the miners group, and how this alliance came out of the leftwing politics of the 1980s. Booklist miners and miners strikes news from nowhere radical.
508 971 546 182 201 1267 893 599 992 834 893 1255 275 122 1307 449 482 1488 1427 1482 824 940 371 390 1208 650 272 324 1022 235 82 761 681 224 483 1398