strike
Reds Strike The Blues
Posts: 79
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Post by strike on Mar 10, 2007 6:49:19 GMT -5
23 years ago, bloody hell,where does time go? It was on Sunday March 12th, 1984 that my pit, Westoe Colliery in the North East of England voted overwhelmingly to join the Strike that had begun a few days before in Yorkshire. The day before I had been to hear Scargill speak in Sunderland and I, and lots of other relatively young men, were enthused at the prospect of fighting the fascist Thatcher government. It was predominantly a young man's strike because a lot of the older men thought they couldn't lose, with big fat redundancy cheques beckoning.
Anyway, it is something worth celebrating, as it always is when the working class decides to fight back, and I will always be proud of my small part in the year long strike, something to tell my grandchildren about. AND, we were right and everyone else who left us to fight alone was wrong. Where are the coal mines now? Where are the bands like the mighty Redskins to provide our soundtrack? I'm getting old, and far too cynical, but once upon a time..............
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Post by Bazza on Mar 10, 2007 9:03:53 GMT -5
I did read the other week that mines are starting to re-open once again. And that they can't keep up with the demand for coal.
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Post by RedRat on Mar 28, 2007 17:23:47 GMT -5
Comrades, Come March every year my (and alot of my workmates) thoughts turn to the events of 1984/85. It's very,very easy to be nostalgic about that time.Even though the outcome was defeat resulting, in the long term, pit towns and villages becoming Smack Capitals; memories of solidarity among workers, trade unions, the broad Left(Labour Party even[!!!]) and some of the coolest rock and pop acts ever; the struggle seem like happy days. GCHQ, Wapping, the Nurses et al; workers struggles just seemed more serious back then. I'm in local government UNISON, we've had 2 strikedays over the last 5 years. Bit of TV coverage and local support from Trades Council delegates, not quite the same as 1984 is it? We tend to have 1 day of strike action, a promise of a further day,"positive negotiation",suspension of further action and a complete break of workers' momentum. THe Glorious Miners' Strike of 84/85 IS worth celebrating, and one day our union hierarchies may just learn from it  |
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