Coal%20Miner

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Coal Miners Strike

• 1984-1985

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What was the Strike about?

• Margaret Thatcher and her conservative government
  came into power and wanted to move Britain
  forward.
• Britain had lots of industries that were not
  efficient and making money
• Shipbuilding
• Car manufacturing
• Coal Mining

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Coal Mining

• Coal Mines generally in the north of England,
  Scotland and Wales.
• South of England more new industries such as
  electronics etc

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• Very much a split country
• Northern England, Scotland and Wales
• Working Class
• Traditional Industries
• Southern England
• Middle Upper Class
• New Industries

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Why did the Miners go on Strike?

• In 1984 the National Coal Board announced that 20
  coal mines would close.
• Total Job losses would be in excess of 20,000.

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Deeper Problem

• Towns were built round mines
• Main source of employment for the town
• If the Mine closes then the whole town is
  affected, every business is affected.

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The Strike

• Miners worried about possible closures in the
  area went on strike.
• Thousands of miners went on strike.
• On 12 March 1984, Arthur Scargill, president of
  the NUM, declared that the strikes in the various
  coal fields were to be a national strike and
  called for strike action from NUM members in all
  coal fields.
• NUM National Union of Mineworkers

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• Over 187,000 miners went on strike

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Violence

• Scabs Workers who do not go on strike with
  their colleagues.
• When workers go on strike they are not paid.
• Why do you think Scabs would be met with violence
  and abuse?
• Police clashes were also common as tensions grew
  between miners and police.

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Levels of Solidarity in the 1984-85 strike by
area
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What was the Strike like for the miners?

• The strike last over a year.
• Financially the strike was disastrous for those
  involved. They had no income for a full year.
• Commitment to the COAL NOT DOLE cause
• Miners had to live on charity for large periods
  of time.
• Very emotion time

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• Food Centres were opened for the miners
• People collected money for the miners.
• Very difficult time for the miners

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The end of the strike

• 03/03/1985, the NUM voted 98-91 in favour of a
  return to work.
• Miners' leader Arthur Scargill says the campaign
  against job losses will continue - but miners
  will return to work on Tuesday.
• We face not an employer but a government aided
  and abetted by the judiciary, the police and you
  people in the media
• Arthur Scargill, NUM