Butlin was speaking in December 1984. In East Lothian many communities were affected. [48]", Note: Your feedback will help us make improvements on this site. That is why the Government and the NCB are isolated on this matter. [44], NCB Chairman, Mr MacGregor, repeated that miners convicted of violent offences would not be reinstated[45], Government memo, NCB Chairman, Mr MacGregor, repeated that miners convicted of violent offences would not be reinstated.[46]. When intimidation began on a substantial scale, the police responded by patrolling the pit villages in order to give protection to those who were threatened, and they made it clear that any report of intimidation would be investigated with vigour. This March the 30th anniversary of the 1984-85 miners' strike was recognised by many events around the UK and there are no doubt more to come. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'totallytimelines_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_14',133,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-totallytimelines_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); Published Jan 16 2021 @ 5:10 pm Updated Sep 17, 2022 @ 4:42 pm, Heather Y Wheeler. The loan was granted on condition that the government made cuts to public spending. And, just so you know, wenevershare your email with anyone. ", Cabinet Miners' Dispute. Gentleman takes exception to that. On the other hand, it was not certain that recourse to the civil law would in practice have this effect. 1984 1 March National Coal Board (NCB) announces closure of Cortonwood pit in Yorkshire - miners at the pit walk out6 March The 1984 Miners' Strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to stop mining closures and the loss of jobs. The High Court in Scotland has fairly recently held that there is no limit to the kind of conduct which may give rise to a charge of breach of the peace." The lessons of the miners' strike - and its defeat - are of great significance to the future of the workers' movement, and deserve thorough study. The election was won by the Conservative Party with a majority of 43 seats. Read our cookie policy here or accept to continue. The Women Against Pit Closures held a conference to decide strategy. Miners from those pits that had not voted to strike now joined the strike action. It has in fact been reported today that a coach has been stopped. Oct. 24 -- Supervisors strike called off. Miners Strike 1984 - 1985, Pictured. Hampstead Theatre,
Workers at the pit walked out in protest. Margaret Thatcher had gained significant popularity following British victory in the Falklands War. Women involved attest to the transformative role of the organisation and . Harold Wilson resigned as Prime Minister because he was aware that his mental capacity was failing. 98 to 91 decide to end the strike in March 1985, Mr. Strang, Labour, MP, Edinburgh Does the Solicitor-General for Scotland recall the representations that he received from my hon. Another national ballot of NUM members saw strike action rejected. It was possible also that Scottish Chief Constables might feel an undue reluctance to call for the help of forces South of the border through mutual aid arrangements.". There was already a picket at Ravenscraig and the police stopped the bus and instructed the occupants not to proceed on the grounds that their presence at the steel works would be liable to cause a breach of the peace. This may involve not only asking some of those present to leave but also preventing others from joining the pickets" "..code of practice issued under the Employment Act 1980in general the number of pickets should not exceed six at any entrance to a workplace" "Any person who fails to comply with a police request in those circumstances [where constable reasonably comes to the conclusion that persons are travelling for the purpose of taking part in a picket] will be committing the offence of obstructing a police officer in the course of his duty[15]". The miners strike officially ended when many areas called for a return to work. Around 5,000 women attended. What does lockdown lifting look like across the UK? The 850 miners working at the pit would lose their jobs. Leader of the party, Margaret Thatcher became Britains first female Prime Minister. The Thatcher government had prepared against a repeat of the effective 1974 strike by stockpiling coal, converting power station to burn heavy fuel oil and recruiting road hauliers to transport coal. The effective cross-border arrangements which can be made are for the exchange of information about the prospective or actual movements of pickets between England and Scotland. Taxi driver David Wilkie was killed. More from National Union of Mineworkers They refused to obey police instructions and 292 were arrested, charged and subsequently released[24]. Key Players . A general election was held. Chief constables are, as you know very sensitive about the impression, which the Opposition are attempting to foster, that they are taking political sides, and are indeed subject to Ministerial direction.". Nothing I've read yet convinces me this is a good idea. Jan. 17 -- 24-hour rail strike in support of miners. My name is Robert Gildea and I'm Professor Emeritus of Modern History at the University of Oxford and I'm a Fellow of the British Academy. June 21 -- Coal Board chief Ian McGregor warns the strike 'could go on until December or even longer.' June 18 -- Scargill knocked. Chancellor Denis Healey needed a loan to prop up the failing pound. The strike was marked by mass picketing, which aroused strong emotions. Comment. The miners' strike 1984-85 February 2022 Other lives Michael McColgan obituary Other lives: Former academic who retrained as a solicitor and worked for families affected by the Hillsborough. Prime Minister James Callaghan lost a vote of no confidence and a general election was called. 1992 Further closures were announced by John Major. Not long into the strike the slogan was invented, 'close a pit, kill a community'. ABSTRACT. 17. June 15 -- Miner killed by truck at Ferrybridge power station. June 18 - The battle of Orgreave - 5,000 riot police took on 5,000 protestors, who pelted officers with bricks and stones. This is how the local newspaper The East Lothian News summed up its reporting as the miners went back to work. Following the ruling that the strike was illegal, a trickle of miners began to return to work. Visit 'Set cookie preferences' to control specific cookies. - Ian McGregor referred to pickets as 'bully boys of arthurs army' - police lines augmented by soldiers, taunting strikers and waving wads of banknotes at pickets June 1984 - battle of Orgreave Nov 30 1084 - David Wilkie was driving a miner to work and had a 46lb concrete block dropped on his taxi killing him instantly We understand that the Secretary of State for Scotland is likely to say that the Chief Constable of Strathclyde is no less ready than Chief Constables in England and Wales to stop flying pickets from assembling when he considers that this would be justified. Oct. 10 -- Union fined $200,000 for contempt of court. But the point seems to be that chief officers in Scotland are not in a position to seek mutual aid from their counterparts in England or Wales (or vice versa). On 6th March 1984, the National Coal Board announced that the agreement reached after the 1974 strike had become obsolete, and that to rationalise government subsidisation of industry they intended to close 20 coal mines, with a loss of 20,000 jobs, and many . Throughout the 1984 miners' strike, Workers Power has fought for the TUC to call a general strike. We have argued that it is necessary in order to secure a victory for the miners and to smash the entire Tory offensive that the MacGregor closure plan is merely one part of. May 1 -- Rival groups of miners throw stones and hurl bricks at each other when 5,000 working miners stage a right-to-work march. Attorney General[31], "As far as the Scottish Office are aware, the police are employing their available powers fully but prudently; and, in particular, they have taken account of the Written Answer of 16 March in which the Lord Advocate lent his support to the Attorney General's explanation of the nature of the police powers in the picketing context." 1994 The coal industry is now privatised by which time the National Coal Board had closed all but the most economical of coal pits. RMM42H39 - Fitzwilliam Main, Colliery in West Yorshire in the winter of 1985 during the miners strike. July 31 -- South Wales miners assets seized and fined $55,000 for contempt of court over picketing. David Jones, a picket at Ollerton Colliery, Nottinghamshire was hit in the chest by a brick was thrown at him by an opponent of the strike. Sun, 29/04/1984 - 22:00. Scargill leads 7,000 pickets, accuses police of brutality. by aneurin. 18. Locals also played host to miners who came to Lancaster to picket the neighbouring . The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for the discretion of the Chief Constable[37]. see our cookie policy. [similar letters to Scottish Police Federation, Association of Chief Police Officers, Association of Scottish Police Superintendents][47]. No special instructions or guidelines have been issued by the Crown Office to the police or procurators fiscal[18]. High Court orders miners leaders to stop backing roving pickets. Mr. Hamilton had the opportunity to be tried before a jury. May 30 -- Scargill arrested on Orgreave picket line. Letter from Mr MacGregor thanking Chief Constables for their help and support during the miners' strike dispute. Adeney, M. & J. Lloyd (1986) The Miners' Strike 1984-5: Loss Without Limit (Routledge) London. Chief Constables are not subject to instructions from Ministers and none have been given to them. The strike was a last, desperate attempt to thwart Thatcher's pit closure programme. 12 March 2014 at 1:57am Timeline of the 1984-85 miners' strike March 12 1984 - National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) chief Arthur Scargill unites various strikes into nationwide industrial. The coal industry had continued to decline and by the end of 1981 there were only 173 mines still in operation. Dec. 25 -- Striking miners celebrate Christmas despite nine months without pay. LOOKING BACK ON MINERS' LOST YEAR In south Wales, although the statistic fluctuated over time, once the strike was established the support remained at 100% until November 1984. The UK miners' strike of 1984-5 was a defining moment in the history of the United Kingdom, one that not only illuminates the country's near-history, but functions as a prism through which to. Many of these mines were in poor economic areas and the miners would find it almost impossible to gain employment elsewhere. September - Thousands of miners and police clash once more at Malty Colliery near Rotherham. Timeline of the 198485 miners' strike 1984 21 February 1984 Miners Official strike starts at Polmaise [12]. Find Miners Strike 1984 stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. "Any comment made as a result of current press speculation about the possible use of servicemen to move pithead coal stocks should be based on a written answer given on 9 April to a question by Mr Nellist about whether the Ministry of Defence had "made specific preparations for military aid to the civil power in connection with the current dispute in the coal mining industry". "In tackling disorder on this scale with courage and determination the police know that they have the support of the overwhelming majority of the public, including members of trade unions.[36]". Police attack miners with rocks, bottles, potatoes studded with nails. [39], The Solicitor-General for Scotland I recall that meeting, at which I gave the hon. The result was a hung parliament and Labour formed a minority government. Aug. 23 -- Second national dock strike called. Selby coalfield was opened providing more jobs in Yorkshire. Joe Green, a miner on the picket line at Kellingley colliery, Yorkshire, was killed when a lorry mounted the pavement to enter the pit and ran him down. When will there be some change in the situation? July 5 -- Union, Coal Board officials meet for peace talks. Dec. 20 -- Nottinghamshire miners vote to defy union rules. The winter had been particularly harsh that year and most families were unable to afford heating as the NUM's funds had been seized by the government in October of '84 and miners were unable to claim state benefits because . This thematic account of responses from women in mining families, from the Labour Party and from communities, in Durham County, to the 1984-85 miners' strike, firmly separates mythology about the strike, generated both inside and outside the coalfield, from what actually happened. June 7 -- 10,000 miners march through London to Parliament. The view of Chief Police Officers, who had been consulted, was that civil action in the courts was not in present circumstances likely to make the task of policing the dispute any easier." He had worked underground as a miner at Silverwood Colliery, Rotherham . Twenty years ago on March 5, 1984 the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) embarked upon the most important class struggle in Britain since the general strike of 1926. Fears over an impending second wave of coronavirus dominates Wednesdays front pages. --Nev - selbert 13:43, 26 March 2017 (UTC) Reply . This article critically reassesses the predominant argument that the 1984-5 miners' strike was inevitably doomed, and examines the potential for alternative courses of action and a different outcome. Oct. 25 -- High Court orders seizure of union fund. Opposition Labor Party accuses Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives of intervening directly to defeat miners. As predicted by economists, this led to deflation and rising unemployment. A general election was held and she won the election with an increased majority of 144 seats in the House of Commons. 1974 A strike plays a major role in bringing down Edward Heaths government . 1985 Jan. 10 -- Union votes to expel Nottinghamshire. Wonderland: A timeline of the 1984/5 Miners' Strike, Wonderland Director announces exciting new staging plans, Video: Writer and Director introduce Wonderland. The Women Against Pit Closures group held a rally in Barnsley. The difference in landscape and the higher number of farmers and land workers in the north could be accounted for in this difference. Over 60 million was raised for the miners, according to the Guardian newspaper. Advertising Disclosure - To help meet costs, we run advertisements across our site, including affiliate links to 3rd party retailers. Thatcher was soon dubbed the Iron Lady due to her rigid stance against the unions and strikers. Feb. 20 -- Miners reject peace plan by trades unionleaders and government. Commentary From The Cedar Lounge Revolution. Nov. 19 -- Back to work move accelerates. The police were brought in to allow workers through resulting in often violent confrontations between pickets and police. We use cookies to collect anonymous data to help us improve your site browsing Feb. 27 -- More than 50 perent of miners back at work. Member for Edinburgh, Leith (Mr. Brown) and myself, about the position of Mr. David Hamilton, the chairman of the Lothian strike committee, who languished for nine weeks in jail and was then found not guilty? Although practice varies in light of particular circumstances, the police normally seek to allow a limited number of pickets up to the pit entrance to enable them to communicate with working miners. The coal industry was privatised. March 1 -- Pressure from regional coalfields to abandon strike. Police and Pickets clash, Orgreave coking plant near Sheffield, Yorkshire, Friday 1st June 1984. 3 March 1985 Delegates at an NUM conference decide 98 to 91 to end the strike. Women Against Pit Closures held a protest march in London. UK Miners Strike 1984 1985. Jan. 21 -- Secret meeting between union and Coal Board to effort settlement. Subscribe to our emails to be the first to hear about new shows and casting announcements. March 8 -- Union executive backs nationwide strikes. (2021). Select from premium Miners Strike 1984 of the highest quality. 1 March National Coal Board (NCB) announces closure of Cortonwood pit in Yorkshire - miners at the pit walk out; 6 March Scottish and Yorkshire areas of the NUM make strike official Visit our website to see the FREE workshops in Drawing, Dance, Kni https://t.co/ziN3dpaTQV. March 14 -- Violent picketing shuts down more mines. "On the civil law, the Group took the view that the balance of advantage was still against action in the courts by management in the industries concerned, but if circumstances changed considerably, they should reconsider this and related issues in the light of the report which had been prepared by the Attorney General on tactical options in the dispute, including the relevance of the civil and criminal law." Over 11,300 miners and their supporters were arrested during the dispute. The rise in cheaper oil from the Middle East led to a decline in demand for coal. The Miners' Strike 1984-85. 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