If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. More than half the countrys 187,000 mineworkers are now on strike. So these real human stories cant be forgotten by history, here they are for everyone in exactly the way they were presented. Nov 09, 2016 in 1984, britain was caught in a bitter battle between margaret thatchers administration on the one hand and the national union of mineworkers on the other. Policing of the miners strike 198485 in northumberland. The miners strike of 198485 was a major industrial action to shut down the british coal industry in an attempt to prevent colliery closures. I would love to lodge a foia request asking how many mtds were expended in that unit between 19831984 and then say 198889.
In the 1970s, the national union of miners had extracted pay deals and benefits from the government way in excess of the value of the coal they were producing. The miners strike was a time when class conflict in. June 18 the battle of orgreave 5,000 riot police took on 5,000 protestors, who pelted officers with bricks and stones. Brush up on your history and find out more about the 19845 miners strike which inspired wonderland with our brief timeline. In the aftermath of the devolution debacle, the labour government fell on a vote of no confidence defeated by one vote the snp having voted with the opposition. 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. Scargill called the strike without a ballot and this led to many miners considering the strike undemocratic. 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. The 1984 strike followed on from the disputes in 1972 and 1974.
Although the increase in the oil process in the mid1970s made the future of coal look secure, and showed that coal was still an important part of the nations energy needs, more pits began to be closed as did the factories that had brought employment to the valleys in the 1970s. At the height of the dispute more than 150,000 miners went on strike and brought much of the nation to a standstill. The miners strike of 1984 1985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes britain has ever seen. Thirty years ago today, miners at cortonwood colliery in yorkshire walked out in protest at plans to close their pit. Mar 06, 2014 thirty years ago today, miners at cortonwood colliery in yorkshire walked out in protest at plans to close their pit. Can someone explain the 1984 uk miners strikes to me. The newspapers in this collection provide an insight into the key events and chronology of the 1984 5 miners strike.
Wcml mining unions and the 198485 miners strike miners. In terms of the impact of the strike upon public opinion and electoral behaviour it. The 19841985 miners strike newspaper collection archives hub. The miners strike lasted a year and was one of the longest and possibly most damaging industrial disputes ever seen in britain. The media became obsessed with the numbers of miners who were back at work, even though the government later admitted that the figures had been inflated. But ten years earlier the uks coal industry appeared to be on the way up. Information regarding the policing of the miners strike 198485. The death of taxi driver david wilkie, killed by a concrete block dropped.
The miners strike in the aftermath of the devolution debacle, the labour government fell on a vote of no confidence defeated by one vote the snp having voted with the opposition. The mining industry was nationalised government run and funded before margaret thatcher. Major events of the 1984 uk miners strike timeline. Changes in british society during the 20th century. A timeline created with timetoasts interactive timeline maker. My dad was a sly old git when it came to the unions and strikes, he.
The result was the general election of 1979 and the victory of a conservative government under britains first female prime minister. Miners in yorkshire and kent were the first to down tools this morning by tonight they had been joined by. Having lived through the strike as the son of a miner and the nephew of 7 other miners, all from the same pit new herrington in the durham coal field the strike brings back a lot of bad memories, and a lot of funny ones. Media in category uk miners strike 1984 the following 6 files are in this category, out of 6 total. Powered by create your own unique website with customizable templates.
Video of the miners strike in 1984 to mark the 25th anniversary, this is some footage of the picket lines and the riots that ensued. Remembering the 1984 miners strike that devastated south. It was called on the basis of arthur scargills warnings that the government of margaret thatcher was intent on effectively closing down almost all of the coal industry in the uk. Policing of the miners strike 198485 in northumberland, tyne. Shirley dent on how literature reflects the 1984 miners strike.
Information regarding the policing of the miners strike 198485 in northumberland, tyne and wear. Miners against the strike break away and form udm mar 3, 1985. Besides newspapers the collection includes a small amount of cartoons, postcards, posters, pamphlets and photocopies of material on miners wives. During the strike the miners and their families displayed. On 3rd march 1985, miners marched back to work behind their banners.
In 19845 the miners went on strike again because the national coal board, which was in charge of all british mines at the time, planned to close several mines, with the loss of. The miners strike 198485 thompsons trade union solicitors. Orgreave was not the worst crime of the miners strike capx. The miners strike began on 5 march 1984 and lasted until 3 march 1985. Home, timeline, general strike, match workers, the ragged trousered. London following is a chronology of events in britains miners strike, the longest major labor dispute in the nations history. The miners strike saw 203 elswick fd bty ra v achieve an amazing peak of training and capability. Twelve years prior, miners had won a major victory. Timeline of uk miners strike of 198485 0 london following is a chronology of events in britains miners strike, the longest major labor dispute in the nations history. Commentators at the time made great reference to the effect of the 1984 5 miners strike upon those living in the mining communities, especially the women. The newspapers in this collection provide an insight into the key events and chronology of the 19845 miners strike. Timeline of uk miners strike of 198485 upi archives. As goodman stated, arthur scargills claim that the strike politicized people as had no previous postwar industrial event, was certainly correct.
A quarter of a century ago britain was split by its most bitter industrial dispute ever. Angry clashes between striking miners and police led the daily news and arthur scargill and ian macgregor became household names. Strike, timeline of key events and a useful glossary. A south wales taxi driver lost his life, when a concrete block was dropped onto his car.
Working miners split from the num to form their own union called the udm union of democratic mineworkers. Miners strike 30 years since the pit crisis of 1984. I have a musty old box of poems collected by my dad. James mccarthy remembers the 1984 miners strike that devastated south wales, crushed the. For some, even though 25 years later, the legacy of. Image from a leaflet produced by the num in support of the miners. The tuc collection includes 20 subject files specifically relating to the miners strike of 19845 mss.
The strike destroyed the power of the trade unions in british politics. They achieved this by strikes and mass picketing of power stations, preventing deliveries of coal by physically intimidating the delivery. The miners strike of 1984 85 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. They achieved this by strikes and mass picketing of power stations, preventing deliveries of coal by physically intimidating the delivery drivers. Looking back at the 19845 miners strike solidarity. Family history research timeline events on the working life timeline. This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title uk miners strike. This article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. The son of a communist miner, he has kept its memory alive at the shirebrook miners welfare social club, founded in 1920. The catalyst for the strike was the announcement by the. The 1984 miners strike was the most bitter industrial dispute in british history. How does literature reflect the 1984 miners strike.
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 tuc collection includes 20 subject files specifically relating to the miners strike of 1984 5 mss. Soldiers were to be used to break the miners strike. Miners strike 30 years since the pit crisis of 1984 youtube. On 6th march 1984 the national coal board announced that the agreement reached after the 1974 strike had become obsolete and that to rationalise gove.
The miners strike of 19841985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes britain has ever seen. The 198485 miners strike lasted a year and was one of the longest and potentially most damaging industrial disputes ever seen in britain. The 198485 miners strike after a period of relative stability in the second world war and the early postwar period, the british coal industry nationalised in 1947 underwent a massive contraction from 700,000 employed in 1957 to 300,000 by 1970, as alternative fuels were used to produce energy. Miners at midglamorgan coal mine, 1989 the 1984 conflict between the national union of miners and the conservative government of margaret thatcher signalled the decline of the british coal industry. The two highly successful national strikes of 1972 and 1974 then catapulted the miners up. Mar 26, 2006 scargill called the strike without a ballot and this led to many miners considering the strike undemocratic.
After 12 months, during which many striking miners lived without wages, six people died and 11,000 were arrested, the num called off the strike. At the start of the miners strike in 1984, bruce wilson was 29 years old, married with a mortgage and two young kids. The 1926 general strike and the 19845 miners strike have been chosen as the time between the two cases is nearly sixty years, making it easier to identify patterns that are evolving. March 12 1984 national union of mineworkers num chief arthur scargill unites various strikes into nationwide industrial action, without a ballot.
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. It was led by arthur scargill of the national union of mineworkers num against the national coal board ncb, a government agency. Police and pickets face to face sheffield thursday 12th april 1984. The strike left him as diminished as his pit, day dragging after idle day.
The government of edward heath refused to compromise on a 7% rise and a strike began whereupon the government declared a state of emergency, imposed a three day. Commentators at the time made great reference to the effect of the 19845 miners strike upon those living in the mining communities, especially the women. 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. Apr 14, 2014 brush up on your history and find out more about the 19845 miners strike which inspired wonderland with our brief timeline. The miners strike of 19841985 was one of the most bitter industrial disputes.
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 result was the general election of 1979 and the victory of a conservative government under britains first female prime minister, margaret thatcher. Battle of orgreave, 18 june 1984 1888 the national union of mineworkers num is established and later affiliated with the labour party in 1909. It became the longest industrial dispute of the century and lasted until march of 1985, despite having been ruled illegal during september of 1984. How the miners strike of 198485 changed britain for ever. Jun 18, 2018 this article was written to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the commencement of the 19845 miners strike in the united kingdom. In 1984, britain was caught in a bitter battle between margaret thatchers administration on the one hand and the national union of mineworkers on the other. Jan 11, 2009 video of the miners strike in 1984 to mark the 25th anniversary, this is some footage of the picket lines and the riots that ensued. Jul 30, 2010 the mining industry was nationalised government run and funded before margaret thatcher. A photo showing defendant eric newbiggin bleeding from head wounds inflicted by police.
Mar 08, 2009 a quarter of a century ago britain was split by its most bitter industrial dispute ever. The losses endured by the working class and their organisations as a whole with the. It was called on the basis of arthur scargills warnings that the government of margaret thatcher was intent on effectively. Uk miners strike 198485, led by arthur scargill of the num. This ferocious confrontation between the organised working class led by the national union of mineworkers and margaret thatchers conservative government was a momentous chapter in the history of the class struggle in britain. To what extent did the 1926 general strike and the 19845.
Miners strike over threatened pit closures tens of thousands of britains miners have stopped work in what looks like becoming a long battle against job losses. A quiz to help you understand the miners strike of 1984. By the late 1970s, a new industrial depression had started in south wales. James mccarthy remembers the 1984 miners strike that devastated south wales, crushed the num and left. Following is a chronology of events in britains miners strike, the longest major labor dispute in the nations history. Scargill marches with dinnington miners in 1984 rally. The conservatives lost the election, and the new labour government gave the miners a big pay increase, ending the strike. 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 1984 conflict between the national union of miners and the conservative government of margaret thatcher signalled the decline of the british coal industry. Major events of the 1984 uk miners strike timeline created by esbonvouloir. In 1972 the miners came out on strike for higher pay, with a successful result. The 1984 conflict between the national union of miners and the conservative.
A taxi driver, david wilkie, is killed taking a working coal miner to work in merthyr, south. The call comes with one voice from those on the left. The miners strike of 1984 and the british coal industry e. He had worked underground as a miner at silverwood colliery, rotherham. 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. These include correspondence and other papers regarding financial assistance to the national union of mineworkers num from the tuc and other trade unions, and support for the strike from overseas unions.
1090 191 824 167 167 1114 1389 846 1296 579 268 49 357 243 1303 910 768 1600 208 325 628 577 638 1413 1465 9 360 443 477 714 160 1305 1461 254 1424 1197 132