TUC's refusal to lead a fight against the Tories and the Government's new-found store of energy stocks, miners across the country are becoming aware that they must unleash their full strength against the Tory Government and Phase 3.
Over the past few weeks there fiasbeen a rapid rise in local, militant struggles with the Coal Board arising out of the enforcement of the overtime ban. Moves by the traditionally "moderate area of Leicestershire to put a stop to the publie scabbing operation of local bureaucrat Frank Smith, are now being matched in another "moderate arca-Staffordshire who have a similar rotten apple in their barrel.
There is growing pressure from all the more militant arcas within the NUM-Yorkshire, South Wales, Scotland and Keat-for a major stepping up of industrial action. Miners in several pits in Scotland have passed resolutions and sent telegrams to the executive along these lines, and South Wales minis have organised a lobhy af the executive to back up their call.
A major breakthrough is the decision of the Yorkshire area to call for an immediate strike ballot and a stepping up of the overtime ban while it is being conducted. Emlyn Williams, Gerry Fitt and the SDLP are a major obstacle to the campaigo to get the Irish political prisoners on President of the South Wales miners, has been quoted as saying, "If the National Executive recommends ballot on the strike, the South Wales executive will support them.
This is clearly the only way lor ward. The Government now feels confident that it can weather the overtime ban without drastic cutbacks in power. More importantly.
TUC) inglorious retreat from the fight against Phase 3, has lett millions of workers-victims of Tory Government policy high and dry. Only decisive action like an all-out national miners" strike can break present deadlock and set the workers' movement on the road to victory. There can be no doubt that a miners' strike, accompanied as in 1972 with a wave of flying picket squads, would meet with tremendous support from other workers. Despite all their preparations, the Tory Government would be brought to its knees in very short At the line of writing it i not clear whether Thursday's executive mecting will call for a strike hallot or mot. In any event, time has now become very precious. If there is not some sign of a serious struggle being E lunched apainst the Tories In the very near future demoralisation will begin to spread throughout the wor king class, and the Government get its victory on a platter.
had not acted on the question. Although they promised to take it up again, the position of the SDLP is a major stumbling block.
could be guaranteed from the very first day of a strike called at the present. This, struggle against Phase 3, could ensure a dicishe victory for the whole working-class that this was a condition laid down by Faulkner for the operation of power sharing? Mass rally in solidarity with the miners during the 1872 strike. Such solidarity action coupled with an alliance of the miners and other sections of the labour moment in keis Corner were Dr. Dominic Costa,