National Justice for
Mineworkers Campaign steps up action
ONE YEAR FROM the end of the British coal strike miners and their supporters are stepping up the fight for reinstatement of miners sacked or imprisoned during the dispute.
IIIIMH RAKER
BRITAIN ding support for the families of those in prison or sacked (see interview following with Liz French, wife of imprisoned miner). The campaign on an international level is still going strong and needs to be stepped up along with the renewed activity in Britain. Support groups exist in Denmark, Italy, France, Belgium, Australia. Such groups can affiliate to the campaign in Britain and where possible send delegations to the national march and rally in London on March 2, two years since the great strike started, one year since it ended.
Since the end of the strike more than thirty pits nave been closed and than thirty pits have been closed and 15,000 jobs have been lost as the National Coal Board have driven through their attempt to run down the industry and destroy the national union. This project recently received a blow when the 2,200 strong workforce of the Leicestershire coalfield voted not to join the scab Union of Democratic Mineworkers' , this despite the fact that all but thirty of the Leicestershire miners worked during the strike.
A year after their strike ended, the miners are still carrying on their fight. The labour movement nationally and internationally owe it to them to back them in this campaign. in gaol Three-year sentence from April 1985. G79348, Acklington Jail, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 9XF. Not miners but sentenced in connection with the miners strike: DAVID TEASDALE: Student -Nine-month sentence from April 1985. HMYCC, York Road, Wetherby, West Yorks LS22 5ED. PAUL BROTHERWELL: 12-month sentence. DAVID GAUNT: Shirebrook -2½-year sentence from December 1984. E71037, A Wing, Millers Park Youth Custody Centre. Doddington Road, Wellingborough. TERRY FRENCH: Betteshanger -Five-year sentence from January 1985. B73383, Weald Wing, Maidstone jail, Kent. CHRIS TAZEY: Betteshanger -Three-year sentence from January 1985. A29398 Youth Detention Centre, Springfield Road, Chelmsford. DEAN HANCOCK: Oakdale - Eight-year sentence. Gartree maximum security prison, nr Market Harborough, Leicester. RUSSELL SHANKLAND: Taff Merthyr - Eight-year sentence. Gartree maximum security prison, Leicester.
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JUDITH BAKER
The National Justice for Mineworkers Campaign was originally launched from a rally at the 1985 Labour Party conference following the adoption there and at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) conference of a resolution in support of sacked miners.
The campaign held its first conference under its new name (it was formerly known as the Miners Amnesty Campaign) on January 25 in Sheffield, Yorkshire when over 250 people attended from every coalfield in Britain. Also in attendance were national officials of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), representatives of the national committee of Women Against Pit Closures (WAPC) and representatives from the Campaign group of Labour Party Members of Parliament (MPs).
The Campaign Group of MPs have drafted a Justice for Mineworkers Bill which will be presented to parliament on February 27 as a way of publicising the miners' case and putting pressure on the Labour Party and trade unions to commit a future Labour government to justice for the miners. The presentation of the bill will coincide with a lobby of parliament.
The aims of the campaign are stated as follows;
1. Support for the NUM resolutions to the 1985 TUC and Labour Party conferences.
2. To raise support for the sackeu and imprisoned miners and to raise
International Viewpoint 10 February 1986 money for the NUM's National Solidarity Fund.
3. To publicise the Justice for Mineworkers' Bill.
4. To call on the TUC and Labour Party to refuse all recognition of, or dealings with the breakaway Union of Democratic Mineworkers.
The campaign is officially recognised by the NUM.
Over 500 miners remain sacked following the strike and 21 are still in prison. A great deal remains to be done in campaigning for their release and reinstatement and also in provi-
Miners
WILLIAM SMITH: Whittle - 2½year sentence from February 1985.
E44975, Durham Jail, Old Elvet,
Durham DH13HU.
JOHN MATTERSON: Murton -
Two years and three months youth custody from December 1985.
JOHN HEMINGWAY: Murton -
One year and three months from
December 1985.
JOHN ROBSON: Murton - One year and three months from
December 1985.
ROBERT HOWE: 22, 21 months
ANTHONY RUTHERFORD: 24,
18 months.
JOHN ROBINSON: 21, 18 months jail
GARY BLACKMORE: 19, 2 years youth custody.
ANTHONY HOWE: 19, two years youth custody.
WILLIAM BELL: 20, 18 months youth custody.
MARTIN HODGSON: Wakefield
- Three-year sentence from November 1985. Armley Jail, Leeds.
NIGEL HODGSON: Wakefield
Three-year sentence from
-
November 1985. Armley Jail, Leeds.
PAUL WRIGHT: Saville - 18month sentence. G76424 Kirkham
Jail, Freckleton Road, Preston Lancs.
CLIVE THOMPSON: Frikley