need for it. He believes that Notts miners being railroaded into support fora breakaway, that there won't be a ballot for Notts because Lynk and co will find a way round that.
The trades council is circulating its affiliates with a resolution condemning the attempts divide the NUM and calling upon all unions to refuse i recognition. Their decision to support the Kent NUM's Lobby of the TUC on September, was taken with the breakaway in mind. And trades councillors Will bE further discussing what steps can be taken to stand firm with the NUM.
Publicity One such is Welbeck colliery's plan to write to every try publicising the Notts position. But, with official literature invariably locked in the Berry Hill Notts area office, getting through to local miners, especially those who worked during the strike, is a big problem We're fighting to regroup the said Mark. not just strikers' association we're after, even though it's those after, even though it's those who were on strike who are taking this lead in the Notts pits. shire general secretary, breakaway from the stated in the Leicester Mercury that the than the NUM could ever get.
The Dirty 30 Leicestershire striking miners responded declaring that they would reform the •Leicester NUM ге main in the national union there was any breakaway.
Jones che scab delegates from Bagworth and Ellistown, the two major pits in Leicestershire, nalve already planned along with the South Derbyshire executive, to join Notts. The Bagworth delegate had openly announced at a meeting on 9 June the minutes of secret meetings with Lynk It is obyious to us that Jones executive have planned for breakaway. Members of the Dirty 30 are taking the arguments to miners who are beginning to listen.
17 July Maicolm Pinnegar and Mick Richmond issued a statement the Mercury which declared that miners were DURING THE past fortnight big winds of change have been blowing through the Leicestershire mining areas around Coalville. After Notts announced the breakaway scab leader Jack Jones, Leicesterannounced that the area would go to its membership to decide regarding any NUM. On Tuesday 9 July Jones began to sow the seeds for action when he Notts breakaway would get a far better deal from the NCB being misled over the split.
Most the working miners had little understanding of the situation JES was LUI surprisine as the union's official paper had not been distributed in the pits for 16 months.
The demned talk of ballotting on the issue in Leicestershire as a smokescreen.
The executive had already planned split What wollid Souppe Derbyswire now was South would ballot first. There was likely to be a strong majority there, and this would boost the split vote in Notts, where it seems the majority do not want to break away.
The day after the statement appeared in the Mercury, copies the une edition of The Miner ap peared at Leicestershire's four pits. In the afternoon was approached by a Socialist Action 26 July 1985 miner, very nervous, who asked to meet me in the car park. He asked: 'What will me my mates do Leicestershire breaks away? We know you were right but we were scared by Jones' words that violence would if pickets carth met violence here. Will you help us who want to stay in the NUM?
I told him that he and his mates were not the only ones who wanted to stay in the NUM. Men Bagworth and the other three pits in Leicestershire also wanted to stay, and we would reform the Leicestershire NUM. He left me thanking. me for lalking to him and helpins him. His last remark wa 'You won't forget us will you Rico?' I drove home from the pit feeling sense achievement, a feeling o warmth like a lovely glow. A feeling not fel for a very long time. Jones the scab officials had listened to and educated the young miners, indeed all miners. they would have joined the March 1984 without a ballot. It is these scab leaders that have to go.
The Dirty 30 will en courage young miners to remain loyal to the NUM even if some of them only looking after themselves.
Socialist Action 26 July 1985