SOUTH WALES miners have campaigned hard for a Labour victory. Their activities have spread from their own safe Labour constituencies to areas out• Davies is the candidate.
March demonstration on 5 June to boost Labour's campaign.
This battle for Labour government was a major theme of the recent South Wales miners anmual conference. President Emlyn Williams highlighted unilateral nuclear disarmament and massive job creation as the two most burning election issues He told ference, 'Changes of this character can only be obtained by electing with trae socialist policies'.
victory would also provide more favourable conditions for They have built mass actions like the People's Stend in ales. Michael South Michael Foot has promised the NUM that for programme hot the closures.
last month to discuss how closures in South Wales, the miners decided launch campaign throughout the coalfield.
The existing policy was endorsed for opposition to all pit closures, except layman who chairs the The composition of the panel is not always favourable to workers.
"They do not always outright verdict. get Their findings not binding enforceable by law.
of the Derek Bedford has already told Liaqual All •Whatever the exhausted. The South Wales leadership will now visit every pit to argue tor conres stalct to closures with industrial action if necessary.
This campaign will go ahead whatever the result of the election. Labour has broken promises before, shut pits and cut jobs, So this is vital.
A Thatcher victory the greatest danger. Half of the area's 33 pits would be threatened with closure next five to ten Miners in South Wales, other areas facing closures, have problem with the failure of the March ballot for national strike action to save Lewis Merthyr pit.
Dai Davies The right wing and the soft left the South Wales leadership has pulled back from industrial action. They have campaignagainst Des Dutfield wno, whlle vice presidell, led the stay down strike at Lewis Merthyr.
At the South Wales president, Des was defeated by Terry Thomas, by the narrowest of margins. But Des defended his acDETOLY tion and won a standing ovation the delegates. I fought for my pit, the area and policy. would same all over again.
the rhetoric and eloquence in the won't save South Wales pits if you're not prepared to translate it into action when the crunch comes.' Rank and file leaders in the militant pits support this argument for further industrial action. Tyrone secretar of Tower lodge told Socialis Action. several lodges, ncluding Tower are rejec ting Coal Board plans t underground. This would link first 'But if the Tories win, be nounced this summer. When threatened pits want fight we must move to coalfield strike andurpen rapidly date rapidly spread it to other areas.' South Wales executive member Dai Davies told us, in his personal capaciballot is not themay to win 'We've learned that a a national strike to defend Next time we must escalate the strike rapidly persuasion rank and file action solidarity is the way to win, not ballots.' Tory documents exposed this week. It's official. Scargill's claims of 70 pit closures in the next five years are confirmed by
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side the coalfield where Labour could win, like in Cardiff Central where Llanwern steelworker Ray
Sheffield victory
Ple in ointo coalfields and getting these sion strike