THE DURHAM COALFIELD gave a massive 'yes' to industrial action in two area ballots last week. The eight thousand NUM members voted 68 per cent in favour of an overtime ban in defence of wages, pits and jobs.
action in four specified areas — solidarity with their victimised workmates, pay, restoration of the industry's conciliation procedures and in opposition to the closure of Seaham, the area's most profitable colliery.
• The vote by the twoand-a-half thousand mechanics means area's pits will now be hit weekly lightening 24-hour stoppages without mechanics' prior warning.
The Durham votes are the latest evidence of a •growing IOOd resistance. Last month the South Wales Area voted to start a ban on coal production during overtime in protest against the Coal Board's pay tactics and continuing job losses.
In Yorkshire, Hatfield Rossington NUM branches have both had one-dav strikes and a number of South Yorkshire branches have called for an Area overtime ban. The Yorkshire Counch TETCCLCU moves for immediate action but voted in favour of a national overtime vote should talks with NCB boss Sir Robert Haslam fail to yield the desired results. Kent miners will also be voting inis montn ana born soull Derbyshire Noramber and de lo consider action.
The new mood in the pits is the proof that Arhur Scargill's presidential this year's NUM conference, which said the NUM would be faced with the need for industrial action, was not 'out of touch with reality' as South wales like Terry Thomas put it.
It's the new mood of resistance, moreover, which prompted coal boss Haslam make • gesture of combined deal iposinina combined involving the reconsideration of certain of the outstanding 468 miners and proposals on pay, Haslam nopea side-step the growing anger and what he described as the 'past intransigence of the leadership'.
But just what Haslam had mind with this TWO HUNDRED peorevealed by Telegraph indisincomespondentsu the September issue. 'Only a small minority of the still not reemployed willgel their jobs back' he concluded.
for Haslam Day. went over the heads of the NUM to impose the outstanding rise which will be back-dated only to those who scabbed during the dispute. Next year's offer will be "below the inflation rate of 2.4 per cent according to Robert Taylor, labour editor of The Observer.
The Coal Board Durham mechanics took first lightening strike nounced
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In a parallel ballot, Durham mechanics voted for the De was