filiates and non-affiliates alike, and included a very weighty presence from the African continent. Egypt which has recently massiveay expanaca is coal mining under the Sinai desert was represented.
Representatives the Philippines First of May trade union movement were coming until the murder of movernell s leader, Roland Olalia.
Vietnam Was cell and there were representatives Eastern Europe. A group of miners trom the United States participated as observers. They had been invited by WAPC who were also in attendance.
Pride of nace amongst the delegates South African delegation, headed up by the NUM's president, James Motlatsi. The union's general secretary, Cyril Ramaphosa, had not been allowed out of the country and so was unfortunately unable to attend.
There are over 700,000 and other mines.
The NUM leaders confidently predict that they wil unionise the rest or South Africa's miners over the next tew vears.
Conditions in the industry are appalling. Low wages, the infamous 'compound system' whereby miners are separated from their families for 12-month housed in compounds will Delween 010c. room 'safety' record of 600 deaths a year were highlighted by the tragic Kinross accident earlier this year. Three hundred thousand miners were of other workers on moe other workers on 1 October in a Day of Mourning The Susue of the South African miners inspired the delegates and an emergency resolution (see box) adopted unanimously, aim1ng at a complete bovcott of South African coal. being much greater.
Arthur Scargill said that to. deliberately consign millions of people to the dole represented criminal and spell out the need solidarity action to support workers in struggle.
'It's no good passing resolutions making passionate speeches' he emDuasised unless inese are translated into effective action'. In addition to practical action South Africa, Scargill urged solidarity with workers in Chile Bolivia, Salvador above all We must renew our supThe said, for miners in the Philippines, South-East Asia and the Indian subcontinent: and he called on the socialist countries not only to provide financial assistance workers in dispute but to stop trading acailng with their companies.
The success of the conference can be expected to filiations to the IMO. Conference notes that 18 countries imported 40.9 million tons of South African coal in 1985, with EEC countries importing 25.5 million tons or 62% of the total. French and US governments to ban South African coal imports from the end of 1986 (affecting 10.6 million tons). Il also notes the decision by the EEC Foreign Ministers or 16th September 1986, not to include coal in the economic sanctions against the apartheid regime.
1. Write to the Prime Ministers of the 12 EEC countries and African NUM, Conference agrees to to the EEC Council of Ministers, demanding that full sanctons are imposed against south Atrican coal imports, and that this issue be considered at the Council's next meeting; 2. Write to the Prime Ministers world-wide importing South African coal and demand similar action; 3. Support African trade organisations and the United Nations Assembly for comprehensive maximum economic sanctions to be imposed upon South Africa; 4. Call upon all national and international trade union centres to bring about united and comprehensive trade union action to maximise pressure on all those governments or economic concerns who continue to import south Africar coal, thereby expanding the life of apartheid; 5. Call upon all national and international trade unions to refuse to handle South African coal, and to urge all trade unions to join in the campaign for a complete boycott of it. Conference further notes the decision by the Danish, of the requests for support from the South of the othe countes call by the African National Congress