RIGHT at the start of the 1984 mues every single Fleet Street printed photograph ball their campaign against the strike. It showed coal boss Ian Macgregor and gensecretar Leicestershire NUM, Jack Jones, hammering a peg into the ground at the Vale of Belvoir, the site of maleading to the opening of HHVESELCHI so-called 'super pits'.
The ceremony signified that of Belvoir jobs would be: guaranteed to Leicestershire miners and that accordingly they had nothing to fear from pit security was assured. The Vale of Belvoir promise was key in winning the bulk Leicestershire miners to refusing to join every other similar 'promise • made by the Board. it has turned out to be a complete con. The first Vale of Belvoir pit, where work is now underway, is al AslUruly shire. Asfordby is schedulBut despite its geographical location, despite UNCi Macgregor promise, British the pit management out of the Central area (which includes Leicestershire) into Notts. They have held out the carrot of a single 'union' deal to the scab UDM organisation which recognised by British Coal in the Notts area.
They have signalled that all development work at Asfordby will be performed by thereby putting doubt ROVe the possibility Leicestershire miners, threatened by redundancy as work at their pits is run down, moving across to Asfordby.
The reason? British Coal is atter an acreement for six-day flexible work• ing at the new pit.
The NUM is opposed to six-day working. The national executive has ruled that this is a national issue and that areas may not negotiate away the guaranteed nve ulay week that was won 40 years ago the bosses' UDM organisation is prepared to do what British Coal want.
The board's proposal causeu meeting of Leicestershire NUM They NAȚIONAL JUSTICE FOR MINEWORKERS CAMPAIGN decided to lobby talks between Jack Jones and local Labour MP, Greville Jancoal boss Sir Robert Haslam on Monday November. Altogether NUM members — out of whom just had been strikers in 1984-5- turned out at British Coal's London headquarters Leicestershire NUM president, Terry • Tracey, said that they had come 'down here Asfordby for Leicestershire miners. We are worre Not to are it to the Notts to give it to UDM. They want six-day they know that unlike the NUM, the UDM is open to this.
Power grout mem bers were also on the lobby.
official said that British Coal 'can see that the UDM is flagging Jack Jones said that the board's move 'typical' of the mistrust that was running through the mining "following the board's tactics the UDM. We want a written assurance that all our peo ple will get transferred to Asfordby.
Following the talks, however, Jones reported that Haslam had stated that the NUM receive recognition Asfordby that Leicestershire could be transferred to the pit, providing the agrees to six-day curity He announced immediately prior to the executive meeting his intention of proposing that the union dramatically change its stance on the issue.
One of the decisions of the executive meeting did indeed move in this direction. . It was agreed that each area leadership investigate with number in British posite could be Coal now pil made 'economic' announcing his decision to stand for at the same meeting, Arthur Scargili said that opposition six-day working was a keg issue for the union's entire future.
Six-day workin would, addition eroding hard-won condi tions, lead to massive job loSs "flexible pits boosted productivity and undercut other pits which declared uneconomic We should be fighting for a reduction In working week, Scargill said.
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1991-zome on stream in Don't leave them out in the cold!