THE ROOF of Barnsley Civie Hall nearly came off last Saturday when thousands of miners wives rose to their feet to pay tribute to the NUM. 'Here we go, here we go, here we go' and Arthur Scargill, Arthur Scargill, we'll support you ever more , they sang at the top of their voices.
historic occasion. Contingents of women from every area of the NUM Wales, Kent, Scotland and Nottingham — had piled off coaches to march through Barnsley.
A women's movement that started with Not- VlIC demonsulalloll tingham has mushroomed into olle of the most powerful weapons on the side of the miners. Ten thousand marched. thirds were women. The miners marches Dentre Two women from Nottingham. Annette Doreen, took the stage after Jack Taylor at the lunchtime rally. There was a particularly warm reception for their news that since they had begun to organise days ago, miners wives from all over Notts were phoning up to ask how they could help.
all Notts NOT WOMICI were backing AMICILE said. But the sooner they realised they had to unite and back the fight the better Doreen agreed. 'We'd rather eat grass than give She coMa hardy Finish for to Maggie Thatcher' the cheers.
Maureen Douglass of Doncaster was explicitly feminist. 'Although I've spoken before in support of the NUM. I can honestly say that it gives me the greatest pleasure of all to speak here at this rally.
Because it is a unique rally • It's unique decause As many speakers pointed out it was a truly Yorkshire. Durham. South with their own banners shows the great strength of the organisation of women and how powerful women can be She gave special greetings to the women rom areas where the strike wasn't solid. because their job was more difficult, and said that women's actions in this strike are dealblow to the allulilc! idea inal нете simply wives and mothers.
And she made a CUltroversial insupo ihe 'Please don't the womel vou see nere. who suppor wholeheartedly by shouting crude and insulting remarks to other women on the streets. All women must be regarded as equals. A lot of women and all they get are the lies media. job must be to dispell the illusions they government show them what we're fighting for'. The pattern of involvement in the labour Novelicil PUNCTUATED by loud cheering clapping, ARTHUR SCARGILL told the Barnsley rally:
This demo is actually making history because it is revealing a phenomenon, something which has not been witnessed before. No longer are the media able to go to a mining village to get a woman to speak out against the strike Our women are not just helping the men in the kitchen - they're with the men on the picket lines ... I'Il tell you why this lot came the BBC ITV today. This novettell SO powerful • they just can't ignore it any longer. The women in our community are on the march.
'AT LAST I FEEL like we've the feelings of the against the BL management at Longbridge.
4,100 to 4,300 cars per week.
Decisive strike actior by the 700, mainly TGWU worker was sulo ported throughout the Diall. Production of all cars and engines built at Longbridge came complete standstill.
supplies going into plant and stopped engines for the new Montego go. ing out to BL'sr Cowles plant. Fven the East Works, which is notorious for its unwillingness take strike action, came out.
The trim track workers unalimnous. return to work on Wednesday 9 May. The management completely climbed down. It was agreed that any increases track speeds to step up production, would done by taking on new labour.
got a union here again'. This was how one shop steward summed up victorious British Leyland, Longbridge workers. They have taken an important step forward in reorganising their trade unions Seven hundred Metro trim track workers had been on strike for a week after the management had Most stewards regard this as the most successful strike at Longonage four or five years. Bitterness and frustration are now turning into the will to re-organise the shop floor. New stewards are being elected in areas that not so long ago had no union representatives.
The Shop Stewards are sure that the management will be back with another attas of this st, the suaof this boosted confidence and is much needed victory after a sertes or dereals over the past few years.
Sales of the Metro are running high and the new Acciaim, Maestro and Montego engines are being ACTION 'This is a unique rally because it shows the great strength of the organisation of women' AL OLE WIVES MALIVICTO CO NOT DOLE
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attempted to force up productivity. This was in an- ticipation of an increase in Metro production from