has also changed. The conflict at Ravenscraig shows the bitter fruits of the steel workers' defeat the contrast with the 40,000-strong strike by Birmingham 1972 could hardly be greater.
Even the unity of the miners is much less than in those years. But the fact remains that the militancy and determination of the is slowly turning the tide.
The miners alone will not defeat the Tories. Even they, the end, could be starved back to work. There are enough scab: drivers, scab ports and enough police to keep the power stations going.
And the level state repression is steadily being stepped up.
It cannot be said too often that the miners fighting for all of us. They not left to tight alone. The 9 May udy 01 action in Scotland was a step in the right direction.
Such days of action need to be built in every area.
The British TUC must now be forcea to acl. to declare its full support for the NUM and name the day for a general strike with the promise of further action. The example of ASLEF levying all members week should be taken up in every other trade unionists must join the miners on the picket lines.
The impasse at the steel works and in Nottinghamshire other trade unionists show Lali be broken if their support. The NUM can. play big role in achieving this if the leadership clearly campaigns for such focusses for the rest one no movercal build round. Solidarity is the key to victory. The fight for that solidarity is vital now. All photos: GM COOKSON