working.
The break up of the negotiation with the NŨM by MacGregor and Thatcher has produced a new wave of solidarity action with the miners and removed many hesitations in the labour movement. The rail unions at last have a really effective boycott operated by their members around the Ravenscraig, Llanwern and increasingly round the power stations.
The message has begun to sink in: this will be a long ana billel struggle which neither side can afford to lose. Oniv in this framework is it possible to deal with the manoeuvres tactics of the Coal Board and government.
Their response the of solidarity WAYN rail regional TUCs and the Labour Party has been to start raising the flag 'negotiations' acall. negotiations not to end the pit closure programme but in a new effort to confuse and demobilise solidarity. Bloke was broke the last . a centra Scargill. Financial Times 'The LONd Coal Board alecutive.
James deputy chairman the Coal Board, Mick wanted his biography!
as particular.
decision ot the TUC Steel Committee to rense any ment with the NUN has created the conditions number of miners where the government can attempt to duplicate the between strikers and scabs in the NUM in the trade union movement as a whole, thereby tun damentally dividing the labour movement.
of significance for the Tories' La really Laches. occause fundamental division in lne aDOU movement is precisely the necessary precondition for any serious talk of using the anti-union laws against the NUM.
These laws have not been used so far because taking the NUM to court was more galvanise even working miners into support their union and its funds. The division in the TUC and the hardening out of the scabbing minority the NUM makes such a response less likely.
In fact it is already clear that Len Murray and company are being offered an excuse for treachery to the miners by reference to DRESS NEWE defence of jobs in steel.
The coming weeks are going to see an escalation of the stakes in this strug gle and not movement by the Tories or NCB towards any kind of compromise 'Negotiations lactics in the war - not a plan for ending it It is for this reason that a national response by the movement become more and more vital. Ine lul is standing aside, through the steel committee nov scabbing on the miners. These 'new realists' be brought to account TUC Ine September.
But, in the meantime, initiatives to draw together movement of solidarity with the miners national show strength is the best possi response the manoeuvres of the government and the continued repression by the police The Party's decision o oreanise a la tional campaign to support the miners, although belated, is to be welcomed But Benn's call tor a na tional demonstration was not put to the vote at the National Committee. execuuve stead the NEC called for a campaign of local rallies, demonstrations and so on.
This not enough. Regional TUC have already carried • through a successful series of local actions. What is needed is not a repeat of these, on a lower level, but a national action which can draw demonstrate all of the enormous solidarity which has built up behind the miners struggle over the past four months.
This would deal a terrific blow to Thatcher's efforts to isolate ihe NUM and split the labour movement. , It would force the TUC leadership to reveal were stands the struggle. It would help create the head of steam necessary to fight for this year's TUC reverse Murray's scabb ing And it would be clear cut reply to the efforts to isolate and slander Local activities are no substitute for this Party NEC the knows it The only ex planation for their refusal Neil nock is tensed ot having to lead a militant demonstration with Illass Arthur Scargill at his side.
Nutshell Labour's campaign to support the miners should be supported and used to build up the constituen cies' links with the unions, to win young miners to the mobilise the women's sec Socialists tions around the women's support movement.
But most importantly, it must be used as a spr ingboard to redouble the campaign through evert body of the unions and party for Labour to call first national demonstration of support for the miners.
The next edition of the paper will appear on 27 July.
®GORMÄE Surely the security forces have learned something from the • Northern Ireland f experience! i And isit 2m possible that the British Labour movement has learned nothing?!
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MACGREGOR and Thatcher's campaign to create a 'drift back to work' by the miners after the NCB- NUM negotiations broke down has failed. There is no significant increase in the
REDMOND O'NEILL looks at the new tactics the government is following after its failure to break the solidarity of the NUM.
A petrol bomb through the window of a non- ¿striking miner! Blame