IN SEVEN weeks since the TUC Congress the NUM has fought its way to the edge of total victory.
First the TUC decisions on the power stations have begun to be effective in key Then NACODS decision threatened to wreck the government's entire strategy of keeping the Notts coal field open.
The result, by the middle of last week was an attack of panic within the British ruling class. When £6,800 change in two days, the largest fall in share prices in history, that speaks far more eloquently than any words.
The appointment of Michael Eaton as new chief spokesperson of the Coal Board, in the middle of the strike, was an admission of just how far the credibility of the government's position was collapsing.
Peter Walker's appeal to Neil Kinnock to step in and use his 'influence' with t he NUM showed how conscious me government was that it can He longer win the dispute with its own forces. By the end of last week it was OuCC TUC and NACODS leadership that more quite obviously only the could deprive the NUM of victory.
And that is exactly what they set out to do throughout this week. It started on Thursday with Ninnock spelling out his terms for a settlement over the heads of the NUM. Then by Tuesday this week NACODS was excluding the NUM from its negotiations with the Coal Board at ACAS. The TUC has still uttered not one NUM.
The aim of the TUCs operation was quite clear. To try to impose a 'compromise' on the NUM. The aim of the government's policy was equally clear.
oovernmen 1º found it cannot get the Scargill leadership of the NUM to back down. Therefore it intends to go over its head and try to stitch up a deal with those who are more reasonable' the leadership of NACODS, the TUC, and Neil Kinnock. The aim is to impose that deal on the NUM.
The role of the labour movement, and particularly its left wing, has to be clear. The only people with the right to negotiate on the miners strike are the leadership of the NUM. The role of the labour movement is to support the miners - not work out how to sell them out.
The subject the TUC should be discussing is how to defend the NUM against the attacks of the courts -aiscussing witn Thatcher and MacGregor how many pits it is acceptable to close.
The left wing of the whole movein particular the left wing unions in the C. have to block the treachery which is being cooked up against the NUM.
This means: • An all-out strike of NACODS • No TUC talks on the miners strike only the NUM can negotiate for the miners • Full implementation of TUC Congress decisions on stopping the movement of coal • A national Labour Party TUC demonstration in support of the miners GAN emergency TUC General Council meeting to decide on inaustrial acmon to meet any sequestering of the NUM's funds by the courts. -Socialist Action ACTiON SociAlist