THE DECISION by the Court to remove the elected the Leadership of the NUM from the ¡mancial control of the union, and to appoint a Tory solicitor to run the affairs of one of the most powerful unions in the country, is the most serious legal attack on the labour movement since the Taff Vale decision imposing financial enalties for strikes in 1901.
It gives the state and the courts complete powers, and a total precedent, to take over the running of any trade nion in the country.
That is why the NUM delegate conerence has totally correctly refused to erate in any way with the court and turn to the TUC with a demand for emergency general council meeting and industrial action against the legal attack on the unions.
It is also why Arthur Scargill is dead right when he says the court decision is an attack on every trade union.
The NUM's defiance has forced out into the open what always been the case in the strike. This strike was never planned by Thatcher as "industrial' dispute. She simply chose muners as une ground which to deliver a shattering blow *gainst the whole trade union movement. This was made clear in the Conservative rary's 19/0 Ridley report which planned confronting the miners' strike down to the smallest detail.
it is aso why the whole miners strike has been surrounded by a rising series of legal assaults on the unions -the latest and most important being the $200,000 fine on the TGWU over the Austin Rover dispute. It is exactly that reality which gives the opportunity for decisive blow against the whole anti-union laws.
Two of the most powerful unions in the country, the NUM and the TGWU, simultaneous v find - themselves facing the full force of the courts. they are supported by the TUC they easily have the power to destroy the enHigh tire policy of the government.
It is absurd and ridiculous that what the TUC is discussing today is how to make a further retreat on the anti-union laws instead of coming to the NUM's assistance.
Precisely because the government simply has been forced out into the open by the has miners' resistance this is the time when the entire should be mobilised to break down the Tories package of anti-union laws. on As long as it appeared simply a question of solidarity with the miners there were many union movement where it was difficult to get solidarity support from But with an sttack single trade union threatened the TUC, with a decisive lead, could swing that round.
The simple call should be, as the NUM has demanded, industrial action in support of the miners — and also of the TGWU. This should mean the TUC fixing the date for a national day of industrial action, a 24 hour general strike, against this legal attack on the NUM and the trade union movement. If this does not force the government to back down it must be followed up by inIf dustrial action surnicient to force une withdrawal of the legal attacks on the unions.
TIONAL UNION OF waiting for.
against the legal movenell TUC right funds and position in parts of the trade tack on the TUC itself. despite the overmany olel on every The time react is now. moral support or resolutions. asking for cil to be convened to its fight for jobs.' is needed. The TUC port which is needed.
photo: GM COOKSON The NUM have given the lead which the trade union movement has been They have defeated the 'back to work movement'. Now at the delegate conference they have held firm attack against them. It is up to the trade union movement as a whole to give them the support which is needed. Financial support but above all industrial action.
It is simply absurd to claim, as the wing has done, that supporting the NUM would place the TUC's jeopardy. The government would not dare risk an atArthur Scargill put it perfectly in his speech in Yorkshire on Tuesday: "The time for mealy mouthed resolutions in unions and organisations is at an end.
• this We're not asking for We're passed by practical assistance.
And we've asked for the general coundustrial action in support of this union. In defence of its organisation as well as our funds.
The NUM has given the lead which must give the supIf the general council won't give that support then the TUC congress must be recalled to do have any money either. If they hadn't made sacrifices there wouldn't have been a movement. And if we'd had to rely on money rather than principle, courage and determination, then the fight wouldn't have even started. mony from our friends in the national and international trade union movement.
can either be in contempt of the law or in contempt of its membership. If it ever loses the support of its membership and they hold it in contempt then the trade union movement in Britain is lost.
serious and drastic step taken by the High Court so far to smash the NUM is but a prelude to the smashing of the entire trade union and labour country recognise that they have now to stand up and fight. NUM resolution THE FOLLOWING was the resolution the special delegate conference of the NUM 1: The NUM deplores the court rules. decision to appoint a Tory party official as receiver with total control over 2: The NUM is 'NOT prepared to sanction payment of the f200,000 fine levied against the union' - though it recognises that the payment will be "seized without our consent.' THE PEOPLE who built this movement didn't We will have some The trade union movement has got a choice: it I only hope there's a recognition that this most 3: The NUM is not prepared to purge its contempt - insisting that the union has acted in accordance with its 4: The union is not prepared to allow any union official to help the receiver or the court sequestrators. 5: The NUM calls on the TUC to mobilise industrial action to stop this most vicious threat in our history to the freedom and independence of British trade unionism. *79 ÇORMAG 12/84 0 ...or would she use it as