colliery in South Wales. Since the end of May he, stationed in Hackney Town hall in the local government campaign unit to raise funds for the strike.
of the strike in his area. Is the back to work movebiting in South LICIt Wales?
On Monday last miners went into work out of total of 22,000. This is the same number as before Christmas. colliery, Methyr Vale, where two scabs were going in before enestuas iș now bound.
Another colliery, CynTOCISSeOA has men working out of 1200.
Tony Holman there. He's the back to work co-ordinator.
A letter is being sent to each NUM member South Wales with a form on the bottom that they can tear OII IO request special help to go back to work.
If enough people in any given colliery ask to go back the Board arranges transport and police escort into work.
This is their big push at the moment. The government is obviously behind LIs.
But why is the back to work movement so weak in South Wales?
I think it's because of Even is there's uduliol. not total political awarepeople understand what unionism about.
They realise that this only about LUL jobs in this industry; jobs for our children, but it is also about the future of our trade union.
one selse the fact that the coalfield is in decline WOrKS adds us. Travels from Tall bon 35 our miles away to work. COLIN TAPPER is a striking miner from Oakdale along with other miners from his colliery, have been VALERIE COULTAS asked him about the state Pit closures mean that people are no longer workin the same communiy. a Diale ul work like any other job.
another way this strengthens people's op position to closures because if the pit closes the community breaks up, What was going on in your area at Christmas?
The feeling was very good over Christmas. Some children had better Christmas than ever. People pulled together to give the children presents parties.
Before Christmas hopes were up but afterwards people started feeling 'which direction are we going to go now?' As one man said to me: 'We picked up the gauntlet HORLOS ago. We've fought and stood by the Cause. DUL we ve olgul alone. Now it's someone else's turn to pick up that •anter co we can stand together and win' were feeling a bit lost and at sea. But the resolve's still there.
Neil Kinnock came to your lodge to justify his role the How was he recieved?
He produced every speech told the meetings he'd done. He reported on what he had said in parlament. He talked his way around the Pis it ert had ised muse cruisi, just actions than words would have more credibility today.
He's a mining Mr from a mining community. He should have spent Photo: NEIL MARTINSON the early days of the strike on the picket lines.
He hasn't even visited the food centres in his own constituency Iswlyn. people of Iswlyn have got Not respect for and it would have given them a big boost to see him there.
What's your view of the day forward to win the The state trying to alienate the NUM. We've to alienate the state. We've got to win the argument and then mobilise to stop coal, oil, and all other substitute fuels.
What we've got to con. centrate on is winning peoPiass pickeing was un us.
Lu DuJullus.
cessful because the sheer scale of police activity.
At Orgreave they were waiting for us. The big DalLe occured just days before all the coke had been moved. In one