Welsh miners march against pit closures The NUM will soon elect a new national president to replace Gormley, who is due to retire. Emlyn Williams warned that the media would attempt a character assassination' on Arthur Scargill. the candidate of theisfi, and it would seek to divide the militant areas against each other.
He stressed he imporlance of rion' and called for a 100 per cent South Wales suppori for Scargill. Delegates agreed carry massive campaign to see that Scargill is elected.' In his address Scargill promised to give firm and leadership elected as president. must fight the Coal Board. not collaborate with it,' he asserted This declaration will be lested many times over in the remaming period 1 the Thatcher government.
The Tories still aim to close pits and make thou of dant. But their new lactic is to use the Coal Board 1o outmanoeuvre the NUM rather than confront it directly.
Emlyn Williams made it clear that the t200m so far offered by the government is not even enough for development in South Wales, let alone the industry as a whole. The problem racing the miners, especially in Sout Males after the closure of Morlais: is how to preven pits heing quietly down.
South Wales NUM has agreed oper discresion: • the cal Board afte 1 ban lasting than months. But threatened saved by negotiations with management. It requires collective