vote the South miners who could decide the final outcome of the national ballot in the pits. If the 55 per cent majority needed strike action is not achieved, Joe Gormley.
But Gormley's fellow wingers nave also done ineir bit. Ine Nottinghamshire area speaking on Nottingham radio, stated that the autiles would prevented the area from making an CACCULIVO make effective response to the Coal Board's advertising campaign.
The right wing would like nothing better than a defeat for the NEC in the ballot. All along the line, they have done their best to sabotage the fight for a full claim.
They prolonged the negotiations and allowed the Tories to isolate the Leyland workers, the tanker drivers and the Ford workers, could have been powerful allies for the miners.
Mandate The left in the NUM has organised a vigorous campaign throughout the umon or rejecuon or ine oler. In Nottinghamshire, for thousands of copies of the Yorkshire Miner were provided for militants.
But the hope that the would turn tall under the threat of sunke action has led downplay the question. Yorkshire Miner calls for an incisive vote to reject the offer and to empower the NEC to call strike action if Wales sible and realistic talks'.
for acuull.
weakness.
right President, Nottingham support the of the rank and file. all of whom win.
The miners strike needed once more.
leadership instance, deadline to Tories for picketing drawn up.
Scargill The the support Board's necessary' in order to bring the Board back to the negotiating table 'for senThis has left the right wing with a lot of room for manoeuvre. They can argue that a 'yes' vote is really a mandate for more talks but not for strike The Coal Board, recognising this will attempt to drive wedge into the union and, with the aid of the right-wing, push through a settlement well short of the full claim.
The right-wing NEC majority is bound to try all its usual tricks to sabotage the fight for the full claim. It will try to string out the negotiations in order to undermine the confidence The way to prevent a right-wing sabotage is to organise seriously for strike action. The left must show the rank and file - and the Board - that It there has to be a strike then the miners will make damn sure they will in 19|z was organised on just such lines and, ten vears later. the same battle plans are The heat should be put on the through lobbies NEC: the Board must be given a firm meet the claim. Strike notices should be issued as soon as the results of the ballot are out and plans A start could be made now to win other groups workers and a campaign mounted by militants in every pit to counter the and Gormley's BOOTH "Now come on lads, sabotage.
The Board and the Tories are talking tough but they face major problems. Stocks of coal at power stations have fallen dramatically and the train drivers strike has played havoc with the coal shipments from the pitheads.
the leadership at area and pit level, as in 1972, the membership can be convinced that the full claim can be won.
the demand for the full claim — for a be sensible. Grab hold of this straw!"
With a clear lead from Scargill and the In the election campaign, it was • INFLATION:
four day week, early retirement ans Invent into new Dils - that irer enthusiasm of rank and file Such demands can be a :a.:
call against mass unemploymeni ard the Tory government.
the introduction of the 39 hour week until January 1983.
It is in the face of this that the threatened an overtime ban from February 'Unfortunately, Roger told craft unions, including nationally accepted the recent redundancies. Local ISTC officials also think that Bill Sirs is playing a waiting miners take these people on hop on the band. his meeting witt last Monday, Sir suggested lifting the proposed on une basis o' some phony guarantees. In the interests of us all such grovelling needs to be fought.
Socialist Challenge 21 January 1982
----- pull-quotes -----
THE TORY PRESS has done all in the into whe influence thes
this will largely be the respon- sibility of outgoing President,
SINKING LIVING STANDARDS-RISING RENT & RATE INCREASES - HIGHER FOOD PRICE PRESCRIPTION CHARGAS UP, AND ANOTHER TRET