IT WOULD appear that the fine rhetoric produced on the front page of the 29 Oct Socialist Challenge has exploded in our faces. Perhaps whoever was responsible for the editorial should have read the inside pages first.
The decision by the ma jority of the NUM mcmoers LO C CL uneaus econmendation is a huge blow for all trade unionists. It will do nothing morale water workers, boost the morale of Tebbit and the rest of the anti-union brigade.
went wrong? How did the the vote decrease from last ycar d 1s il reary une case ma lse best organised ane mOSt militant section working class have ed and holidays abroad? Did the overulic Odl On une relatea sors or avane cocure have an adverse effect or were there other factors?
NUM's eadership was not t at all what SC made it oul lo oc While the quality was first rate, the quantity left a lot to be desired.
Faced horrific deluge misleading paganda LUal DUalu — WcIC aiu lic set the money TITOM now the NÚM leadership respond?
Lntornaemarar for four and five areas at cor ral v ande are arde ate compared Avancer meetings at every pit. on every CAUTE I ney become a morale booster for the committed Socialist Challenge 12 November 1982 page 4 and unfortunately by-pass the maioritv of NUM members.
strike issue not sufficient weight olume to counter-attack the LEC Even in the more militant areas where canteen meetings headed a spirited campaign Lic 1co vulc was d lol lowc ucnl onc wouu rave emie expected nopea for. Therefore can see that neither the leadership, or the rank and file, pressures can be taken in isolation anc appropriate blame boruonca.
If nothing else this tempolar y reversal las snown lne ureen neeo Tor ine radical democratisation of the NUM other unions, has occone anvorced from its own rank and file.
w nen me basic ouesuon 1 Taisec oT support for either the Board or the union, many enemy as thei union ans fail Lunsey ucitiy to respond to the progressive icaucisillo s ldll.
Dut lse tum s mar vou Cannot Túnmen overshort can reasonably capcal vic ul d slilal ZI0uD Oi leaders substitute themselves for a healthy and democratic trade union movemenl The NUM should not be seen simply as Scargill's union or a place out as our union. unIOni day-reitast courses weekeno Schooiss oranch meetings, must begin to attract the non-activist.
1951 North Derbyshire miners campaign in support of nurses Above all the union must campaigning week-in and week -out, inforsuvoicuicills ine campaign to stop pl closures must also begin earnest before the butchery However unpleasant it is to taste defeat, we must remember the old adage 'don't mourn - - organise'. DICK HALL Warsop Main Colliery. N Derbyshire MARK HUNTER Welbeck Colliery. Nottinghamshire
----- pull-quotes -----
health orcers
come years of misleadership Neither
wat re p oied carve Thus the