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Know your history

4 May 2010

In the first of a new series to feature in the young members' newsletter looking at trade union history, YM organiser Tracy Edwards looks at the 1984-85 MinersÂ’ Strike and why the lessons are important today.

In the early 1980’s, British miners were forced to take industrial action to defend their jobs and industry. It was the longest lasting, most bitter dispute of the second half of the 20th century in Britain.

Over 27 million working days were lost through strikes in 1984. 11,300 miners and their supporters were arrested. Over 700 miners were sacked and not reinstated. Huge resources were used to try and destroy the miners using the full force of the state, especially through mass policing. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was so desperate for a victory that nearly £6billion was spent to win.

Class war

It’s widely accepted the then Tory government held a bitter hatred towards trade unions. The miners won major victories in the early seventies. The political earthquake which flowed from this resulted in Tory Prime Minister Ted Heaths removal from office in 1974. Following this, the ruling classes vowed to curb the power of unions and the miners, even if this meant destroying whole sections of industry. They saw the miners as 'shock troops' of the union movement – viewing their defeat as a first step to smashing the rest of the movement and curbing previous hard won gains in terms of pay, pensions, terms and conditions.

Coal boss Ian MacGregor was brought in to implement a savage pit closure programme. He announced axing 25,000 jobs and closing 20 pits. Most areas were well organised with huge support for action for better wages, against closures and against divisive bonus schemes. Before and during the strike, coal bosses used weaker areas to stock pile supplies and attempt to undermine the strike.

National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) leader Arthur Scargill was forced into taking his members into battle because of the unrelenting urge for the ruling elite to destroy a viable and necessary industry. It wasn’t just a case of a few thousand job losses – communities and their way of life was threatened. Today ironically, there’s a renewed interest in resuscitating British mining and developing ‘clean coal’ technologies.

So what happened?

The miners bitterly fought for 12 months. Gradually ‘scab’ miners began to cross picket lines despite coming close to victory. They had mass support from the public. Over £60 million was raised for miners. Warehouses full of food and toys were donated to striking miners and their families. Seafarers, engineers and steelworkers were amongst sections of workers who supported them. 250,000 school children staged a national strike following their defeat.

Many in the movement believe it was the weakness of trade union and labour leaders who accepted the governments’ attacks on trade unions’ rights to organise and felt threatened by the new wave of union ‘militancy’ sweeping the country.

Anti union legislation was introduced that’s still in place today, abolishing the right to workplace ballots, forcing unions to jump through hoops to obtain a mandate, ensuring the employer has ample notice of intended action. However, if the miners had not fought back, harsher anti working class legislation would have been introduced quicker.

The effects


The miners’ strike inspired and politicised a whole generation of young people seeking alternatives to poverty and unemployment. It temporarily produced a massive shift to the left on many issues in society.

Young trade unionists serious about fighting for better jobs, wages and conditions should delve into the rich and proud history of the miners’ strike and discuss what happened with others. In this way a new generation can understand the balance of forces that exist and have a chance of overcoming the many barriers and challenges put in place by those whose interests are economically and socially opposed.

• Would you like us to cover a specific moment in history in the next young members' newsletter or write your own piece? Email youngmembers@pcs.org.uk with your suggestions.


(This is a personal perspective and doesn’t necessarily represent the views of PCS)