The latest news affecting miners and the mining industry
BRAVE OPTIMISM
AT THE HATFIELD MINERS MEETING
The Hatfield miners at their NUM Branch meeting
SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT ON
HATFIELD MAIN Updated!! Meeting Info!!!
WE HAVE JUST HEARD HATFIELD COLLIERY IS TO GO INTO RECEIVERSHIP ONCE AGAIN.
THIS PUTS EVERYONE'S JOBS AND FUTURES BACK ON THE LINE .
IF YOU GO
DOWN IN THE WOODS TODAY.....
SOMETHING VERY SINISTER GOING ON AT THE BACK OF BROADWAY, DONCASTER;
NUM To Start 'Its Own
Website
National Executive Committee of the NUM is to launch its own official
website
Emergency
Branch Meeting
Hatfield Main NUM Branch
MAJOR NUM BRANCH
MEETING FOR HATFIELD
(Exclusive !)
HATFIELD...STORMY
WEATHER AGAIN
Dark shadow falls over Hatfield's bright future
The
Scandal Of The Great Pension Plunder
Treasury Plunder of Miners Pension Fund Continues, Even As It Enters The
Red.
Hatfield Band
walks off with the championship !
Congratulations are due to our Hatfield Coal Power Band, which has won
the national championships to become the Second Section National Championship
on Sunday 21 Sept. at Dundee Scotland
ERRKI
LAHTEELA
REMEMBERING A HERO.
THORNE GAZETTE CARRIES
OUR NEWS UPDATE ITEM
Many thanks to the Thorne Gazette for including in this weeks edition
a lengthy article from the Mining Communities Advice Centre
CRISIS
LOOMS OVER MALTBY SACKINGS
News from yesterday's Yorksire Area meeting
Ripped
Off Again!
How Blair's Government is ripping off retired mineworkers.
Note
to Logan Airport Screwballs
Charley Hardman's column which tells us about David Socha, a 17-year-old
on his way to Hawaii from Paxton, Massachusetts, who was arrested last
week in Boston and charged with a felony for having a note in his gym
bag.
UK coal seeking
£79m to save deepmine pits
Britain's largest coal miner, UK Coal, yesterday lodged a bid for £79m
of government aid to safeguard the future of 4,000 workers at its eight
remaining deep pits.
Tears as
colliery closes
BBC report on the miners marching out of Betws Colliery
The Spectre
Haunting The NUM Offices Barnsley
Well actually, it's Arthur. He just doesn't want to go!
Death of Ken Taylor
(Bingo)
Another Hatfield miner died this morning (Sunday 3rd August)
Big
Send Off For Teddy
Ted Bennet got a rousing send off from the folk of the community
Death Of Teddy Bennett
Another of our much loved pit comrades has passed away
Durham Big Meeting
Great Big Wonderful Day
Sad Death Of Arthur
Wilkinson
We are very sorry to report the death of one of the branch stalwarts
Death of Tony
Withington
Tony Withington, the former Branch Secretary at Prince Of Wales, killed
in car crash.
Failure Of UK
Coal Strike Ballot
The recent strike ballot for industrial action against UK Coal on wages
and conditions was recently lost
Attention
Pensioners
Especially the ones struggling to make ends meet.
1600 Chinese Coal Miners
Killed In The First Two Months of this Year.
This is the result of the so called "reforms" i.e. introduction
of 'market rules' capitalism
into the so called 'Socialist' system of China.
NUM To Ballot
Members On Strike Action
UK Coal employees nation wide are to be balloted with a view to industrial
action
Miners say no
to Brankin
LOTHIANS MSP Rhona Brankin is "not welcome" at a miners' welfare
club in her own constituency
BET KNEE AND MULTIPLE
HEADACHE CLAIMS
Most former miners are already aware that the next potential 'bonazaar'
for claims will be to do with knackered knees
DESPERATE
FIGHT TO SAVE SELBY.
The Union has been pulling out all the stops
to save the Selby Coalfield from wanton destruction.
Miners Join Massive Anti War
Demonstration In London on 15 Feb.
A brave contingent from the NUM carrying the National NUM banner attended
the monster demo in London against the threat of war against Iraq.
Meeting of HMI
Inspector of Mines with the NUM
Details of this meeting, held at the beginning of January
Excellent Night
At Dave's birthday bash in the toon.
Aboot 100 souls turned out in fine fettle to cheer on Dave's birthday.
Sad death
Of Joe Strummer, lead singer of the Clash.
Joe Strummer has died at the age of 50
Exclusive!!!
Hatfield Miners win great court victory in closure row.
Surprising
discovery, MINERS ADVICE EXCLUSIVE...
The Miners Advice Centre has just made a surprising
discovery and one which could affect the payments of compensation to thousands
of miners and their families in Yorkshire and elsewhere.
Extension
to vibration white finger claims for deceased miners.
Extension announced for widows and families
Mass
lay-offs at Hatfield Main,
Delicate Discussions Follow on Mass Lay Off At Hatfield Main Colliery.
New
Life For Hatfield Main
The promise of a brighter future for Hatfield is reinforced with the news
that apprentices have been set on for the fist time in almost twenty years.
Orgreave
Again In 'The Key'
After the screening of Artangel's "Orgreave", Dave tells us
about "The Key", another drama/reconstruction featuring events
from the miner's strike.
Beware
In Doncaster!
Night Time Car Parkers, beware the clamping scammers!
CND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
14- 15 SEPT. 2002 LONDON
WHAT THE
PAPERS, DIDN'T SAY.
Dave Douglass replied to two items which appeared in the newspapers recently.
His letters weren't printed, but you can read them here.
NUM Newsletter, and Selby decision time.
DEATH OF DOUGY
WILLIS.
Another sad loss for the miners of Hatfield
US Coal
Mining Firm Agrees To Pay The Men
"Trapped miners will be paid for time spent underground", says
mine owners
The
Russian Republic's ongoing mine disasters
Six dead and thirteen injured in Russian methane explosion
US miners
lucky to survive
We are pleased to hear about the success of the rescue operation which
freed miners trapped in flooded mine
GROUND BREAKING
VWF APPEAL TODAY IN DONCASTER COUNTY COURT.
Dave Douglass will present a case to the Social Security Commissioner
in support of an appeal of a former Hatfield Miner
CLOSURE
OF ONE THIRD OF THE REMAINING UK COAL INDUSTRY AND 50% OF THE NUM's REMAINING
MEMBERSHIP
Feature article by David Douglass of
the NUM and Mining Communities Advice Centre in Doncaster
118
th Durham Miners Gala
Dave reports on this years Gala and describes it as, "One of the
most brilliant big meetings for some years".
Election Of
National Chairman and National Secretary
Election results
Scargill
and the NUM
ARTHUR SCARGILL'S LAST NUM CONFERENCE
VIBRATION WHITE
FINGER
NO END IN SIGHT FOR 'SERVICE' CLAIMS
THE ENERGY
DEBATE
HOUSE OF COMMONS - 20 JUNE.
Fantastic
Victory for NACODS Throughout the Coalfields.
Deputy's Union strike action ends with favourable outcome
Selby Coalfield
Set For Total Closure Within Near Future.
UK Coal announces plan to close entire complex
Miners
Delegation Welcomes Release Of Mark Barnsley
Mark released, but struggle for justice goes on
Miners
Democratic candidate elected.
Jeff Stubbs has been elected as one of the two new Area Agents for Yorkshire
One
Shaft Of Sunlight
Ellington Colliery Given Development Approval.
Aud
Scottish Collier Battles On
Alex Simpson was a man robbed of justice and compensation after a
roof fall in 1960
Deadline
for Miners VWF claims
31 Oct. 2002. has been announced as the cut-off date
Longannet Closure
Flood causes colosure of Longannet
Coalpower's
plans for Hatfield Colliery
Coalpower have made their plans
for Hatfield Colliery available to the public.
Thorne Colliery Scandal
Thorne Colliery earmarked for closure
Struggle For Canteen
workers and colliery office cleaners
Equal value claims continues
POSTAL BALLOT FOR NEW
MINERS AGENTS IN YORKSHIRE.
Votes are already being cast in the county wide miners union election
for two new area agents.
For more news items visit our Other
News pages
Our News, Views & Updates page was getting a little on the
large side, so to aid faster loading times I have moved the older news
items to Other News Pages
Other News5 - Jan 2004- Jan 2005
Back to the Miner's Advice Home Page
News Items
BRAVE OPTIMISM AT THE HATFIELD MINERS MEETING TODAY
The Hatfield miners at their NUM Branch meeting today (Saturday 6th Dec.) filled the concert room at The Fox , Stainforth with grim determination not to give up, a resolve to carry on, and pure optimism that a buyer will be found for the pit. Kevin Hughes MP whose constituency the pit is in has been at the forefront of recent efforts to keep the pit s options alive and government funding flowing. The collapse of Budge's Coal Power is a cruel blow, given the visionary perspective he had for the mine and its neighbour at Thorne. His plans for the clean burn power station mark the road for European coal mining to follow if we are to survive without further polluting the planet. His company collapsed when his expected backers didnt come through with their share of the cash to match government funding. The prospects for Hatfield in mining terms are the best in Britain, and it is this ,together with the unmatchable enthusiasm of the work force which fuels the hopes that a buyer can be found.
Jeff Stubbs the NUM Area Agent supplemented the MPs report and added his faith in the future of the mine. He and Dave Douglass the NUM Branch Secretary will meet the Administrator early next week.
Meantime , anyone want to buy a coal mine ?
Updated!! Meeting Info!!!
Emergency NUM Branch Meeting, for Hatfield Main Branch NUM
Saturday 6th Dec 9 am. The Fox Hotel, Stainforth. Doncaster
1.30pm Wednesday 3rd December 2003
SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT ON HATFIELD
MAIN
WE HAVE JUST HEARD HATFIELD COLLIERY IS TO GO INTO RECEIVERSHIP ONCE AGAIN. THIS PUTS EVERYONE'S JOBS AND FUTURES BACK ON THE LINE .
WE HAVE NO FURTHER DETAILS AS YET, BUT ALL OUR FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES ARE PULLING OUT ALL STOPS TO FIND A BUYER FOR THE COLLIERY. IT IS OUR VIEW THAT GIVEN THE BEST RESERVES IN THE COUNTRY AT HATFIELD, AND THE PLANS FOR THE CLEAN BURN POWER STATION AND ENERGY PARK, THE GOVERNMENT ITSELF SHOULD STEP IN AND TAKE OVER THE COLLIERY, UNDER PUBLIC AND WORKERS CONTROL.
AN EMERGENCY BRANCH MEETING IS SCHEDULED SOON, BUT AS YET WE DO NOT HAVE A DATE. TO OUR MEMBERS AT HATFIELD. DON'T GIVE UP LADS, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS THREE TIMES NOW, AND WE HAVE ALWAYS BOUNCED BACK. STAND YOUR GROUND AS WE ALWAYS HAVE.
IF YOU GO DOWN IN THE WOODS TODAY.....SOMETHING VERY SINISTER GOING ON AT THE BACK OF BROADWAY, DONCASTER; ON THE FORMER ICI SITE.
BELOW WE PRINT A COPY OF THE LETTER SENT TO CAROLINE FLINT MP
IN WHOSE CONSTITUENCY THE SHADY GAMES ARE BEING PLAYED AND WHO
IS NOW A HOME OFFICE MINISTER. WE ARE PRINTING THIS LETTER BECAUSE
CAROLINE IS CHOOSING TO IGNORE IT AND SUBSEQUENT LETTERS.
FOLKS IN THIS (HATFIELD) PIT COMMUNITY WELL USED TO PROTEST AND STRUGGLE OUGHT TO LOBBY THEIR COUNCILORS ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON. BETTER STILL GET A GANG TOGETHER AND TAKE YOUR DOGS FOR A WALK OVER THE FIELDS AND SEE WHAT YOU CAN SEE. THE NEIGHBORING FIELDS HAVE NOW ALL BEEN PLOUGHED UP TO STOP CASUAL ACCESS, SO TAKE YA WELLIES.
26/ 10/ 2003
Dear Caroline
Regarding the former ICI explosive dump site, Dunscroft.
You will know that ICI operated an explosives dump site at the back of
Broadway, near to the farm at the end of 'ICI road' which runs down the
side of the Safeways supermarket. 20 years ago we had something in the
order of 200 pits and much of the face operations involved blasting. Explosives
and detonators for quarrying were also held on this site. The site even
so only delivered one or two lorries per day. The site was operating at
about a third of its capacity in the 1980s owing to the decline in mining
and blasting.
ICI no longer operate this site, but it is still an explosives dump. I do not know who owns or operates it now.
Of late new excavations have been made, which looks like an additional two or three deep trenches are being excavated and new mounds appearing.
Since we only have about 14 mines in the whole of Britain, and many of these only rarely use explosives, I am forced to ask why the site is being expanded and for whom ? There has been no public consultation on this matter and the people of this locality who live across the field from the site have not been informed or consulted.
Yesterday, I was walking my dog over the back of the allotments, passed an area the kids call 'the lost valley' and along the verges of the fields, when I was approached by two men, in military fatigues, armed to the teeth, they wore some sort of identity tags on their lapels but I didnt get a close look. "Do you know this private land ?" One of them asked. "I suppose so" I replied "Then will you go back onto the road ?" He asked, guns in hand. "That is where I was going" I replied. Now, since the private land housed only turnips, I doubt that two heavily armed men in uniform where guarding that field.
Recently my next door neighbours kids were camping out, over the fields for an adventure, when they too had been approached by men dressed in cameflarge gear and carrying guns who told them to move, scaring them half to death in the process.
This is serious stuff. We are talking of an area less than 500 yards from the streets of Dunscroft, where ordinary folk live.
I have put two and two together and come up with the not impossible suggestion that these armed guards are something to do with the increased activity on the old ICI site. If that is the case, is this now a military site ? Have we now got armed soldiers walking about over the fields where people walk their dogs and kids play, whether the fields are 'private' or not ? If it is not military who are these armed men and on whose authority are they there ? Nobody has consulted the people of this village so far as I can see. It cannot be right for men armed with guns and bristling with bandoliers of bullets and God knows what else to be walking about like something off Rambo, in the immediate inhabited areas of Dunscroft.
I would be obliged for a speedy reply and will hold off from going to the press, organizing a mass trespass in protest or posting the news on the web, until I hear from you.
Faithfully
David Douglass
Copy retained.
NUM To Start It's Own Website
We have just discovered that the National Executive Committee of the NUM
is to launch it's own official website. Well done. Considering that elements
of the NUM leadership bust a gut trying to shut down this site and distance
themselves from it, mainly because we give out too much information, and
opened up areas of debate some wanted keeping closed. The contents of
the new site should be interesting.
We suggest to them that:
a) They have a guest page for open and free comments from miners
and their families
b)We are allowed to debate all aspects of union policy and functioning,
without being constantly ruled out of order as is the case at meetings
and conferences
c) Links to other sites such as ours, although that may well defeat
the purpose for the new site, if that is not too cynical a view.
Time will tell, we watch with baited breath for
new areas of democracy and freedom opening up within the NUM.
Emergency Branch Meeting
Hatfield Main NUM Branch
Sunday
2nd Nov
St John's Hall
Stainforth
12 noon.
A showdown with the company
Imposed shift changes, results
of negotiations if any and what action
if any to take in responce.
Arrangements for Union recognition tribunal and recruitment campaign
All Hatfield Miners ought to attend this meeting. Join the Union, fight for changes at the pit, and within the NUM
MAJOR NUM BRANCH MEETING FOR HATFIELD
(exclusive !)
Today Sunday 26th Oct. seen the biggest hottest NUM Branch meeting for
Hatfield miners in years. Boy where they mad, having just spent seven
weeks without wages while the NUM and the coalowners did some fancy juggling,
arm twisting and persuading to get the money flowing again, did the owner
respond by saying 'thank you', and pay up all the money owed and maybe
a bonus ? Oh no, given that a full shift of men have gone off to find
work in other mines, the bare faced .........(fill in the blanks but you
can guess what the men were saying) have imposed longer shift patterns
on the men who remain !! Has anyone at this pit heard of industrial relations
? They certainly have not heard of the NUM, or they try not to.
A major recruitment drive is underway right now, and the pit is formally
in dispute though working under protest to give the NUM time to arrange
a meeting with the owners to negotiate some sound shift alternatives,
and ones that a) do not rely on compulsion b) excessive hours and c) If
more time needs working, pay premium overtime. The Fox upstairs room was
fair bouncing with angry Union miners, it was quite like old time. We
have never seen the men so committed, united and pissed off at the same
time. Watch this space. In the meantime get that NUM membership direct
debit form filled in and sent off, better still take a handfull and get
your mates to join up too.
HATFIELD...STORMY WEATHER.... AGAIN
(World Exclusive..that means don't quote from our pages on radio and TV without at least crediting this web site first, mind ,that would be a first in itself)
We are sorry to say the bright future which everyone has worked so hard
to achieve at Hatfield Colliery, and is just within grasp, has slipped,
we hope temporarily away . A cash flow problem has left a hole, which
the impending massive government grant cant plug right at present. Wages
have not been paid at the colliery and the men, true to their grit and
determination are working for nowt, on promises of 'its in the post' it'll
be there next week' etc. etc. Obviously they do not have the option of
walking away, too much of their efforts, labour and blood is invested
in this mine. We are hopeful of urgent talks with all parties, Budge,
the Government, and Oh yes, the NUM, that body which Mr Budge never recognises
while things are going OK, but is the first number he finds when the storms
start to gather. If we manage to pull him out of the shit again this time,
we hope we can lay down some conditions for quid-qou-pro, or Union recognition
in English.
We are hopeful for a happy outcome to this story. Too much is invested in families futures and coal communities to council otherwise.
Treasury Plunder of Miners Pension Fund Continues, Even As It Enters The Red.
Bad enough to be forced to give blood to a fat leech when you are fit and strong, but when you’ve lost blood yourself and are weak, such an unwarranted demand is criminal.
The Treasury is to take a further £400 million from the miners pension fund
despite the latest figures that show we are slipping into the red. Recent collapses on the stock market have impacted hard on the pension fund and we are now in deficit of £650 million. Despite this the treasury is still demanding we hand over £400 million per year which is equivalent to £1000 per member per year.
Up to press they have accrued £5,000 million from our fund. It was never ever envisaged that the miners pensions would be such a lavish milch cow for the government. Certainly they deserve a small token for the underwriting of our fund, but it is self supporting and it is highly unlikely they would have to bail it out. The treasury however now it has a drip attached to our arm will not let us go, even suppose they bled us to death.
This ongoing plunder is a national disgrace. When will the government come clean and repay us our money, so we can bring in reforms such as retirement on full pension for our working and 'frozen' pensioners from age 50 , and bring up to date the tiny amounts paid to many many pensioners
These are Miners Pensions Funds, three guesses
as to what it is intended for ? A private source of plunder for the government
? A means of making the pit communities pay for their own compensation
for coal dust and white finger ? Or a fund to pay out pensions to miners
? Someone it seems has chosen the wrong answer and we ought to tell them
just what we think about that.
Hatfield Band walks off with the championship !
Congratulations are due to our Hatfield Coal Power Band, which has just won the national championships to become the Second Section National Championship on Sunday 21 Sept. at Dundee Scotland.
If the Hatfield NUM Branch had any money, it would
be able to use the band as often as it did in the past at galas and demonstrations
and socials. However since privatisation and the loss of recognition and
half of our members the branch has been unable to pay for coaches or expenses
so the band has got along pretty much on its own. Its done wonders to
survive as many bands in similar situations went under. Hatfield band
was to the forefront of the campaign to save the pits in the 93 campaign
turning out with a full compliment in fowl weather on both mass national
demonstrations in London and countless local ones. Well done and thanks
ERRKI LAHTEELA
REMEMBERING A HERO.
( world exclusive )
On Sunday 31st Aug., a strange sight over the cliffs of the North Bay at Scarborough. A crowd of ordinary looking folk, in among majors and gentlemen in smart suites , a bench covered with the flags of Britain and Finland, and in the background the strains of The Internationale battle with the biting wind.
"The Rainbow" of political guests, those from the far left and the Unions and those of his political opponents but mostly rank and file activists of the local Labour Party have gathered to remember a remarkable man, and unveil a memorial seat outside the Delmont Hotel, on the North Bay . The seat "is dedicated to a true Socialist".
Erkki had been born in Helsinki, Finland in 1921, became an active socialist and anti-Nazi. As a teenager he helped with the escaping Spanish children during the civil war in Spain, they were fleeing the horrors of the fascist forces of Franco, and were being offered sanctuary in Scandinavia. The importance of this work, both as welfare and as an act of solidarity never left him. When Finland allied with Nazi Germany Erkki joined the resistance and risking everything produced anti nazi new sheets. For this he was captured and imprisoned and was lucky to escape with his life. This he did by escaping from the concentration camp, which was in Finland's remote far north and made an epic journey 900 miles back to Helsinki, dodging the Nazi’s for some time before being recaptured. It comes as no surprise to learn that Erkki was a founder member of the Scarborough Anti-Nazi League and bore witness to its vital importance in stopping the cancer of fascism re-emerging.
He had came to Britain in 1946 met Celia fell in love and married her, they stayed together for the rest of their lives in comradeship and struggle and love. He nailed his colours to the mast of the Labour Party which he seen as the best vehicle, to achieve the goal of real Socialism. He had tried his hands at many things and in 1965 they bought the Delmont Hotel, which they owned for 23 years. Crucially this was put at the disposal of the Labour Movement many times. Not least during the miners strike of 1984-85. It was in this capacity that Dave Douglass representing the NUM attended the memorial and spoke to the family friends and political friends and foes whose lives had been touched by Erkki. Erkki had given refuge to miners families hard pressed by the strike, free holidays, free meals to pickets taking a break and on the run from bail conditions. Men and their families from Hatfield, and Durham were freely accommodated and looked after, but it was the miners of Nottingham, from Rufford, Cotgrave and Ollerton who they had adopted. He knew something of living under an occupation and knew that these brave Nottingham strikers, were the resistance of the scab occupied counties, they were to suffer the worse of the strike. Dave expressed the heartfelt thanks to Erkki and Celia and their family for taking a stand with the miners and their families.
The Lord Major of Scarborough Mrs Freda Coultas made a moving speech in unveiling the seat, which was followed by a moments silence then a quite rendition of the Red Flag.
Erkki Died 22nd May 2001, he leaves his widow Celia daughter Anne Marie and granddaughter Francesca, friends and family and comrades.
The Delmont is situated toward the castle on the spectacular top of North
Bay, take a look at the seat next time you pass and spare a thought for
Erkki and all those genuine members of the Labour Party who defied ‘official
lines’ and stood with the striking miners and their families.
THORNE GAZETTE CARRIES OUR NEWS UPDATE ITEM
Many thanks to the Thorne Gazette for including in this weeks edition
a lengthy article from the Mining Communities Advice Centre about Bet
Knee and Surface workers chest claims. The article urges folk not to rush
with claims as there is no agreement yet, and there is danger that a premature
claim might be ruled out if the negotiations take more than three years.
We urge them to watch this space and consult with the NUM and the Advice
Centre on anything to do with mining claims.
In this regard we notice a certain set of cheaky b*******s have been round
Dunscroft, and Stainforth and God knows where else, telling former miners
and families of deceased miners to contact them for claims. Who is this
band of philanthropic souls with the welfare of the pit communities at
heart ? Its none other than the UDM, the scabs who broke the pit strike
in 84/85 and caused the devistation we see around us.
Dont be fooled by these or other 'experts' advertising in the field. Contact
the Advice Centre on 01302 841 365 and we will set you straight.
CRISIS LOOMS OVER MALTBY SACKINGS. (World Exclusive. DO NOT NICK THIS STORY OR REPRINT IT WITHOUT CREDITING US)
THE YORKSHIRE AREA OF THE NUM MET YESTERDAY OVER THE CRISIS LOOMING AS A RESULT OF THE IMPOSITION OF FLEXIBLE WORKING AT MALTBY COLLIERY NR ROTHERHAM.
The miners union’s at the colliery, NUM and NACODS have vigorously opposed any attempts to change their terms and conditions and impose ‘flexible’ working at the pit. ‘Flexible’ working means longer shifts, more anti-social shift times, a cut back on holidays and rest days. It also flies in the face of the Euro working time directive which the NUM has been trying to have implemented at pits. Basically UK Coal who mismanage the pit (recently they have gone over to a one face operating strategy, in a thin seam which cannot possibly produce the tonnage's and sales to support the infrastructure of the colliery, even suppose they encounter no geological problems.It is a recipe for closing the pit, on the toss of a geological coin): have enforced the new conditions. This comes against an 80% strike ballot vote among NACODS and determined opposition by the NUM. Their response, accept the new working conditions or the pit closes next week ! With this as a gun to their head, most men signed up for the new conditions (even though these new terms are largely unspecified and are covered by a cover-all do as you are told ‘variable’ term, in other words we will make it up as we go along, you will turn up when we tell you and work as long we tell you.) which they had to do on an individual basis. Five men including two of the branch officials refused to sign the new terms, and were sacked. After intervention by the Area Agent Jeff Stubbs, the company changed the sacking to a ‘suspension’ on ‘gardening leave’. But this has come with a new ultimatum. They want the NUM to agree a flexible working package for all its collieries, or they will sack the five men. As Dave Douglass the Hatfield Main Colliery secretary said yesterday "This is a hostage situation, and the evidence of hostage situations is, that even if you give them what they want, they can still kill the hostages". This is doubtless true, the whole object of this ‘flexible’ working exercise is to bring in compulsory redundancies of 70 men, guess who the first five men to be made redundant would be ? The NUM in Yorkshire considers this a national question, as it will affect all UK Coals collieries all over the country. A last ditch meeting will be held with the Area Officials and the Maltby Branch with UK Coal to try and resolve the situation. The five men have now agreed to sign the new terms, but now UK Coal are not satisfied with that and are going for the big fish, flexible working at Kellingly Colliery and other pits protected under the TUPE terms by law from arbitrary changes such as this. ‘Accept the new terms or we shoot your comrades’ is a clear message from UK Coal. Since many of us believe they have an industrial suicide bomb in their brief case anyway, we know that saving these five would only be a prelude to loosing a great many more later. That is why they want the flexible working. A national conference is to be convened to discuss possible forms of industrial action. With 2000 men due to loose their jobs at Selby over the next few months UK Coal will be banking on us loosing the ballot. However ,we hope that a stand against compulsory redundancies everywhere will strike the right cord at the divergent interest pits and members. Watch This Space.
UK coal seeking £79m to save deepmine pits
By Philip Thornton
08 August 2003
Britain's largest coal miner, UK Coal, yesterday lodged a bid for £79m
of government aid to safeguard the future of 4,000 workers at its eight
remaining deep pits.
It said investment aid from the Department of Trade and Industry would finance the exploitation of 100 million tonnes of coal reserves.
Gordon McPhie, the company's chief executive, said: "All these mines have reserves that, with the appropriate investment, would extend their lives and safeguard jobs."
It said the application covered all its eight deep mines in the Midlands, Yorkshire and the North East, which it will operate after it shuts the Selby complex in North Yorkshire next year with the loss of 2,100 jobs. But the company acknowledged that investment aid - set up after the financial collapse of nuclear producer British Energy - had a budget of just £60m.
A DTI spokesman insisted that the budget had been capped for three years. "There are no plans to go above it," he said.
UK Coal now employs just 8,000 people at 12 underground and 13 surface mines. This compares with 720,000 people at 958 mines in 1947.
Demand for British-mined coal has collapsed in the face of cheaper imports and the construction of more gas-fired and nuclear power stations.
British coal companies have received about £165m in aid since 2000. UK Coal, formerly known as RJB Mining, has been profitable only once in the past four years.
UK Coal's shares closed up 2p at 99p, taking its gains this year to 94 per cent. Its aid bid comes amidst growing warmth within Whitehall for selective aid for industry.
Last month more than 2,000 chemical workers' jobs were saved after the DTI gave a £50m aid package to a factory that was under threat of closure. That in turn came a day after the Ministry of Defence saved hundreds of jobs by awarding a contract for jet trainers to BAE Systems over a cheaper bid from foreign rivals.
COMMENT
Even though on the face of it miners would support the injection of government cash into the industry we have many reservations about the way it would be done. For one, that appeal above hardly would inspite anyone with confidence for a bold ongoing future would it ? "...Would extend their lives and save jobs". With reserves of around 200 years at all remaining collieries that is somewhat of an understatement. Likewise we have no confidence that money from the government would go to develop those reserves and secure the long term future of coal. Past grants have found their way into shareholders dividends not new coal winnings. Richard Budge famously resigned from his own firm (now UK Coal) because government aid wasnt used to develop Thorne and instead was shared out among investers. Really the coal industry needs control by the miners and the people, especially if it is the peoples money funding it, Blair however in a political dogma he borrowed from Thatcher would rather see all former state industries go down the pan than allow any direct society control over them. The fate of the railways is a clear example of that, it being too hot to run the trains now, formerly an inch of the wrong sort of snow or autumn leaves stopped the nations railways. With capitalist visionaries such as these running basic industries hopes of a rosy future for coal and the miners has got to be a dim one. The closure of the Selby complex, the most modern and futuristic coalfield in the world, with millions of tonnes of untapped reservers demonstrates just how much vision this company has got. Its nick name is 'English Estates' because of the belief that coal production is a front for land speculation and development.
Meantime
At Hatfield things are brighter. The clean burn power plant built on-site at Hatfield Colliery and fuelled by Hatfield and later Thorne coal has been given the go-ahead.The long term plan will produce clean coal power with zero emissions, local employment, and possibly the last pits in Britain. The only problem we have is the pit is at present non-union. Mr Budge refuses despite our support for the development of the mine, to recognise our right to a union at 'his' colliery. We are building our stregnth, and if necessary we will have to take the question to law as we top the 50% membership mark. Supporters of the coal fired plant at Hatfield should put what pressure they can upon Mr Budge to recognise the NUM at Hatfield and allow us back on site.The real key however is men at the pit joining en-mass, there will be no question then of what we are 'allowed ' to do.
DD
Tears as colliery closes
Miners march out of Betws Colliery for the last time as more than a century
of mining in the Amman Valley ends. This is on the BBC News site......
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/wales/south_west/3116443.stm
The Spectre Haunting The NUM Offices Barnsley
20 months ago a national conference of the NUM, after tearing lumps off itself and kicking and screaming agreed that Retiring President Arthur Scargill coming up for his 65 birthday, would be allowed to stay on as Honorary President. This would be simply a title, the newspapers at the time reported "..assurances from Mr Scargill that he would not be involved in running the Union if he was given the role of honorary president.." Since that time a spectre is haunting the NUM offices at Barnsley. Well it isn't a spectre really its him, he is still there of course as many suspected he would be. Assurances aside he still occupies an office and staff, still presents himself as a representative of the NUM , still draws a salary, still initiates cases, and there is more than a suspicion that he still actually runs the union. Recently this came to a head following an industrial tribunal in Hull. We have been severely criticised for knowing about this case by the way, as obviously those at the top think it should be a secret along with much else occurring in our name. When raised with Steve Kemp the area secretary his response was 'how do you know about it ?' We contend that nothing which happens in the name of NUM should be kept a secret from the members of the NUM. We contend that NOTHING the national officials know about should be secret from the members. How do we know about it ? Its no conspiracy, Industrial Tribunals are open to the public, and their transactions public. Apart from which Hull Trade Council members with whom we have links attended the tribunal. So what happened ? We will not mention all the details although as said they are not secret and are quite public anyway. A member of UCAAT the building workers union, who was an official of the union was sacked from his post by the officials of that union. Basically he refused to obey the Tory/New Labour anti union laws. UCAAT obviously terrified of heavy fines and even sequestration had to put him up for public execution to save their bureaucratic skins and doubtless they would tell you 'the fabric of the union' . He believed they had acted unlawfully and took them to an Employment Tribunal. At that ET in walks Arthur Scargill representative of the sacked UCAAT man. The Chairman somewhat confused asks Arthur if he is there as a mate to represent the man ( a member of Arthur's SLP) as a personal capacity. No says Arthur, the man is a member of the NUM ! Arthur is there as a representative obviously financed by the Union. Now the rights and wrongs of the case aren't an issue here. The UCAAT man acted principally, the union predictably, what bothers us is how does a member of UCAAT, and as far as we can see a Branch Official of that union, come to be a full member of the NUM ? How does the retired, title only Honorary president of the NUM come to initiate and represent such an appeal in our name ? Raise the question within the Union and you will be told words to the effect that it is none of our business, but that anyway, both the mans membership and Arthur's continuing role is both ' national policy' and therefore cannot be raised, questioned or challenged. Arthur lost the appeal by the way.
Death of Ken Taylor (Bingo)
Another Hatfield miner died this morning (Sunday 3rd August) Ken Taylor
known universally as 'Bingo' for some obscure reason. He had been in generally
good health and looking forward to a holiday abroad with his family next
week. Sadly he fell and broke his hip, pneumonia set in and he died. It
comes as great shock. Bingo was another of the characters from Hatfield
pit. A face instructor last off, he was regarded as 'a dry bugger'. After
being sent on a mechanisation course at Bentley colliery, he was asked
by the deputy 'which prop weighs more, a prop pumped up or a prop unextended
'them buggers on day shift' he correctly observed. Our sympathies go out
to his family who will greatly miss his comedy and love. Like all the
Hatfield miners who have died recently Bingo was a solid union man and
never flinched when the chips were down.
Big Send Off For Teddy
Ted Bennet got a rousing send off from the folk of the community, hundreds
of men and women turned out to the mass at Stainforth and went to the
grave side, last Wednesday. His sons and daughters spoke in happy terms
of their Dad and his attitude to life. Tears were everywhere in evidence
as we reflected on how much we would miss his larger than life character.
The priest told us how Ted was a frequent mass attender and how his smiling
face would beam throughout the service from the back pew. In a moving
tribute he said "you only had to look at Ted to know he believed
in God and he believed in people, you could see it in his face".
Although not believers ourselves there was something of the truth in that.
Teddy radiated joy and optimism. Many of his old pit marra's were in attendance
recalling Teddies big hitter days with Barton's squad of ace tunnellers.
A reception was held at Ikies afterwards and sadness and happy recollections
mixed with large amounts of coal dust and humour as people recalled their
thanks for his life and contribution. Bye bonny lad, we'll finish that
connection to Thorne one day and name it after you.
Death Of Teddy Bennett
Another of our much loved pit comrades has passed away. Ted Bennett,
one of the few coloured men to work at the colliery, although actually
of Geordie mining origin, was as Yorkshire as Wilfred Pickles. Always
smiling always his hearty laughter brightened any shift, he was ready
with a humourous tale every time you met him. His last great, and unfinished
mission down the pit had been working in the cramped confines of Thorne
Connection. Often in water, pitting wit and muscle in a fruitless effort
to try and keep the roof up and the emergency passage to Thorne open.
A strong Union man he backed his union at every turn, in the struggle
of 69, 72, 74 and 84 and a thousand rag-ups and pit strikes in between.
The funeral is on WED at the Catholic Church in Dunscroft . Our deepest
condolences go out to his family who will face an impossible loss. He
will be much missed in the community and down at the Union office where
he often dropped by 'for the crack'
Durham Big Meeting
Great Big Wonderful Day
The Durham Miners Gala this year was a jewel in a crown of wonderful days.
The sun blazed down, crowds followed the banners and miners bands and
the rest of the Trade Union movement joined in. Hatfield banner was there,
and more than 20 miners, former miners and their families from the Hatfield
pit communities were present to enjoy the day. BBC made use of the spectacular
backdrop to film the Hatfield folk as part of their 20 anniversary of
the miners strike programme which is due out next year.
Many thanks are extended to Tony Clegg from the Fox and Big Harry Harle from the Dunscroft Miners Social Club for their efforts in getting people to the big day. It is hoped we will be back next year. If any kind donator out there has about £1500 to donate it would ensure we could bring our Hatfield Main band up as well. The local press reported the day as such :-
Gala day call for moves to heal rift
by Gavin Engelbrecht
DENNIS SKINNER put in a blistering performance at Durham Miners' Gala, calling for a peace between the Labour Party and trade unions.
At his first public appearance since undergoing a triple bypass heart operation, the Beast of Bolsover epitomised the spirit of the occasion.
His passion unfaltering, he railed against the many gripes of the left, such as modernisation of the NHS, and Tony Blair following George Bush into war against Iraq.
And he made a rallying call for a "roadmap for peace" in the Labour Party and trade union movement, with a return to traditional values.
He added to applause: "I have tested my new arteries today, and where better to test them than at the Durham Miners' Gala.
"I can report back to my Malaysian surgeon that all is well with the job he did."
An estimated 50,000 people converged on Durham City under a brilliant summer sky on Saturday, with 32 bands and 65 banners transforming the streets into a sea of colour.
The procession also served as a platform for a variety of causes.
There was the lone demonstrator demanding pardons for soldiers shot at dawn in the First World War, Amnesty International calling for respect for refugees, and a collection of Stop the War campaigners.
And there were children from Browney Primary School, near Durham, who were protesting plans to close their school.
In a time-honoured ritual, the bands performed their well-practised pieces for the dignitaries on the balcony at the Royal County Hotel, in Old Elvet, before moving on to the racecourse for speeches.
NUM president Ian Lavery attacked the Government's White Paper on energy, which he said would allow for the import of cheap coal from Colombia, where "child labour is used on a massive scale".
And this, he said, while the Government was allowing UK Coal to close down the Selby coalfield, in North Yorkshire, with the loss of thousands of jobs.
Other speakers were Fire Brigades' Union general secretary Andy Gilchrist, Dr Alba Portela Sabari, from Cuba, Aslef general secretary Mick Rix, and the general secretary of the GMB union, Kevin Curran.
NUM general secretary Dave Hopper said: "Since taking up my post 18 years ago, this is one of the best platforms we have had.
"The day occurred in an atmosphere of great optimism that we can change the direction the Labour Party has taken over the last six to seven years."
What the paper leaves out is the dramatic attacks on Tony Blair's adventure in Iraq, which both the Area Secretary David Hopper and the President Davie Guy launched from the platform. They along with Ian Lavery the National Chairman of the NUM condemned the governments energy white paper and the destruction of the Selby coalfield.
The Area officials also drew attention to the massive political effort being put forward by the far right BNP, contesting every Sunderland Council seat, and many more on Tyneside and the north. He warned of the dangers of a far right agenda and the lack of faith in New Labour .
The 119th Gala programme, was one of the best ever produced and Davy Temple who we believe produced it must be congratulated for his efforts and research in bringing it together and in getting sponsors.
We can only urge all our readers to make it to the 120th gala next year. Thanks to all the organisers.
Sad Death Of Arthur Wilkinson We are very sorry to report the death of one of the branch stalwarts Mr Arthur Wilkinson on Saturday the 12 July. A regular at the Dunscroft Ikies club he had assisted Dave Douglass in the Miners Advice Office for some time after it was set up. He had been a great supporter of the miners kitchen during the strike and a picket on the pit lane. A great comic, full of life, his steep decline from respiratory problems came as a great shock to all who loved him.
Our deepest sympathies go out to his family who will dearly miss him. The village has lost another of its favourite characters and loyal servants and it seems the pit has claimed another victim.
It is with great saddness that we record the death of our collegue Tony Withington, the former Branch Secretary at Prince Of Wales. He was killed in a car crash on Monday 30th June. We have no details, but are deeply shocked. Tony was never a wild eyed member of the militant left, but was strongly committed to his men, who he represented with passion and dedication. he was an honest and long serving trade unionist and a pleasure to be with socially. We offer our deepest condolences to his family and workmates
Failure Of UK Coal Strike Ballot
The recent strike ballot for industrial action against UK Coal on wages and conditions was recently lost. Those in favour of action 43.1% those against 56.9%.
Many would feel that with the closure of the Selby Coalfield coming
up regardless of all attempts to stop it, striking over wages and conditions
was a bit futile. It must be said there wasnt exactly a dynamic get up
and go campaign by the Union to win the ballot.
Attention Pensioners
Especially the ones struggling to make ends meet.
A new benefit for pensioners is waiting in the wings, though few people know about it, and information is rather scarce at present.
Roughly half of all pensioners will be entitled to the benefit which seeks to stop them falling too far below the poverty line.
If you want to know more you should contact The Department Of Work and Pensions.
A single pensioner over 60, under this scheme will be guaranteed not to suffer an income level of less than £102.12 per week. For those over 65 the rate is £139.10 This will be a considerable improvement for many. For a couple where at least one pensioner is over 60, the amount is £155.80. For couples over 65 the rate is £203.80. The uplift is of course means tested. You have to be on less than those fingers to get ‘owt. Saving shouldn't affect the claims unless your sitting on a bank full. Even if you have a greater income than these figures you should still enquire as you may be eligible for other means of assistance.
For former miners with deferred pensions, some calculations may be necessary. It maybe that a maximum lump sum, with a smaller weekly pension could allow you to receive financial assistance under this scheme. On the other hand, if you took no lump sum in order to maximise your weekly pension, you might be doing your self out of some money from the state.
You need in all circumstances to enquire.
Pensions Service. 0800 991234
1600 Chinese Coal Miners Killed In The First Two Months of this Year !
This is the result of the so called "reforms" i.e. introduction
of 'market rules' capitalism
into the so called 'Socialist' system of China. Our fellow miners are
being killed like
rats in a bucket . Here with the latest report on the latest blast.
Gas blast in Chinese coal mine kills 64
AFP/AP, Beijing
May 14: Sixty-four workers died and 22 were missing deep underground Wednesday
after a gas explosion ripped through a coal mine, adding more grisly statistics
to an industry with an appalling safety record.
"Sixty-four miners have been confirmed dead," a mine official
surnamed Hu told AFP from the scene of the blast in Anhui province in
eastern China.
He said there were 22 still missing from the accident, which happened
590 meters (1,947 feet) deep in the mine shaft, and that rescue work was
ongoing.
"The chances of their survival is not very good. It is not probable
that they are alive," he said.
Another mine official, surnamed Zhang, added: "So far 17 rescue workers
have been sent into the mine. They have been divided into two groups and
they are trying to find those still missing.
"It was a gas explosion. Twenty-seven people have been rescued and
10 are in hospital."
Hu added that gas was still leaking and there was a risk of new explosions.
"They are pumping air into the mine right now," he said.
The blast struck the registered Luling coal mine in Anhui province's Huaibei
city shortly after 4:00 p.m. (0800 GMT) Tuesday.
Rescue workers, led by provincial governor Wang Jinshan, were feverishly
trying to find those trapped in the mine shaft, said family members and
friends of employees who were helping.
"They haven't been home for two days," said a man in his 20s,
whose father and uncles work in the mine but were in a different shaft
from where the explosion occurred.
The man and other residents reached by phone Wednesday said the mine,
located near Suzhou city, was the largest in the Huaibei Coal Mine Administration.
It employs 7,000 workers, an official in the company-run union said. In
the aftermath of the accident, all coal mines in northern Anhui have been
shut and will only reopen if safety standards are met, local officials
said according to the Xinhua news agency.
The young man, who declined to give his name, said his family members
had worked in the mine for years, beginning when it was built some 35
years ago. Few major accidents have happened in the state-run mine.
"It's a safe mine, but mines always have some accidents happening,"
said a friend of a mine office employee, who added that in the past several
people had died.
Many family members of the miners were at the scene, waiting at the gate
of the mine, hoping their relatives would be found alive, said another
employee's friend.
Chinese mines, many illegally operated, have an appalling safety record
with thousands of deaths reported last year in explosions, floods and
cave-ins.
China's market-oriented reform of the state-run coal sector is leading
to increased mine accidents while the ruling Communist Party-controlled
unions are ineffective in safeguarding workers, labour activists have
said. Last month, two major explosions killed 97 miners in China, with
72 dying at the Mengnanzhuang mine in Shanxi province in the north and
25 in a blast at the Mengjiagou mine in the north-eastern province of
Liaoning. Official figures show nearly 1,600 miners died in Chinese mines
in the first two months of the year.
NUM To Ballot Members On Strike Action
Friday 16th May 2003.
Leopards really don't change their spots, even when on the verge of extinction
!
UK Coal employees nation wide are to be balloted with a view to industrial
action, probably 24 hour strikes, in protest at the lack of progress on
wages, parity and conditions. The move comes, following a closely argued
conference, many delegates wished to put the UK coal package to the membership
and see if they rejected it or not. The Yorkshire Area argued that this
would only answer the question if they accepted it, what would we do if
they rejected it ?
Why not ballot on both together ? What if they balloted to reject the
package and the strike ?
In the end, putting the question to the men was agreed upon. There is
widespread anger against UK coal and its continued rape and butchery of
the industry. However everyone knows the company representing almost all
of what's left in British coal mining stands on the brink of utter destruction.
The decision will not be an easy one.
Edinburgh Evening News, 24/04/03
Miners say no to Brankin
LOTHIANS MSP Rhona Brankin is "not welcome" at a miners' welfare
club in her own constituency because of her pro-war stance, drinkers there
said today. Regulars at the Danderhall Miners Club in the Labour politician's
constituency have refused a request by Ms Brankin, Labour MSP for
Midlothian, to speak to them the night before the election. They claim
their parliamentary representative would go unrecognised due to the lack
of time she spends in the area.
And they say her criticism of former minister Susan Deacon's decision
to sign a motion condemning war with Iraq ruined any chance she had of
gaining their support.
George Crawford, 67, secretary of Danderhall Miners Club, said today:
"We are not barring her, but we've written to tell her she is not
welcome here. "No-one here would know her if they saw her in the
street and after her pro-war comments, none of us are interested in what
she has to say."
The retired miner, who worked at Bilston Glen Colliery for more than 30
years, added: "In supporting the war with Iraq, Rhona Brankin is
playing nothing more that 'follow the leader' with Tony Blair and is not
putting forward the views of the people she is supposed to represent.
"If there is one thing us miners are known for, it is standing up
for what we believe in.
"I've always been a Labour voter but she won't be getting my vote."
Today, Ms Brankin would only say: "It's a matter for the club. I
wrote to them to explain how I voted in the Scottish Parliament. I think
we'll leave it at that."
BET KNEE AND MULTIPLE HEADACHE CLAIMS
Most former miners are already aware that the next potential 'bonazaar'
for claims will be to do with knackered knees (Bet or beat knee) and the
effects of pooda reek
(Shot firing fumes) multiple headache syndrome.
Some firms of solicitors (and the UDM) are already hawking their wares around the coalfields trying to pick up claimants. Our urgent advice is do not submit any claims at this time !
The fact is we have not yet found a means of proving liability, nobody has, so none of these claims will go anywhere just now. However, when and if we do get the claims rolling there will be 'a date knowledge' question. If you commit yourself at this stage to knowing about the condition, and the claim sits for years unable to move, when it comes to the time to put them in, you could have blown yourself out of the water through the time limits. For this reason do not claim to the DSS at this stage either . So the advice is keep ya pooda dry. We will notify people and run campaigns if and when there is any progress. OK ?
Dave
DESPERATE FIGHT TO SAVE SELBY.
The Union has been pulling out all the stops to save the Selby Coalfield from wanton destruction. Some publicity has been achieved, some meetings with M.P's in London, some support from Selby Council, but no big rush to our defence. The company itself should in the view of many,have its licence to operate withdrawn ,since it is common knowledge they plan to stop any involvement in mining and instead go into land speculation, trading with the vast areas of land they got with the collieries from the public A specially commissioned report from Mr McKerron an economic consultant drew up various ways of making the Selby complex profitable and avoiding its closure. Trouble is nobody seems to want to read that report. Government aid is frankly washed away into shares and dividends and not aimed at saving specific pits. After Selby where ? Maltby is the obvious next target, the Company is just not interested in mining, which for a company who has been granted the major mining licence in Britain ,this is somewhat of a stupid situation
No pit is safe with this company, the longest term develop plans you hear of are only for three years. A meeting is being sought with Tony Blaire himself, although as commented on at the last NUM Council meeting, the approach would be better received from the UMWA considering you have to speak with an American accent to get Tony's ear. The crazy situation at present seems to be that Government is more interested in blasted windmills than coal mines, Britain actually now imports more coal than it produces, despite the vast reserves and despite the fact that the cheapest deep mined coal in the world is produced here.
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Miners Join Massive Anti War Demonstration In London on 15 Feb. |
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A brave contingent from the NUM carrying the National
NUM banner, faced arctic cold and snails pace walking in the mighty
throng of humanity as it pleaded, demanded and sought no war in
our name against Iraq. The biggest demonstration ever, in the history
of the island or any subject. History in the making. That it was
launched against a so called 'Labour' Government, also is historic,
and shows just how far that party and its grass roots members have
lost control of the politics of their party.
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Meeting of HMI Inspector of Mines with the NUM
Held at the beginning of Jan, proved a welcome one. There were no fatalities in 2002 and the number of major accidents is falling. The last fatal accident was in 2001.
The injury rate is also falling, that is faster than a pro-rata fall associated with loss of men working in the industry.
Although there was a rise in some categories of dangerous occurrence, Fire, and withdrawal of men owing to smoke, loco incidents, the number of dangerous occurrences overall is also falling.
Obviously to offset this is the effect of old diseases coming to the surface now, HAVS a massive rise of occurrence or more properly discovery, and of Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema, and pneumoconiosis.
42 new cases of pneumoconiosis among men still in the mines occurred over the last five years. The mass rise in the other disease registration is among men who left in the last fifteen, twenty and thirty years ago as the deadly seeds of destruction work their way quietly and insidiously within the lungs and do their damage.
Overall the dangers are still out there as we see from mine disasters in Ukraine, Russia, America and of course China, where 7000 miners were killed last year. Eternal vigilance is the only way of keeping the British genie in the bottle.
A long discussion took place on the flooding of the last deep mine in Scotland and the subsequent abandonment of mining in that country after many hundreds of years. The HSE at least is satisfied that this was an accident, and all reasonable precautions had been taken to prevent it.
Excellent Night At Dave's birthday bash in the toon.
Aboot 100 souls turned out in fine fettle to cheer on Dave's birthday.
Tony Corcoran's band set the night away with wild fiddle rifs and Geordie/
Irish music.
Class Warriors from Newcastle, Glasgow and London med the trek, as did
the NUM in force. Hatfield Main Branch NUM Banner hung over the stage,
while the national Chairman, and the Regional officials from the Northumberland
and Durham coalfield's stomped the neet away. Also in the audience was
Dave Murdock, late of the white collar section COSA in full Highland rig.
Aud comrades from the Tyneside Anarchists of the 1960s/ 70,s returned
for the evening, many of whom hadnt been seen in 25 years after moving
away and many who had featured in Dave's autobiography Geordies Wa Mental
( at least a couple of these had not seen their entries and Dave made
them promise not to read them until after the show...ie. When he was well
out of the way of the screams, lible actions might follow) Keith Armstrong
the world famous Geordie poet read from his collection and dedicated one
of the poems to Dave. Impromptu singers and key board players were the
MacNally family of TV fame and Jarra heritage. Pride of place however
went to the lads from Donie, Martin and Jeff 2/3 rds of Stafford Galley.
They went down a storm, especially with the younger members of the audience,
nephews, nieces, sons and daughters of the 1960s/70s 'vets. Youngest member
of the audience was Caitlin, Dave's granddaughter who at 2 in bonny party
frock, danced the night away until she gave out at 10-30 p.m. The night
ended with Dave himself taking the stage to present the Miners Lifeguard,
the international miners anthem, and the Internationale which everyone
rose to the occasion for, with waving fists and full voices. A bliddy
wonderful neet. See everyone in another 50 years.
Sad death Of Joe Strummer, lead singer of the Clash.
At the early age of only 50 Joe has passed away, we do not know from
what cause. He was a great fighter for the working class in general and
admired the miners in particular. He was the centre of the Class War 'rock
against the rich' tour which played Brodsworth Miners Welfare in the late
80s raising money for the sacked miners. Dave Douglass presented him with
a Hatfield NUM badge which he wore with pride ever since. That concert
was a rip roaring success, apart from a member of 'The Crow People' who
marched about outside calling for a boycott of the concert because the
place was full of "rich scumbags". Presumably the folk who were
wearing shoes and other such signs of decadence. He had been abusing most
people in general and was generally considered a pain up the arse, untill
that is he tried to come in. "I thought you were boycotting the concert"
Dave asked "I want to boycott it inside." he replied. "Well
you'l have to pay marra, its a charity concert for the sacked miners."
Dave informed him. "Dont believe in paying, dont believe in money."
He annouced. Dave was just about to tell him to go away when the crow
man dived forward and stuck a very bloody nut on Dave face. This produced
a rugby scrum as a couple dived on the bloke. Suddenly he became an oppressed
minority. "Get off him " they roared, "He's entitled to
his opinion !" "His opinion ? he just nutted me" Dave responded.
Eventually some liberal volunteered to drive the punk back to town. Big
mistake, the man who didnt believe in money, then wouldnt leave the car
unless he was paid £10 for his inconvience, which the hapless liberal
paid up. The concert itself was a knock out, with Donies, punks, heavy
metal freaks, hippies and miners rocking the night away. Joe played only
last week at another charity do, this time for the firefighters.
He will be missed, not least as a song writer and musician.
DD
Hatfield Miners win great court victory in closure row. Exclusive.
The Miners Advice Service can exclusively report that our ongoing claim for compensation for lack of consultation period prior to the closure of the pit by Hatfield Coal Company has been overwhelmingly won. Only seven of the men whose cases were taken by the NUM have yet to have their case accepted. This is because these men didn't put in their claim till later, mainly because they didn't rejoin the NUM until after they were sacked. We tried to get equal treatment on the basis that it was better to be late than never, but so far the court has put a question mark over these. We go back for another bash in Jan 10th to try and include them, and to try and get still more money for the other men. The NUM members former employees of Hatfield Coal Company will be paid the 90 days consultation payment , in many cases it could add up to £5,000. It has been a long time coming, but worth the battle. It further demonstrates that those men who have refused to join the Union and as such have been treated with contempt by the coal owners have lost out yet again. By saving their £5 subs every week they have lost £5000 in compensation money to say nothing of dignity. A second claim could be in the pipeline if the 53 men recently paid off by Coal Power, the new owners of Hatfield Colliery, do not get set on again, as promised in the new year. Again, the NUM will have great difficulty in pushing the claims of those men who have been paid off and were not in the Union. Even at this late stage we urge them to join. Contact 01302 841 365 to do so.
Surprising discovery, MINERS ADVICE EXCLUSIVE...
SCOTTISH MINERS AND CHRONIC BRONCHITIS EMPHYSEMA.
The Miners Advice Centre has just made a surprising discovery and one which could affect the payments of compensation to thousands of miners and their families in Yorkshire and elsewhere.
Claims in England take the date of knowledge (when the NCB was responsible) from 1954. That means compensation is based upon years of service from 1954. However we have just discovered the onset date for Scottish miners is 1949 ! Now then, that doesn't just apply to miners actually living or ending their days in Scotland, it must apply to the thousands of miners who transferred from Scotland to English mines during their working lives, the date of onset will still be 1949 and not 1954.
As far as we can tell this is a little known fact and one which could affect the compensation of thousands of miners and their families. Many will have already settled on the basis of 1954 not knowing their claims should have been from 1949. Those claims ought to have been lodged in Scotland by whichever solicitor was running the claim. People who think they are affected by this discovery ought to urgently consult with their solicitor or the NUM if they handled the claim. The advice centre would be pleased to know how far you get in having previously accepted compensation payments, reviewed. It could be, and we do not wish to set hares running, that the solicitors themselves might have been negligent in not alerting you to the different method of claiming.
Extension to vibration white finger claims for deceased miners.
Widows and families of miners now deceased who worked with vibration tools after 1975 have been given an extension to the time they have for claiming. The closing date has been extended from Oct. 31st to Jan 31st. Families wishing to claim should contact dave at the advice centre 01302 841 365.
None miners can of course still claim if they worked
with vibration hand held tools, they too should contact Dave for advice.
Delicate Discussions Follow on Mass Lay Off At Hatfield Main Colliery.
Following the lay off of 53 men at Hatfield Colliery two weeks ago, the Union had gone into action taking a duel approach of seeking legal advice and possible action together with some consultation with the firm to try and narrow the areas of disagreement. It should be said that had the firm gone into discussions with the Union at any level before taking unilateral action, the current unsatisfactory situation of suspicion and resentment might not have resulted. A 'white wall' has been struck on the only production face, this had produced a short term production gap, these are facts. However the speed at which men were laid off, the lack of any negotiations with the NUM (or anyone) and the selection of virtually all Union men for lay-off has led to suspicions that another agenda is being pursued here. The Area Agent Jeff Stubbs and the NUM lawyers have been in touch with the coal owners , and a report of those meetings and communications is due on Monday 18th 9 am at the St John's Ambulance Hall Stainforth. The local branch has been asked not to comment to the media during these delicate times and the officials have complied. The only leak apparently came from journalists from The Free Press reading our web site and finding reference to the lay off's (oops ).
All Hatfield Main NUM members are asked to attend this vitally important meeting. Meantime the Yorkshire Area of the NUM has launched a financial appeal to support the branch and allow it to keep going during this difficult time, and to ensure the branch is there on site as the colliery picks up production and expands according to plan. Donations to Hatfield Main NUM Branch are always welcome from all sources as are those to the Mining Communities Advice Centre (That's a subtle hint to wealthy readers ! Or Free press Journalists !)
NEW LIFE FOR HATFIELD MAIN
A clear sign that things are picking up again for Hatfield Main Colliery is the recruitment of the first apprentices in almost two decades. Three electrical and three mechanical apprentices have been set on, all recruited we believe from the nearby Hatfield High School. How many are sons of mineworkers we do not at this time know, but certainly by location they join a community steeped in mining culture since the turn of the 20th century, and of course through immigration from the older mining regions, sometimes many centuries beyond that. More than 20 young'uns applied for the positions. We are a bit sceptical that there are plans to fully face train the lads as well as give them their craft apprenticeships, thus suggesting the creation of a two class grade of face workers, with normal colliers regulated to a less skilled position. However on a safety point of view we cannot really object to such training, and it will be the strength of the union which determines whether normal face workers become second class citizens in the future or not. This recruitment brings the number employed at the colliery to 237, though sadly less than half of those are currently in the Union. We hope these young lads will be encouraged to join the union before they do anything else in this industry, it will serve them well throughout their working lives. Hatfield Colliery has elaborate plans for the construction of a clean burn power station with virtually no emissions and recycling of all waste products. In many ways it is a model of what the British coal industry as a whole should be, our only criticism of the company is its complete hostility to union recognition. This will only be resolved it seems when another 20 men join the NUM and bring the membership to in excess of 50% thus triggering automatic legal enforcement of a recognition agreement. Meantime despite all the positive actions taking place at Hatfield a band of folk continue to protest and dog the company over colliery waste disposal, the publicity they are getting is far in excess to their number or support. We hasten to add the group are objecting to the disposal of the colliery waste, because it goes by lorry down the public highway. Only one lorry per hour or less actually takes the spoil and of course the tip will only get less as this continues. The alternative is to either allow the tip to grow to such an extent it reaches saturation point and closes the colliery, or a new purpose built road is constructed straight onto the motorway. We have every belief that this latter is the plan in the next phase of development, but having spent £47 million on buying the colliery and getting it up and running again this has not been the priority right now. For us the survival of the colliery and some desperately needed wages in this area are a higher priority than the occasional lorry going by the door.
Orgreave Again In 'The Key'
Our readers will know that last night(Sunday 20th, 9 p.m. Channel 4)
the battle of Orgreave which was reconstructed together with actual footage
was screened. We have an excellent review of that programme and the accompanying
book on this site.
Readers will also know that we were advertising for miners who wished
to take part in another reconstruction for the forthcoming TV history
drama The Key.
The Key will be an excellent historic production based around the lives
of four generations of a Scottish working class activist family and particularly
the life of one women. It begins with riots George Square Glasgow in 1919
and end with the battle of Orgreave. Last week they were filming the Orgreave
scenes. Despite our advert, only two miners actually went, me (Dave) and
Dennis from Ellington Colliery Northumberland. The rest of the 'miners'
were extra's, just working class blokes interested in the production.
They made an excellent job of it. The fight scenes were rather more unconstructed
and spontaneous than the ones shot at Sheffield, which made for extra
bruises and a few hairy moments. They may too have produced better TV,
we won't know until they are all edited and put back together.
Beware In Doncaster
Night Time Car Parkers, beware the clamping scammers.
A piece of land which was waste land just beyond the Christ Church roundabout,
across from the Iceland shop, looks like a Council Run day time car park.
At night the entrance is open as is the exit. Looks like a fine place
to park when in Donie for the evening. Ha, you have just been caught in
the trap. What you do not see across the road, and watching while you
park, is four blokes with wheel clamps. They normally wait untill the
car park is reasonably full, then they charge out of thier car each carrying
armfulls of wheel clamps. They then proceed to clamp everyone. Why wait
untill its full ? Because if they just clamp one, nobody else will park
there. Why dont they put a chain across the car park ? Because then nobody
would park there and they wouldnt be able to high jack peoples cars. These
guys oose snottyness and demand £80 CASH. No credit card, no cheques,
no explanations no ifs no buts. Yes they will show you a little plaque
on the darkened side of the building which walls the car park saying this
is private land, but not one person in a thousand would be looking for
it. We have seen old folk reduced to tears, being forced to get on a bus
to Moorends to collect money from their children to get a bus back to
release their car.
Mind a few colliers have made the air blue when it happened to them, and
these guys know exactly what we think of their activity. They are playing
with fire. We suggest the Council be alerted to this scam. Demand that
the 'car park' be closed at night, or that a big prominant poster warn
people that they will be robbed and their cars impounded if they park
there.
CND ANNUAL CONFERENCE
14- 15 SEPT. 2002 LONDON
Few on the left have had any time for CND for the last twenty years or so and many had confined it to the dustbin as a memory of the 1960's along with flower power and love in.'s (nice memories but) . This weekends conference demonstrated how wrong they are and how much they are missing the boat by not being there themselves. It is perhaps inevitable that the nations biggest antiwar movement should spark to life in the current period, being as how three major flash points confront us and the world stands once more on the brink of war. The Pakistan / India dispute over Kashmir totters on the brink of a nuclear exchange which would cost the lives of millions. The Israeli occupation and ongoing slaughter in the West Bank of Palestine and the suicide bombings of civilian areas of Israel in retaliation are sweeping the area into greater and greater conflict and instability. Meantime the USA and Britain as its lapdog stands determined to invade Iraq and overthrow Saddam killing millions in a devastating war, throwing us all into jeopardy for the rest of our lives. CND is well poised to address these issues and intervene mobilising thousands behind slogans such as No War On Iraq (a just distinction from No War With Iraq ! Given the unequal nature of the contest) and Not In My Name. CND were prominent in organising the truly massive anti war demonstration at the end of Sept. with numbers estimated from 150,000 to 400,000. Blair is just not getting away with the kind of bullshit being peddled nightly in the USA. Iraq has a destroyed economy and a wretched and tattered military infrastructure without aircraft let alone satelights to guide them. It does not have nuclear weapons nor does it have the capacity to develop them let alone deploy them. Israel on the other hand is a nuclear power, it is now actually a bigger nuclear power than Britain, yet the USA with its so called concern about weapons of mass destruction ignores this. In fact they have vetoed 160 resolutions at the UN against Israeli aggression and nuclear delinquency. Conference came alive in debates on these issues. A comprehensive plan of resistance has been established, and the pacifists seem to have their act together for what they will do if Blair goes to war. The 'revolutionary' left no doubt will be too busy selling papers. One thing people must not denude themselves about. If war starts with Iraq Britain will not expect to get out of it without causalities of our own, and I am not talking about the armed forces. The kind of humiliating defeat and massacres planned for the people of Iraq must prompt a violent response very likely on the streets of Britain. It will be British civilians, me and you and our families who could well pay the costs for Blairs bravado. If people think they can wave the flag and bomb Iraq and then be back for tea without blood and carnage here they are dangerously deluded.
As if all this wasn't enough we now get the Unionists staging a political coup on the Irish peace process with a little help from the former RUC as usual. There is only one direction they are pushing the IRA into, and it isn't disbandment. Nobody can be so blind not to see that. If they cant make the process work, and we have never liked it. Its an imperialist enforced agreement as far as we are concerned, with republicans backing down all the way, but nonetheless it is what the folk voted for. If they cant make peace work, there is only the option of war. The likes of the so called Reverend Ian Paisley seem hell bent on restarting the war. Are they quite mad ?
I write this belated report the day after the terrible blasts in Bali. A truly brutal and morally indefensible attack upon totally innocent people. We cannot know yet the perpetrators or discover their twisted logic, but it couldn't come at a better time for the USA. At a time when the world was rejecting Bush and Blair and their excuse of The War On terrorism to invade Iraq, this blast is a God send. If they didn't do it themselves (and we aren't that paranoid) they must be thanking those who did. Now anyone who stands against the so called anti-terrorist war will be accused of not caring about the hundreds dead and maimed. We must guard against ill advised misdirected gut reactions, which make us as bad as the criminals who did this.
WHAT THE PAPERS, DIDN'T SAY.
Dave Douglass's reply to Paul Routlege's farewell piece on Arthur Scargill's retirement. Titled "The Pits". They didn't print it.
It must be said Paul Routledge's snidey piece on Arthur Scargill isn't half as bad as his 'unauthorised biography' which contains so many inaccuracies I nearly wrote a book of equal size detailing them. Despite this and the fact that Paul now knows that he disregarded facts in order to tarnish Arthur's standing in the Labour movement, he continues to do so. Facts and Paul's articles just do not mix. He claims Arthur only ever won the ballot for presidency in 1981, that is untrue, he won it again in an open contest and individual vote of the members at the end of the strike. It was to be a vote of confidence in his leadership during the strike. He won overwhelmingly. The 84 strike did not "split the Union apart" about 180,000 men struck and 30,000 scabbed, a nasty division, but not 'half' the Union as implied. Neither was this 'split' an accident of course, it was engineered by the incoming Labour government which rode to victory on the back of the successful miners strike of 1974. A divisive incentive scheme was imposed on the pits (despite the expression of rejection in two national ballots by the membership). This made some areas good earners and others the poor relations, it split the national union along regional lines and made them think locally rather than nationally, that was exactly what it was designed to do. When our young comrade Gareth Jones was killed picketing at Ollerton Colliery in Nottingham and a riot seemed likely in response, Arthur ordered the pickets to 'cool it'. We stood for a moments reflective silence, the police removed their helmets and stood with head bowed as a mark of respect. In that moment of peaceful reflection the scabs rushed through the unguarded roads and went to work. We shouted "your never going to work when a man has been killed at the top of your pit lane ?" And they replied "a bit of hard cheddar that mate". The point being if your prepared to step over a dead body to get to work, if you don't know which side your on from the wrong side of 20,000 riot shields, all the ballots in the world were not going to make men of the scabs. A national ballot on reflection, and in retrospective thought, would have been a tactically good idea. If we had held that around Sept. , all national polls and papers have predicted we would have won it, the excuse to attack us over this issue would have been gone. But the scabs wouldn't ,they would have still gone to work, ballot or no ballot. It was and remains an excuse, but it wasn't Arthur's decision not to have a ballot, it was ours. We held a conference to discuss this very matter, we submitted rule changes on how it would be conducted, then we held mass pit head meetings to discuss whether to have a strike ballot or not. I was nearly hung from the rafters, as the men now well into what had already become a very bitter strike thought we were about to sell them out by giving a ballot as a way to slide away from the fight. The members rejected the ballot, in mass pit head meetings. Another point I will never tire of making to Paul. Arthur Scargill did not start the strike, it could be argued that Thatcher did by throwing down a gauntlet we were forced to take up or else die of shame, the miners might have faced 'death' both industrial and even physical, but they would never run from a fight over their jobs and communities. The strike started because the Yorkshire miners struck and picketed out the rest of the country (with a few notable exceptions). If Joe Gormley had been president we should still have struck and still of picketed, but we would have done it without the approval of the NEC or the Union apparatus at national level, it would have been more divisive and more violent, but it would still have happened. Arthur sanctioned what was already happening on the ground, this was a strike more than any other under the direct control of the rank and file miners and their families, the wives and daughters in particular. This is the thing which rattles me most about Paul's article. In order to attack Arthur for the strike, he denies us, the rank and file miner and his family our role in this turning point of history, it is a year none of us will ever forget, it is a year I would not swop for any other year of my life. It is a year when we fought with everything flesh and blood could muster for the right to live with dignity, that moment doesn't belong to Arthur it belongs to us, and nothing you can say Mr Routledge will change that as a matter of simple fact.
AND..DAVE'S RESPONSE TO THE FREE PRESS ARTICLE ON BRIAN WILSON'S BOAST
TO BE " ON TARGET" WITH THE ,MINERS CHEST CLAIMS.
(they didn't print it)
4 / 8/ 2002
"£120, million paid out to mineworkers in Doncaster for chest
diseases up to the end of June" certainly sounds like loads of money
(Report in last weeks Free Press). Trouble is when it comes down to individual
cases you are talking of £2000 or less for many men. A man whose
disability is 100% caused by Bronchitis with no emphysema the maximum
payment he can get is £5000. Then of course if he has ever smoked
a big chunk will be deducted for that. As the daughter of a deceased miner
commented lately, farmers are getting more for a dead cow than miners
families get for deceased miners, killed by chronic lung diseases. If
the man had pneumoconiosis, he is paid under the old Pneumoconiosis Scheme
which is dependant upon an assessment from the DSS and is paid out according
to DSS awards. Fine ? Not really , a man all his life can apply for pneumoconiosis
to the DSS and be told according to the x-rays he hasn't got it. Then
he dies, an autopsy reveals the dust in the lungs, the pathologist can
often see it and feel it even without a microscope. So the family reapplies
to the DSS on the basis of the fresh evidence, the pathology report and
the inquest verdict. Do they then concede he had pneumoconiosis ? Not
likely, never mind what the pathologist can see and report, never mind
that a Coroners Inquest brings in the cause of death as Industrial Death
caused by Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis. If it wasn't found on the X-ray
it doesn't exist ! Even when there is X-ray evidence the sums of compensation
paid are truly pathetic, those for COAD are not much better. So before
the energy minister starts talking with pride of meeting targets and bumper
payouts, just remember that the poor crippled miner you can see on every
street corner in Doncaster gasping for air, and destined to die horribly
from his labour underground, is being paid in brass washers compared with
compensation one would received in any other industrial accident. I'm
not a vindictive or jealous person, but a couple of years back a lady
police officer was paid £100,000 in compensation because she "had
had her feeling hurt" by male colleagues making sexist remarks about
her. Good for her, but £100,000 for hurt feelings against £5000
for 100% disability due to Bronchitis in a miners lungs ? Is that justice
Mr Wilson ?
Notwithstanding all the above, it is important that men continue to claim at least the compensation which is available, miners widows and families should also claim, since this is a matter of justice and not just compensation. The scale of the injury done to miners lungs is only now being revealed, every new claim is added evidence of the carnage reaped upon the mining communities over the years.
NUM newsletter, and Selby decision time
The 'NUM Newsletter' which has been sent to the home of every NUM member in Britain is some way from the old Miner, and quite a bit further away from the Yorkshire Miner, but at least its a start and getting some form of communication with the members back on board. This issue focuses on the Fight For Selby and obviously contents itself with trying to get across to our members that we can fight back if we want to fight back.
A ballot is to be held at Selby to ask the men simply, do you want to work down the pit at Selby ? If not then games over, if they do, then lets get up and fight the closure. Part of this fight will be a lobby and rally at the Labour Party Conference Sunday 29th Sept. Busses are being laid on for our members and supporters to be there, although what happens in Blackpool on a Sunday we are not sure.
The 'newsletter' invites the views and comments of members, hm, that's a refreshing change, if its true, time will tell we suppose.
DEATH OF DOUGY WILLIS, LONG SERVING NUM BRANCH OFFICIAL AT HATFIELD.
We are sorry to learn of the death of our colleague Mr Douglas Willis, a work mate at Hatfield Colliery and NUM Branch treasurer for many years. A sound steward of the branch fund always, in later years he took over many aspects of running the miners welfare at Dunscroft. He continued to be the favourite bingo caller despite being reliant on a wheel chair and latterly loosing a leg. He was well liked and much respected his ability with accounts and figures was unchallenged. A quite spoken man with wise council during the glory days of the 69, 72, and 74 miners victories, and a wizard with the colliery incentive scheme when it was later introduced against our wishes. Dougy ensured that the colliery average took precidence and a pooled earnings scheme would block any divisive individualised schemes which management had tried to introduce. He will be missed for his advice and friendship. Our deepest sympathy to his widow and family.
US Coal Mining Firm Agrees To Pay The Men
We are pleased to see that after much publicised and angry comments from the trapped miners, the coal company who own the mine have agreed to pay them for the their time trapped underground. We don't know what he is going to pay them, but maybe they should have taken a legal compensation claim instead. Shock, trauma, stress, recurring night mares, inability to go back underground. Yep, we'd have done it a little different I think. Time and a half for three days trapped underground without any real hope of ever getting out seems to be letting the bastards off lightly. Meantime state authorities are having checks done on all mining plans in the area to check that unlike this situation they are actually accurate.
The Russian Republic's ongoing mine disasters
KIEV, July 21 (Xinhuanet) -- A methane gas blast ripped through a coal
mine in Ukraine on Sunday, killing six miners and injuring 13 others,
four of them seriously, the Ukrainian Telegraph Agency reported.
The explosion took place 260 meters below ground shortly after midday
in the Yubileinaya mine in Ukraine's eastern Dnipropetrovskregion. At
the time of the explosion, 423 miners were working underground and 45
were working where the blast went off.
Thirty rescue teams were mobilized for rescue operations. More than 400
miners had been evacuated from the mine while 20 others were still trapped
deep inside by sunset. A special commission will be set up to investigate
the causes of the blast.
The methane gas explosion occurred two weeks after a fire ragedthrough
a coal mine in Donetsk, killing 35 miners.
US Miners lucky to survive.
We are pleased to see our 9 comrades in the US have survived a three day ordeal as they were trapped by an inrush of water from old workings. The plans had told them the water was 300 meters away. This was a shallow drift employing about 69 men, the others got out when the trapped men were able to warn them. Mining in US is a lot smaller these days though the rate of accidents is still deadly compared to Britain.
Some coal mine accidents in the United States:
_ Sept. 23, 2001: Explosions at Jim Walter Resources Inc.'s Blue Creek
No. 5 mine in Brookwood, Ala.; 13 miners killed.
_ Dec. 7, 1992: Explosion at Southmountain Coal Co.'s No. 3 mine near
Norton, Va.; eight miners killed.
_ Sept. 13, 1989: Methane gas explosion at William Station Mine in Wheatcroft,
Ky.; 10 miners killed.
_ Dec. 19, 1984, Faulty air compressor starts fire in mine near Orangeville,
Utah; 27 miners killed.
GROUND BREAKING VWF APPEAL TODAY IN DONCASTER COUNTY
COURT.
(17th July 2002)
Dave Douglass will present a case to the Social Security Commissioner in support of an appeal of a former Hatfield Miner refused a Disablement award for VWF. This is the third hearing before a commissioner, the current one is an adjourned session, and has been the subject of two Medical Appeal Tribunals. The other side, the Secretary Of State, is represented by a top notch well healed lawyer who is an expert in Social Security law. Notwithstanding that Dave was able to field all her arguments and sink his grounds for an award home hard at the last session. The Commissioner went away to weigh what is now a hefty tomb of evidence and argument. Basically the question is this, when a man goes to the initial DSS medical, and inadvertently omits, for whatever reason to mention the whiteness of the fingers, should this forever and a day damn him to be considered as not having the condition. Dave has argued that where the person can bring forward medical evidence that he actually does have the condition, in this case two specialists reports, and the man can give under cross examination a plausible explanation of his initial omission, then the weight of evidence and probability must be in support of the claimant. It cannot be right that the original medical which takes place in far from ideal circumstances and is only a ten minute interview, should block serious consideration of all other evidence presented. The appeal, if successful could open the flood gates to a reconsideration of hundreds maybe thousands of other claimants who have been turned down in similar circumstances. The Appeal starts at 11-30 at Doncaster County Court and should be interesting to observe, although basically today is the day of the judge, the commissioner will be delivering his ruling on the evidence which has already been presented. Watch this space.
Anyone wishing to claim either against their former or current employers or to the Benefits Agency, ought to contact Dave Douglass, at The Mining Communities Advice Centre, Stainforth. Doncaster (01302 841 365) before they submit their claims. The regulations are fraught with trip wires and quite genuine people often fall foul of them if not advised as to the meanings or the regulations and requirements.
UPDATE 18th July 2002
The Commissioner reserved judgement. Which means he will take the final
summations away and then make his mind up and inform us by post of his
decision.
It could go either way, having stressed that he cannot change a tribunal
decision just because he thought they made the wrong decision or because
we we're not happy with it. It can only be change if they made an error
in law. We have argued that their over reliance on the original MAP statement
against that of the other medical evidence constitutes an error in law
in not giving due weight to that evidence. But ...we shall see.
CLOSURE OF ONE THIRD OF THE REMAINING UK COAL
INDUSTRY AND 50% OF THE NUM's REMAINING MEMBERSHIP
Feature article by David Douglass of the NUM and Mining Communities Advice Centre in Doncaster
As predicted UK Coal the mine owners who operate
90% of British coal is pulling the plug on Selby, a massive coalfield
which has been mined for just 20 years. Coal seams abound and there is
almost as much coal underground untapped as has been mined, about 150
million tonnes. The reason, profits, of course as always. UK Coal will
not spend the money in developing new seams despite a hefty handout from
the government, this went straight into the pockets of the directors and
not new winnings. UK Coal is not serious as a coal operator, it intends
to pull out of mining altogether, but at the same time sink the pits it
operates to stop anyone else mining the reserves. If this were not the
case, why is Thorne Colliery, the 'mothballed' superpit on the east of
Doncaster not being got ready to absorb the men and coal production lost
at Selby ? All the brand new state of the art tackle is available from
the Selby mines, including everything from headgear to space age heading
and face equipment. Why did it take parliamentary action to stop the corporate
vandals filling in those shafts at the beginning of the year ?
Land speculation is what they are really interested in, something which
doesn't involve employing all those awkward miners and paying wages. Just
making lots of money. Why does the government let them get away with it
?Because they are nursing a secret nuclear agenda. Despite losses of £2.3
BILLION last year, BNF the nuclear company has awarded its managing director
a massive salary increase .The Energy Debate in the Commons the other
week foretold of massive new nuclear development, regardless of costs
or public opposition. This brings to fruition the long term plan of the
Ridley Committee set up by Thatcher to find ways of permanently destroying
the power of the miners, a key component of which was the shift of energy
supply from coal to nuclear. This has been quietly being unveiled behind
the scenes, Scottish Nuclear even before the inundation at Longannet Mine
Complex, which has finished all deep mining in Scotland, was in excess
of 60% of energy generation, in England it is now 30% and equal to that
of coal power. Contrast this to the 1980s when overall nuclear generation
was less than 10% and essentially coal made up the rest. The strategic
power of the miners to challenge governments politically and economically
had proved to much for too long, and a final solution was worked out,
the end game of which we are now painfully observing. This trend, without
government intervention or better still the intervention of the labour
movement directly is unstoppable, for reasons entirely to do with class
politics. The economic and social arguments would favour coal production
every time, but that was not a consideration in Thatcher's or Major's
day and it is not the case now. The miners at Selby will get a maximum
of £27,000 something less than a years wage for a face or heading
worker facing a lifetime of
unemployment and further destroyed communities. Regeneration of the coalfields
is an industry these days but not one which employs miners or makes much
headway in tackling the social decay and feelings of abandonment prevalent
in the former coalfields. Talk of new jobs for former miners remains just
that in the vast majority of cases.
UK Coal needs to come clean on its intentions for
the rest of the pits, and do so now while there are still some left.
118 th Durham Miners Gala
One of the most brilliant big meetings for some years.
In stark contrast to last year when the heavens opened, today the sun
beamed, the instruments shone like beaten gold and banners sailed though
throngs of people.
On the balcony of The County were the old men of the labour movement,
Michael Foot
and Tony Benn. On the stage Jeremy Corbyn MP one of the few remaining
socialists in the New Labour government. Two of the Trade Union heavyweights
John Edmonds and Veronica Dunn of GMB and UNISON were also guest speakers,
doubtless grants and participation from these massive unions ensure the
survival of the Durham Gala as a wider trade union demonstration per sae
these days. Our differences with Edmonds over the steadily expanding nuclear
programme aside, he addressed himself to low pay and bad work conditions,
something we could all identify with. Indeed Edmonds, now stands to the
left of the Trade Union movement in general when previously he would have
been considered the right, it isn't him by en large whose changed his
position, but all those Blairite brown noses who who've shuffled off stage
right behind him and his New Tory policies. Edmonds gave Blare some hammer
which was refreshing and well received by the massive crowds who sat and
stood in the sun listening to the speeches. It was an excellent day, and
the Durham Area must be congratulated on it.
118th Durham Miner's Gala Programme (front cover) (51k)
The Gala message from Davie Hopper Durham Area General Secretary was excellent and made a hard focus on international issues and the hypocrisy of the British and American governments in current world affairs. Talking of the so called war on terrorism he remarked "The only way to eradicate this kind of atrocity (Sept. 11 ) is to resolve the cause of the dissent. The conflict in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinian people has its roots in a fundamental injustice- the dispossession of a people of their homeland. The USA has consistently ignored the just claim of the Palestinian people to have a homeland and until justice and equality prevail terrorism will continue and no amount of bombing will solve the problem".
Davie Guy the Area President stuck to issues nearer home and in particular the ongoing pit closures. He also spoke the ongoing injustice to the sufferers of mine diseases such as chronic bronchitis and White Finger and the failure of the government to speed up the process of compensation.
The Yorkshire contingent seemed to have less banners this year but I
cant say nowt as Hatfield didn't bring theirs either, Kellingly, Stillingfleet
the National Banner were much in prominence, Maltby band and banner led
the contingent and did the area proud.
The band played the cancan, and the banner carriers and the banner danced
it up and down the street outside The County.
The day was a brilliant day, we really must organise to bring Hatfield Banner next year.
DD.
Election Of National Chairman and National Secretary
Mr Ian Lavery, President of the Northumberland miners
has
been elected the Chairman of the NUM NEC.
Mr Steve Kemp, Secretary of the Yorkshire Area of NUM
was elected Secretary.
Both are lay positions.
Scargill and the NUM
ARTHUR SCARGILL'S LAST NUM CONFERENCE has just finished in Blackpool, and I confess to a certain ambivalence I am both angry and sad, I wish he had finished in the late 80's when the sun still shone out of his backside and he passed his time walking on water. He would have gone with an intact reputation and a union in which most its officials and the bulk of its members still held him as a friend and comrade. Instead to the end we were reviven by controversy and the bureaucratic manoeuvres. The scandalous wheeling out of the limited members votes to out vote the working miners. The brass neck argument that we had somehow extended 'rights' to our retired members to vote in the affairs of the Union. In truth the retired member doesn't know 'his' so called vote is being cast, doesn't know the question, hasn't been given the chance to express an opinion instead some bloke in an office will cast his, and tens of thousands of others in any direction he feels suites the purposes of his office, like some rich gambler moving stacks of chips at a roulette game. The retired member hasn't got a vote at all, the bureaucrat has them all despite the wishes of the member. The Derbyshire Area with no mines outvoted, the working coalfields and areas of Scotland, Wales, North East and COSA (the white collar section) put together. The impact of his last revision of the rule book was still abounding round the conference and fundamental questions of democracy and rank and file control of the union were as unresolved as ever. For some the fight was abandoned long ago, having had the stuffing kicked out them, 'what's the point' has taken over from any idea of ever winning back the Union to democratic control of any kind, never mind control by the rank and file .Nigel Pearse, a former member of 'Militant' who oozed enthusiasm and vision sat at this conference like a punctured balloon, his enthusiasm gone, hopelessness has taken its place. That anyone could deflate Nigel shows the impact of the constant bureaucratic attacks and impositions. Yet I confessed to a certain feeling of profound regret that this was Arthur's last conference, despite the fact that he remains on as 'honoury' president, and President of the saga holiday club for bureaucrats the International Energy & Miners Organisation, or the fact that his surrogates are now in place and ready to rule on his vicarious direction .I am still sad at the passing on this epoch, he has been after all part of my life in one form or another for these last 35 years or so, as a comrade and fellow miner, as a fellow fighter against the system, a fellow picket and revolutionary, also in latter years as a demagogic opponent and entrenched bureaucrat, determined it seemed to knock himself off the esteemed perch on which I and many others has placed him. Still I too stood in standing ovation as he closed his final conference, it would have been too mean and too inaccurate an impression not to have done so, his life and contribution cannot be characterised or diminished by these last ten years of egocententric Stalinist degeneration.
As we sat down for the NUM biannual conference in Blackpool the Union
continues
to be steadily strangled by Scargill who refuses to let go his grip .
This despite the fact that a further 50% of the remaining coalfield could
be closed by Xmas, with UK Coal's stampede to close the Selby coalfield,
the winding up of Prince Of Wales Colliery, and the death of the last
deep mine in Scotland Longannet. Despite courageous resolutions calling
for action on parity of wages, and a host of other terms and conditions,
nothing is seriously being offered that will halt the ever downward spiral
as the last of the coalfields bleed to death. The recent energy debate
in the Commons foretells of a nuclear future something we had long predicted.
Since the imposition of the Scargill rule changes, manipulation and refracted
interpretation of what is already a hand build custom made 'leaders' rule
book is continuing, appeals to the NEC are pending from the last elected
Yorkshire Area Agent Jeff Stubbs, 'not a follower'. Despite his election
by ballot vote of the membership finds himself ruled in, ruled out, isolated
and even banned from speaking unless the Chair (Mr Scargill) invites him
to.
Meantime the Certification Officer is due to rule on a host of issues
arising from Arthur's total redraft of the rule book.
Just prior to Conference at the end of May the Guardian ran a most bizarre features article. In banner headlines Roy Greenslade proclaimed "Sorry Arthur". Accompanied by photos of Arthur and Rodger Windsor the NUM Executive Officer and Mirror informant, shots from the strike and other key players the article promised to be a revelation. Now, I have successfully proposed that every miner in Britain be sent a copy of this article by the Union. After all the allegations themselves were screamed from TV screens and tabloids for days and weeks , if someone is now saying they got it all wrong, the miners and the folk of the pit communities need to be informed.
Arthur will no more directly preside over NUM conferences or what is
now biannual conferences. His talents will be directed to the IEMO a body
in which he will have no problems of democratic demands, factions, rule
books or any other restraints, having been built in his image and likeness
all such flippancy's and irrelevancies have been dispensed with. Arthur's
last conference was graced by Simone CGT leader of the French miners and
co.- founder of the IEMO, its was likewise regaled by Area leaders from
Northumberland and Yorkshire who had been on IEMO conferences dealing
with the Middle East and Cuba. The French miners support for the 84/85
strike is never in question, neither is our solidarity with the Palestinian
cause or struggle for independence and justice by the Cuban people, these
are not however, as implied dependant upon the existence of the IEMO or
our affiliation and funding of it. This is not and never has been a workers
organisation, it is a bureaucrats club., the membership of affiliated
bodies have not the slightest control over its actions, its statements,
its finance or its political direction. That people enjoy trips around
the world and have a canny crack over otherwise important issues is not
the point. One thing this conference like the special one before it had
in super abundance was such red herrings.
The conference wound up a day early so delegates could watch the final
game in the world cup, for us however the ball had long ago been dispensed
with in order to get on with the game.
VIBRATION WHITE FINGER
NO END IN SIGHT FOR 'SERVICE' CLAIMS
READERS MIGHT KNOW THAT THERE ARE VARIOUS COMPONENTS WHICH GO INTO THE FINAL SETTLEMENT FIGURES FOR VWF. PAIN AND SUFFERING, IS THE BASIC PAYMENT, THIS IS GRADED IN A SCALE 1 TO 4. THEN SERVICES AND CARE, THE THINGS YOU CANT DO AWAY FROM WORK THAT YOU USE TO ENJOY, HOBBIES, HOUSEHOLD TASKS, NORMAL LIFE FUNCTIONS. FINALLY HANDICAP ON THE LABOUR MARKET, OR LOSS OF EARNINGS, DUE TO YOUR CONDITION YOU CANNOT FOLLOW YOUR USUAL OCCUPATION OR ONE OF SIMILAR EARNINGS, AND YOU ARE NOW AT A DISADVANTAGE ON THE JOB MARKET BECAUSE OF YOUR VWF. I THINK ITS TRUE TO SAY NOBODY, CERTAINLY NOBODY WE HAVE HEARD OF HAS BEEN PAID OUT ON ALL SCORES. QUITE A LOT OF FOLK WHO HAVE JUST SETTLED UP FOR THE WHAM, BAM THANK YOU MAM, PAIN AND SUFFERING PAYMENT HAVE GONE THROUGH AND QUITE A LOT OF SOLICITORS ON THE HIGH STREET HAVE BEEN HAPPY TO LET THEM DO IT, SINCE THEY GET PAID QUICKER. THE OTHER SIDE HAVE NOT YET AGREED A SCHEME TO PAY THE SERVICES COMPONENT AND IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THEY WILL FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL ANY ATTEMPT TO CLAIM LOSS OF EARNINGS.
THE FIRST GROUND RULES FOR A SERVICES CLAIM IS THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A STAGE 2V/2N SCORE, THEY WILL NOT ENTERTAIN ANYONE WITH LESS THAN THAT FOR THIS COMPONENT. YOU HAVE TO PROVE YOU ACTUALLY DID DO THE TASKS YOU SAY YOU CANT DO NOW, BEFORE DEVELOPING THE VWF. ITS NO GOOD CLAIMING YOU CAN NO LONGER PLAY CLASSICAL PIANO NOW BECAUSE OF VWF WHEN YOU NEVER SEEN ONE BEFORE YOU GOT IT.
ANOTHER COMPLICATION WILL BE IF YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS WRONG WITH YOU,
THE OTHER SIDE WILL TRY AND CLAIM IT IS THE OTHER THINGS AND NOT THE VWF
WHICH PREVENT YOU DOING THOSE REGULAR THINGS, OR GIVE YOU THE HANDICAP
ON THE LABOUR MARKET. THIS MAY NECESSITATE ANOTHER ROUND OF MEDICALS.
THE DTI HAVE ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL REJECT ALL SERVICES CLAIMS FROM MEN WORKING IN ANY JOB REQUIRING MANUAL DEXTERITY, MINERS, MECHANICS, PAINTERS, WINDOW CLEANERS, GARDENERS ETC. THEY ARGUE IF YOU CAN DO THESE THINGS YOU CAN DO ALL THE NORMAL HOUSEHOLD CHORES AND HOBBIES YOU COULD BEFORE. THE NUM's SOLICITORS ARE FIGHTING THIS ASSUMPTION.
HOW LONG NOW ? THEY HAVE NOT EVEN STARTED RECRUITING THE MEDICAL STAFF NECESSARY TO DO THE ASSESSMENTS, THEY HAVE NOT SET UP CENTRES TO DO THEM IN, AND THERE ARE AS YOU KNOW A MASSIVE BACKLOG OF CLAIMS WAITING TO BE REVIEWED, THERE ARE MORE JOINING THE QUEUE EACH DAY. WE JUDGE IT WILL BE 6 MONTH OR A YEAR BEFORE THEY START THE MEDICALS, SO..YEARS UPON YEARS UPON..
VWF TOTAL CLAIMS TO DATE 141650
LIVE CLAIMANTS 135930
DECEASED 5557
CLAIMS SETTLED 40250
INTERIM PAYMENTS MADE 54604
TOTAL COMPENSATION PAID £530.5 MILLION
(INCIDENTALLY CLAIMS FOR CHEST DISEASES 186874
SETTLED 26337
TOTAL COMPENSATION FOR CHEST £321 MILLION)
THE ENERGY DEBATE
HOUSE OF COMMONS
20 JUNE.
EVERYBODY CONNECTED TO THE COAL INDUSTRY HAS LOOKED WITH ANXIETY AND
SOME WITH HOPE TO THIS DEBATE. THE FIRST ITEM WHICH MR WILSON THE ENERGY
MINISTER REFERRED IN TALKING OF 'SECURITY OF SUPPLY' WAS GAS. BY THE YEAR
2005 BRITAIN WILL BE A NET IMPORTER OF GAS, MUCH OF IT SET TO COME FROM
RUSSIA NORWAY, ALGERIA AND IRAN, NO BOTHER. THESE SUPPLIES ARE 'SECURE'
. GAS WILL SUPPLY 70% OF BRITAIN'S ENERGY BY 2020, 90% OF WHICH WILL BE
IMPORTED. "A CRISIS IN SUPPLY WAS NOT LIKELY" ( Mr Wilson )
In terms of oil, oh bliss, "the good news that it has been confirmed
today that the Buzzard field in the North Sea will produce 1 billion barrels
of oil, making it the biggest discovery there in 25 years." Mr Wilson
was happy to confirm that "remaining reserves in the north sea will
be developed". "....priority...is to get fields such as Buzzard
into production when there are identified reserves that have not been
developed by the current licence holders".
Now there's a thing, will Mr Wilson and his government apply exactly this
yard stick to remaining coal reserves, especially those in Scotland, Selby
, Prince of Wales and Thorne ? These reserves likewise " have not
been developed by current licence holders" will he in our case "make
sure that the potential is maximised" as he said in the case of oil
reserves ?
The debate started with Mr Wilson outlining the new conditions imposed
by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, and the aim to reduce
carbon emissions by 60% by 2050. He then happily moves on to outline a
secure future for exploitation of remaining oil reserves. Oil burning
through private motor vehicles is the biggest contributor to carbon emissions
in the world and particularly in the west.
Following a frustrated intervention by Dennis Skinner, Mr Wilson reported
on a Council Of Energy in Luxembourg which has finalised a package of
support for the coal industry, and the flexibility should the government
choose to use it to invest in the deep mined coal industry. He did not
say that the government would do that, only that there was an option if
they wanted it.
He made it clear that the nuclear option would be kept open, it provided
about one quarter of all Britain's energy and was nice and clean in terms
of low carbon, it was also 'virtually indigenous'. The nasty question
of nuclear waste was given a swift body swerve as "complicated".
It was clear from the debate that many MP's favour an expansion of nuclear
energy, particularly the Tory's who given their own way would give nuclear
the lions share of power generation. True too that New Labour could well
be looking to new nuclear capacity in the near future. Amazingly Tam Dalyell,
considered a leftist radical by some, "unashamedly and unambiguously
...would like to see three new nuclear power stations authorised probably
at Sizewell, Hunterston and Hinkley." Correctly he concluded "
The House of Commons has shown this afternoon that it is more pro-nuclear
power than I ever remember before." And that was certainly my impression
from the debate. Brian Wilson the Energy Minister made the point in summing
up the debate "..anyone who suggests we should not replace nuclear
with nuclear must say how our environmental obligations are to be met
if nuclear is not replaced with nuclear. ...There is certainly not the
blanket hostility to nuclear that some vested interests would like to
pretend exists both politically and in the country as a whole." That
to me is an undoubted clear commitment to at least replace existing nuclear
capacity if not expand it. The message is so clear even a blind man could
read it (if he didnt in fact write it) for those still in any doubt Daily
Mirror 4th July "Nuke UK" it went on to expose "Secret
scheme for building of A-plants". It described as "a major programme"
the secret government plans for the relaunch of nuclear power both here
and in the USA. Now there's another funny thing, Britain doing the same
thing as the USA. The paper warned that "the scheme could be pushed
through with speedier safety checks and a softening-up of public opinion,
leaked documents reveal.". Meantime The New Scientist the DTI is
working flat out to ensure a government white paper on 'energy policy'
carries a clear commitment to nuclear power expansion in a big way. The
problem was identified as "safety checks" which puts off investors
because it takes so long to overcome the objections. "Now the DTI
hopes to simplify licensing requirements and collaborate with the US on
"generic approvals" fast tracking designs already given the
go-ahead across the Atlantic" the Mirror reveals. The DTI intends
to threaten the public that if nuclear power isn't expanded they will
face black-outs. That is some spin on the fact that the government has
allowed pit after pit to close and the whole of coal production to be
threatened to the point where they cannot meet energy demand. The answer
isn't the expansion of nuclear of course but the patently bliddy obvious
conclusion to defend and expand the coal industry along lines of clean
coal technology, of the type proposed for Hatfield Main.
On coal itself the Energy Debate heard that it has "..a continuing
medium term role to play" (my emphasis) in the longer term its survival
will depend upon ways of handling the co2 it produces. Clean coal technology
is of course the policy of the NUM and we have always sought to advance
its cause. However with the control of coal production and burn in the
hands of individual company's with continuing decline in coal production
such a leap into modern coal technologies as an alternative to closure
, nuclear and imports of gas seems wishful thinking.
The most important contribution in defence of coal was made by Kevin Hughes
MP Doncaster North, he outlined very clearly what was needed to defend
the coal industry and meet our commitments on the environment. Having
done that, it would be nice if he had been given any assurances that his
vision would come to pass, this didn't happen however. He was supported
by Adam Price ( East Carmarthen and Dinefwr ) although inexplicably he
announced that we had coal reserves of 50 years although he did say "at
least". 300 years would have been nearer the mark, but then no study
has been made in recent years since governments, this was included have
never intended that coal be given the status of oil as expressed earlier
in the debate.
Mick Clapham (Barnsley West and Penistone) also supported coal in the
debate, calling for investment in clean coal power generation. Paddy Tipping
(Sherwood) made the point that sympathetic noises to coal, acknowledgement
of coal's potential were all well and good, but immediate action was needed
if what was left of Britain's coal industry was to survive to develop
the clean coal technology. It is perhaps telling that the debate ended
without Mr Wilson giving any assurances at all on plans for development
of coal seams, a cessation in pit closures, or long term planning for
working new reserves . He likewise made no comment whatever on development
of clean coal technology in the here and now while the British coal industry
actually needs it.
A debate which poses more problems for miners than it solved I believe.
Dave Douglass.
Fantastic Victory for NACODS Throughout the Coalfields
Although it has gone totally unreported elsewhere we are pleased to announce
an absolute victory for the 'deputies union' NACODS following strike action
by their Union
at every UK Coal mine in Yorkshire and Midlands. The action was aimed
at ending the disparity of wages between former 'lease and licence'mines
bought by the owners prior to the big sell off and the so called 'core
collieries'. Pits like Ellington and Rossington were earning less wages
than the others for the same job. Following the industrial action and
posting of pickets the company has caved in and conceded parity. The key
to the success was men at the pits already on the top money, were prepared
to take action along side those who were not. Something the NUM itself
has so far been unable to do, despite the fact that NUM members at those
mines also earn far less wages than their mates at 'the core collieries'.
This is a double injustice, the injustice of the owners stand, and the
injustice of lack of solidarity within the Union. This is something we
need to work on and fast.
Selby Coalfield Set For Total Closure Within Near Future
It seems quite incredible but UK Coal is driving forward in its relentless
drive to totally close the massive Selby Coalfield. Selby accounts for
50% of the last mining in Britain. It sits on millions of tonnes of untapped
coal seams. The Government is sitting on the fence at present and waiting
for some reaction. Sadly the local MP is campaigning not for development
grants to develop the seams, let alone nationalisation under workers /
consumers control, he is campaigning for redundancy money.
It is essential the Government is forced to repossess this mining complex
which UK Coal only hold on licence. Readers should write at once to the
Energy Minister and the Home Secretary at House of Commons, Westminster
and make your views known.
Miners Delegation Welcomes Release Of Mark Barnsley
After 8 years banged up in a patent miscarriage of justice Mark Barnsley finally got to walk free from the confines of the last of 23 prisons he has been locked up behind, in many in solitary confinement. A party of his campaigners were there to greet him, including miners. The NUM has supported his campaign and identified with his cause because apart from the justice of the case, it was similar in kind to so many of our members locked up on contrived and fabricated evidence during our great strike in 84 / 85. The National Banner of the NUM swelled like a great sail in the breeze and made it clear to everyone coming and going from the prison just where we stood. Among the delegation was one of our sacked lads who had been beaten to the point where his heart stopped and he was on life support, but was then jailed and then sacked for the crime of standing in the pit lane when the riot police decided to riot. Mark had a good crack with all the supporters who turned out. He informed the miners web site that his struggle for justice goes on and a judicial review is pending. Mark was looking forward to his first pint in eight years last night ( Monday) "In a Tetley's Pub, in Rotherham" was his request. We hope he enjoyed it, and a few more, and wish him well. Thanks to the Yorkshire Area Council of NUM and the support of the President Arthur Scargill for supporting the reception and funding the delegation down to Whitemoor nick in March, Cambs.
Miners Democratic candidate elected.
We are pleased to report that Jeff Stubbs, who ran on a rank and file
democratic anti bureaucratic ticket has been elected as one of the two
new Area Agents for Yorkshire. We had hoped to field two such candidates
for both positions to try and take control of the area back into the hands
of the rank and file, but the other candidate ironically was defeated
by a mass vote of the men at his pit who chose Steve Kemp instead. That's
the democracy we campaigned for and we don't complain. Steve went on to
top the poll in the area vote (or so it has been said) and he effectively
becomes 'area secretary' in role if not in name. The result leaves the
conflict in the area and the Union ongoing and unresolved.
The question of who runs this Union and how should the members exercise
control over its officials is still at issue and this election itself
may not have went off as it should have done. The voting system is that
of transferable votes, you vote for the candidates in order of choice,
so if there are six candidates, you number your votes 1 through to 6.
If your candidate gets knocked out, your second preference moves up and
is counted as a first. Then the one with the least votes drops out again,
and again the third preferences are added on , and the whole count done
again. We are told, and we have yet to confirm this, that this didn't
happen. On the first round Jeff Stubbs was top scorer, and the bottom
candidate fell off, when his second preferences were counted it put Steve
Kemp ahead. We have heard, and we cannot yet confirm or deny this, at
this point it all becomes dodgy ! Steve Kemp was declared to have achieved
top score and effectively become Area President with the recommendation
of him becoming the National EC Secretary. But what of all the other second
and third preference votes which have not been added on ? We do not know
the result of the full count, we do not know even if all the votes were
counted for the second and third etc. preferences, which means we don't
actually know who achieved the most votes and won the election. We don't
even know how many those who lost achieved. Surely the defeated candidates
will want to know how many votes they got ? If they don't ,we do !! Now
this is all sheer speculation but knowing the way votes have gone in the
recent past it is cause for concern and needs closely watching. More on
this as we find out.
So now the circular comes round asking for Branch nominations for National
Chairman and National Secretary, with the recommendation that we should
put forward Steve Kemp as National Secretary. Hatfield along with many
others is proposing Ian Lavery president of the Northumberland Area as
National Chairman, and had decided to put forward Dave Douglass as National
Secretary. If Dave manages to get onto the ballot paper it will certainly
upset some apple carts, he needs the backing of a couple of big branches
and they are all going to be heavily lobbied by favourites in the field.
Still it's worth a shot.
One Shaft Of Sunlight
Ellington Colliery Given Development Approval
Whilst horrified at the senseless destruction of Prince of Wales colliery and the plan by UK Coal to pull the plug on Thorne Colliery by letting it flood, still shocked rigid by the inundation which has spelt the death of Longannet in Scotland, there is at least one ray of sunlight. UK Coal have announced plans to allow the opening up of a new area of coal at Ellington, Northumbria's last but one coal mine (the other is on phased run down to closure from exhaustion- Blenkinsop ) .The new area will ensure survival until 2007, and give the breathing space necessary to argue for longer term development.
Meantime, the Scottish TUC has backed an emergency resolution from Scottish NUM calling for the defence of coal mining in Scotland. We do not know the full details of the closure rational for Longannet but they always have us over a barrel when they argue it is for safety reasons. Men at the pit insist that the flooding, which should never have occurred in the first place is anyway, miles away from current workings. That as we know is not a measure of safety as water travels faster than any man can run. The question is whether it can be securely contained. If not what can we do to ensure new winnings are developed to ensure the continuation of deep mining in Scotland.
UK Coal seem dead set on destroying Thorne Colliery and cutting the throat of the vast coal bonanza in the East Yorkshire, Snaith and Pollington reserves. Men on site tell us despite Coal Authority disapproval and action by Kevin Hughes the MP for the area, contractors are currently testing out waste to fill in the shafts. The company have insisted closing the pit, letting it flood, and taking off the ropes will not affect the ability to reopen it in the future, so now it seems they will fill it in just be sure it never reopens. Corporate spite doesn't seem too harsh a phrase to use in this connection. Real Estate and selling off colliery land for housing development and waste disposal seems to be their get rich quick alternative to the mining which they were supposed to be undertaking and for which they were allowed a licence to operate in the first place.
Aud Scottish Collier Battles On
Alex Simpson whose case we have covered earlier was a man robbed of justice and compensation down the pit during a roof fall in 1960. He was a face man at the Michael Colliery in Scotland. His case fell apart in court and he ended up with nowt despite a fractured skull which left him in a coma for four days and serious neck and shoulder injuries. He was off work 18 months following the accident and was forced out of the industry in 1962. One of his former 'mates' lied in court at the direction of the colliery management to say all the roof supports were as they should be and it was just a plain accident. That was not how Alex had recalled it, he had been complaining for weeks about the lack of timmer, and damaged straps. Only recently did the DTI who has now inherited all the documentation, release to him the s123 report which confirmed only one prop had been set under the strap, as against two which the support rules demanded. A second prop would have saved him from the fall. That evidence was never given by the solicitors handling his claim. Alex who has now spent £100,000 of his own money, which he earned by making boats, and by sale of his own house. He has had the support of nobody and fought the struggle through on his own. His next step in Brussels. It is understood Mr Simpson's next problem is the fact that the solicitors were employed by the Scotland Area NUM, and it is they who must take action against them, although given the passage of time that may be difficult, unless some canny aud judge recognises that the fresh evidence has only just been produced.
We wish Alex every success in his long and bitter battle for justice,
and remain in touch offering advice.
Deadline for Miners VWF claims 31 Oct. 2002.
After this time the shutters come down on Common Law claims against your current employers anyway, claims to the DSS can still be made after this time.
Potential claimants, not just miners but any industrial workers, are urged to consult the Miners Advice Centre, Emerson Ave. , Stainforth, Doncaster.
The advice is free and without obligation and given by an expert in the field.
Phone 01302 841 365 for details of office hours etc.
Longannet Closure Shock
Following on from the UK Coal decision to close Prince Of Wales just as it accessed millions of tonnes of new reserves we now have the amazing announcement that the last coal mining complex in Scotland (because it is more than one pit) is to close. Millions upon millions of tonnes of water have broke away from underground dams and flooded the workings. If it had happened 24 hours earlier we are told "a colossal loss of life would have occurred". Just how the dams were weakened to this extent seems beyond belief, it is the type of tale which springs from the dark days of rapacious owners when they worked out pillars and dams for greed. This surely cannot be the case here. We are at present at a loss to understand how a pit with decades of life and sound markets could be run onto the rocks like this. An open and public enquiry ought to commenced at once and their must be a commitment from the Government to support new mines in Scotland and not to let the Scottish coal industry collapse. Of course Scotland has hardly touched its coal reserves and millions upon millions of tonnes in virgin seams and areas lie untapped. All that is required is the political will to mine them.
Coalpower's plans for Hatfield Colliery
Coalpower have made their plans for Hatfield Colliery
available to the public.
Richard Budge, owner of Coalpower, is proposing to build an onsite IGCC power generating plant and develop the area further with the creation of a "Power Park"
This is a bold proposal, which could create over 1,500 jobs in the Stainforth area, and give Hatfield Colliery a secure long term future.
For more details see the Stainforth 2001 site's Power to the people report on Coalpower's proposals
Scandalous decision on Thorne Colliery
UK Coal which mismanage's the bulk of what is left of Britain's coal
industry
and had just announced the premature closure of Prince Of Wales Colliery
with millions of tonnes of accessible coal reserves and livelihoods being
written off, has now announced the death of Thorne Colliery. Thorne is
the gateway to millions upon millions of tonnes of reserves between Doncaster
and the coast. There are more coal reserves in the east Yorkshire / Humberside
area than a dozen Selby coalfields, Thorne stands at the entry to these
seams. UK coal like some crazy miser had bought the pit, stopped anyone
else developing it, and now plans to seal the shaft and stop anyone else
getting at it. It seems like an act of corporate spite. Thorne and Moorends
long deprived mining areas have always looked to the sleeping giant as
a vision of hope, that one day the pit could reopen and futures could
be secured in what could be the last major mining project in Britain.
Instead we are now told the Company will use the site to develop a waste
disposal plant, rubbing salt into the wound hardly describes it !
Hatfield Colliery which was bought out by Richard Budge had looked to
Thorne as a possible joint take, for long life coal working. Shutting
the pit effectively cuts Hatfield's throat as well at least in the long
term.
We must not allow this to happen. Everyone should write to Brian Wilson
the energy minister and demand that this act of vandalism be not allowed
to happen. That UK Coal shit of get off the pan as the American's say,
either develop the pit or put it up for sale. Better still the government
ought to take the colliery into state ownership for safe keeping as the
new style coal owners like their ancient predecessors cannot be trusted
with such a vital resource. Write to Brian Wilson at Houses of Parliament,
Westminster Palace, Westminster London. Letters of protest should also
be sent to Stuart Oliver, UK Coal, Harworth Colliery, Notts.
Within hours of the news Hatfield Main Branch of the NUM had put in an
emergency resolution to the NUM Yorkshire Area Council, which was subsequently
agreed to campaign to save the pit by all means possible. Brian Wilson
has been written to and the local MP's .Keven Hughes the MP whose constituency
Thorne is in, was said to be outraged and is holding urgent talks with
the coal authority.
Meantime we urge all workers for AMCO or any other contract firm to contact
us at once if they are given the go ahead to withdraw the ropes or stop
the pumps or damage the fabric of the mine in any way. We would also call
on them to a man to refuse to engage in such work and strike the site
to stop anyone else doing it.
FASCIST CANDIDATE FOR STAINFORTH
WE ARE DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN THAT A CANDIDATE FROM
THE FASCIST BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY IS TO STAND IN THE MINING SEAT OF STAINFORTH.
JUST WHAT A FASCIST WOULD DO ON THE COUNCIL IS NOT WORTH THINKING ABOUT
BUT CERTAINLY THEY HAVE NO ANSWERS TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE AREA. IMMIGRATION
AND ASYLUM SEEKERS ARE HARDLY THE CAUSE OF STAIN FORTH'S ILLS ARE THEY
?
It wasn't blacks or Jews that run down the coal fields and brought in
widespread unemployment, it wasn't the asylum seekers that allowed housing
stock and small businesses to degenerate or to spread hard drug addiction
and antisocial crime. As usual the fascists will attempt to find racial
targets to blame and perhaps a few narrow minded and short sighted individuals
might even vote for them. We advise you give the latter day Nazi's very
short shift.
The NUM assisted in a mass door to door leaflet distribution on Sunday,
every house was visted (as well as at least one club) we were very well
recieved "There is no room no nazi's in Stainforth" was a comment
we heard more than once, as well references to arms and legs being bent.
We couldn't possibly comment.
Struggle For Canteen workers and colliery office cleaners, equal value claims continues.
A very successful lobby of parliament was recently undertaken with the
help of NUM organisation. Arthur Scargill accompanied the lobby and addressed
the meeting in one of the parliamentary meeting halls. The meeting was
characterised by clashes between Arthur and Kevin Barron the MP for Rother
Valley who is a leading Blareite apologist. He has continually blamed
the NUM for the lack of progress on the women's claims, which the Union
has been pursuing since the late 1960's. He had even suggested the NUM
ought to compensate the women. Of course the injustice wasn't the doing
of the NUM who has tried throughout to resolve the problem, but rather
that of the NCB whose debts and liabilities are now the property of the
DTI. Mr Barren while distancing himself from the NUM did make a speech
in the House of Commons on behalf of the women. The Government made a
deal with the NUM for payments to 1300 women whose cases had been heard
and were on file, however another 2,600 were left out in the cold . Why
we really cant say, a few were not in the NUM and therefore their cases
were never advanced so we have no problem understanding why they were
not included. However the bulk of women were full Union members, and most
were told when the test cases succeed all the women will likewise benefit.
It never happened. Someone took their eye off the ball. What is certain
is that this government is incredibly reluctant to do anything which would
give credit to the NUM and Arthur Scargill, even if it means depriving
these totally innocent women of their rights. Readers should continue
to press their MPs at every chance they get for justice on this issue
and the other injustices still rife in the coalfields.
While Kevin Barron is of course protected by Parliamentary Privilege from
the usual rules of liable and just telling the whole truth basically his
hysterical ranting can be picked up by the press, ever ready to do the
dirt on the NUM. This has been tragically true of the Yorkshire Post and
it must be said 'as usual'. Under the headline "MP Hits Out At NUM
£9m for nothing" the union is accused of profiteering from
the mining diseases. Barron of course stays mum on the question of the
UDM the scab yellow dog outfit set up by Thatcher to break the strike
of 84 and the Union. Mr Blaires government gave them a 'handling agreement'
which allowed them both to function as solicitors themselves and farm
work out to private solicitors. The UDM which before this agreement was
on its last legs and confined to one and a half coalfield areas suddenly
launched mass nation-wide press and Radio adverts and has drawn in claimants
from NUM areas all over the country. Meantime the NUM which represents
90% of all miners working and retired was denied such a scheme. We need
not actually wonder why. So what's Barron's beef ? We charge limited membership
subs for ex-members ! Nothing for full time members, no back subs or weekly
fees for widows or retired members, only the ones who threw out. One might
wonder what is wrong with that, especially since the NUM through its solicitors
represents its claimants at DSS appeals and Tribunals something non of
the private solicitors do. Who would pay for this service if the former
member wasn't asked to contribute ? Perhaps Mr Barron thinks the men who
pay their subs each week to run the Union ought to pay for non members
to have the services of the Union for free ? In which case why would anyone
pay ? Its nonsense of course, but like most of these sh.. throwing exercises
given enough publicity some of it will inevitably stick and men will be
driven into the arms of the private solicitors schemes.
Meantime a K Robson, the wife of the former Hatfield Main NUM President
has written a wonderful response to the charge. The Letter concludes
" As for Mr Barron's suggestion that the NUM should pay the canteen
ladies pay claim, what nonsense he talks, their justified claim for parity
of wages is with their past employers, and I would point out to him that
these ladies claims have been vigorously pursued for many years and quite
rightly by the very union he seeks to criticise.
Perhaps Mr Barron would be better advised to assist the miners in the
pursuit of moneys taken out of the Mineworkers Pension Scheme by the state
so that it can be given back to the miners in better pensions."
Touché I think.
POSTAL BALLOT FOR NEW MINERS AGENTS IN YORKSHIRE.
Votes are already being cast in the county wide miners union election for two new area agents. These two positions arise out of the huge rule changes which Arthur Scargill authored and pushed through the last national special delegate conference. Reports on that elsewhere. Obviously the vote is highly strategic and political although many members will not be aware of it. Jeff Stubbs heads up, indeed is the only democratic candidate in that he is the only person standing who stood and spoke against the Scargill bureaucratic programme. All the other candidates voted in favour and spoke in favour. One would have thought Jeff would have secured the nominations of all the branches which opposed the plan, but branches can be funny things, and he ended up only with three, Kellingly, Maltby and Hatfield. The attempt to field another democratic candidate in the shape of Nigel Pearse, left wing vice president of the area and delegate at Stillingfleet was run aground by a handful of votes after a mass meeting, the branch choosing not to support Nigel but supporting the Secretary Steve Kemp who had unsuccessfully tried to swing the branch behind the Scargill proposals. Eeh whey, swings and roundaboots.
Of course the election and its result will be neither all one thing or another, Hatfield is also supporting Chris Skidmore the candidate from Rossington and traditional ally of Hatfield being the last two pits in what was once the red raggin Donie coalfield. Rosso and Hatfield were temporarily at odds when Rosso surprisingly backed the Scargill proposals. Surprising because they had been at war with the area leadership for about two years before that and are keen defenders of the rank and file and democracy within the rule book. Hatfield has wrote to all its members urging a 1 and 2 vote for Jeff and Chris.
Meantime a very bitter unofficial leaflet has been circulating the coalfield in the name of The Democratic Miners (an unfortunate title, given the Democratic Union Of Mineworkers is a scab undemocratic bosses yellow dog union, and folk could very wrongly associate the two campaigns. Those who hide behind the democratic label are sometimes not at all democratic and this is true of left and right wing variants of non-democrat fake democrats. In this case the democrats are for miners control of the miners union, and rank and file sovereignty over the rule book and conference, this is progressive democracy not reactionary democracy.) The leaflet condemns all the candidates except Jeff Stubbs for basically trying to ride rough shod over the members and the disgusting spectacle of seeing retired, deceased and non miners votes outvote the wishes of the working miners, without any consultation with those individuals or their families. A classical Stalinist manoeuvre and one which we think will yet boomerang and bounce us all on the head.
This is one election in which we have no hesitation in calling on everyone
to vote.