But was it a good thing for the country that the miners lost their last battle? The 1974 strike was an even more significant blow to the government - let's look at a brief outline of events. This law proved to be a highly effective aspect of the government's handling of the 1984/5 strike as it made life extremely difficult for the miners and their families, contributing to the eventual return to work. With this said, the government have recently announced their plan to [], Many people are surprised to discover how easy it can be to start a fire. He did so by bending the rules of the NUMs constitution to ensure that McGahey would be over-age to succeed him. A minority government is formed after unsuccessful coalitions - the party with the most seats controls the government but has difficulty passing legislation. Thatcher's government reduced the power of the Trade Unions and the pressure they could exert on the government, ending the strike in 1985. After 1945, Britain entered a period of economic hardship. Mrs Woodhead, who lives in the village of Blidworth, says some people still cross the road when they see her coming. He determined that at least twenty unprofitable pits must be closed immediately for economic reasons, which was met with great suspicion by the National . 00:00, 12 MAR 2009. The failure of the 1984-85 miners' strike helped revive the British economy, but had major implications for the future of labor unions and coal mining in Britain. The closure of the mines was considered a necessary evil to save a failing economy. Sign up to highlight and take notes. In 1977, Congress passed the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act in order to protect the mining industry's most precious resource - the miner. After all, bituminous coal is thought to be the most popular residential fuel [], As a fossil fuel, our supplies of coal are limited and this means that we will eventually run out. As mentioned, the film is set during the miners' strike of the 1980s, a period of time that continues to have a huge effect on mining communities across Northern England and Wales. As the strike in 1984 was ruled illegal, it deeply divided public opinion. 21 September 2015. The introduction of imported strikebreakers and manufacturers finding substitutes for the . The NUM hadnt run a national ballot of its members to approve the strike action. 5 The police force was integral in dealing with the 1984 Miners' Strike when conflicts arose. Unemployment rocketed to 50%. In fact, the strike is considered the longest industrial dispute regarding mining closures to this day and has paved the way for a more efficient mining industry. Thatcher appointed the ruthless Ian McGregor to the head of the National Coal Board in 1983. Although the 1984 Miners' Strike was ultimately a failure, Scargill's tactics had encouraged more militant action. It had all been for nothing. 1500 pounds of aluminum. A whole culture and identity had grown around coal mining, and with the loss of the mine, much of the cultural activities and infrastructure that had grown around it, from brass bands, to working mens clubs to NCB-sponsored sports and leisure facilities disappeared along with it. There were rumours that the new Coal Board chairman, Ian MacGregor, wanted to close an additional 70. People made up their minds in the first month of the strike and stuck to it.". Identify your study strength and weaknesses. Although there was clearly violence on both sides, miners leaders often complained that the press exaggerated strikers violence while ignoring the abuses of the police. The general strike of 1926 was mainly for the miners; they had low pay and worked long hours. The nationwide strike was a last attempt by the mining unions to save the industry after the National Coal Board announced 20 pits in England would have to close with the loss of 20,000 jobs. It saw at least 25 men, women, and children killed by National Guardsmen on the behest of the Colorado governor and a Rockefeller family company. Even the miners themselves werent all of one mind as many disagreed with the NUMs decision to strike. Striking miners lined the streets leading to pits in an attempt to stop their colleagues from going to work and, as tensions rose, a 24-year-old picket from Wakefield, David Jones, died hours after being hit by a brick in the Nottinghamshire town of Ollerton. Heath was only prepared to offer 7-8%. In Nottinghamshire, a ballot was held and miners voted to carry on working. The 1980 Social Security Act had reduced the benefits that striking miners' families received. This type of fuel is very popular for open fires, or places where there is a fuel ban on unseasoned wood and coal etc. But the public vote went against him resulting in victory for the Labour Party. //--> What Happened To West Coast Choppers, Secret Swimming Hole Blue Mountains, Do Guys Get Turned On By Their Nipples, Articles OTHER