The NUM and British Politics by Andrew Taylor

Author:Andrew Taylor [Taylor, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, General
ISBN: 9781351963701
Google: CQpBDgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2017-03-02T16:21:04+00:00

The Fragmentation of the NUM

On 6 March 1984 CINC heard a presentation from Ned Cowan about the industry’s future. Customers were losing confidence in coal because of militancy and uncertainty, overproduction was undermining the Board’s finances but the creation of a 100m tonne industry breaking-even and then moving into profit was tantalisingly close. South Wales, Scotland, the North East, and Kent were substantial loss makers, 80m tonnes came from nine Areas making an operating profit and these were the ‘core of a stableand profitable industry.’ Restructuring the industry could be achieved without ‘undue hardship’ and ‘Area Directors would be discussing with the Unions locally, the action necessary to achieve their objectives within the board’s overall plan.’ This scenario Scargill responded, represented the closure of 20 pits and the loss of 21,000 jobs and he pressed for further detail, but MacGregor and Cowan insisted these were a matter for local management not the national Board. Scargill refused to accept ‘that the Board did not already know which pits would close.’ The CINC meeting was followed by a repeat of the presentation to the full NEC whose reaction was unequivocal; ‘the Board’s view of a better future for a streamlined industry was reminiscent of the “jam tomorrow” philosophy of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s when 150,000 miners were displaced from the industry.’ The NEC would resist restructuring.24

George Hayes, the South Yorkshire Area Director, identified Cortonwood and Brookhouse collieries for closure but believed if he acted quickly Hobart House would be satisfied with one. Any closure in South Yorkshire would be dangerous because Manvers Main was already on strike over meal times and Bullcliffe Wood was also threatened with closure. On 1 March Hayes met the Yorkshire Area President and General Secretary, Jack Taylor and Owen Briscoe, and Ken Sampey of NACODS at a regular quarterly review meeting. Hayes had to lose 500,000 tonnes of capacity, Cortonwood would account for 280,000 tonnes and so it would cease production on 6 April. This was deeply provocative as men had been recently transferred from nearby Elsecar to Cortonwood with promises of at least five years work. Cortonwood was a moderate pit producing coking coal for the declining steel industry but was situated in the heart of the volatile South Yorkshire coalfield. Hayes did not disguise the fact that this was purely an economic closure which he knew could well trigger the Yorkshire Area’s 1982 ballot on industrial action to resist closures. On 5 March 1984 the Yorkshire Area Council agreed to oppose Cortonwood’s closure and seek permission from the NEC on 8 March to strike from 9 March under the terms of the 1982 ballot. The NEC granted permission to both Yorkshire and Scotland to strike under Rule 41. It was recognised that striking Yorkshire miners would seek support in neighbouring coalfields. Attempts by the Yorkshire Area’s officials to restrict pickets to six failed and on 12 March pickets from the Doncaster pits moved into Nottinghamshire.

At the 8 March NEC an attempt had been

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