[Cops push cars off the motorway and arrest…]
Socialist Organiser1984 1984-04-04Read it in the scan (PDF), scan page 14 →
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Cops push cars off the motorway and arrest the drivers, near Derby, after a miners' 'go-slow' protest. Other incidents have included building workers being arrested on their way to work in a car, arrested miners being asked questions by police about their political views and NUM officials being arrested in their own homes for paying out union money to pickets. ROB Anderson is a miner from Hem Heath colliery near Stoke on Trent. He spoke to Jim Denham.
"After the area ballot went against striking, some of us at Hem Heath were really ashamed about not being out on strike.
The first day, about 50 of us got together spontaneously in the canteen and decided not to work. The next day it was about 100, The other factor in this has been the massive police presence. Blokes felt intimidated and angry.
Management have now threatened to close the pit for good. They persuaded four clowns to stage an anti-strike underground sit-in, but that flopped. Even the parents of one of them swore never to speak to him again.
At the moment we're playing By Rob Dawber NO DOURT the sunnortino ar- NO DOUBT the supporting "action from the transport unions has helped shame the Nottinghamshire area miners' leadership into changing from their scabbing position.
But the Notts Miners' Forum also played a role. This is a group of representatives of the 5000plus Nottinghamshire miners who voted for strike action.
Denied the right to picket their own pits by the police, they have published leatlets for distribution round Nottinghamshire pits, demolishing the media and Coal Board arguments. KGbR