COMMEMORATING THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE YEAR LONG 1984/85 STRIKE

Early day motion 779, tabled 4 March 2004 by Michael Clapham (Labour). Signed by 140 members.

That this House commemorates the 20th anniversary of the year long 1984-85 miners' strike that began on 8th March 1984 when the NUM Executive Committee authorised area strikes; notes that it was in response to British Coal's decision to cut production and make 20,000 miners redundant after rejecting the union's proposed Technology Agreement to manage technological change in the industry; is aware that tens of thousands of decent men and women struggled for a year in an endeavour to save their jobs and communities before eventually returning to work without an agreement; and observes that over the next decade the Tory Government butchered the coal industry, cutting 150,000 mining jobs and causing inestimable economic and social dislocation to mining communities.

Signatures by party: Labour 122, Labour/Co-operative 8, Liberal Democrat 5, Plaid Cymru 4, Scottish National Party 1.