Orpington ASLEF, South Kirby NUM and Fricley NUM

Produced by Ray Cooper of Orpington Branch ASLEF at the end of the Miners’ Strike in 1985. 200 issued.
36mm x 23mm oval with scroll, gilt, green and red.

Thanks to ASLEF for permission to reproduce the image. Image copyright ASLEF

The Miners’ Strike 1984-85

The Miners’ Strike of 1984/5 was in defence of the coal industry, to protect jobs and communities. By the end of the strike in March 1985, 200 mineworkers served time in prison or custody, 20,000 people had been injured and 966 mineworkers had been sacked by the NCB. Two members of the National Union of Mineworkers were killed on picket lines; David Jones on the 15th March 1984 and Joe Green on the 15th June 1984. Three people died digging for coal during the winter.

National Justice for Mineworkers Campaign

The National Justice for Mineworkers Campaign was formed at the 1985 Labour Party Conference and was launched at the Albert Hall, London, in October 1986. The objectives of the campaign are to keep the issue of those victimised miners to the forefront of the labour and trade union movement and to raise money to alleviate hardship among the families of the victimised men. The 966 men were originally sacked for no more than honouring picket lines, defending their jobs and pit communities, their class and the future of their children. Only a small number had been dismissed for offences against the person or damage to property. Many miners subsequently cleared by the courts were not re-instated and neither were many more who successfully won their cases for unfair dismissal at Industrial Tribunals. Many were even blacklisted from getting any work outside the coal industry.

The National Justice for Mineworkers Campaign is supported by the NUM, Labour Party, TUC conferences and many national & regional unions.

National Justice for Mineworkers Campaign,
Lancashire Area of the NUM,
Miners’ Offices,
2/4 Hilden Street,
Leigh
WN7 4LG

Web: www.justiceformineworkers.org.uk

A minimum of 10p of the purchase price of this card is donated to the NJMC.

Enamel badges of the National Union of Mineworkers

Many thanks to Brian Witts for information, advice and access to his collection. He produces the definitive book about the enamel badges and a large format poster using images of the badges to illustrate the wreckage caused by the Thatcher government to the mining industry and the mining communities. Brian ended his mining career at Littleton Colliery in the Midlands.

It is available at £25 a copy with £5 going to NJMC. Postage (January 2017) is £6 (UK only). Prices for orders of more than one copy are available on request . Please allow 14-28 days for delivery.

Payment via Paypal to: nine-one-seven@hotmail.com or alternatively send cheques payable to ‘nine-one-seven’ to 16 Druids Way, Penkridge, Staffs ST19 5HS
Payment by BACS Nine-one-seven Sort Code: 52-21-00 Account No: 18643450
For any enquiries please call: 07976 272247 / 01785 261213 or email nine-one-seven@hotmail.com

Photography by Martin Shakeshaft (NUJ)  www.strike84.co.uk