Dear James,
I read about your strike during my attendance at the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers ( RMT) trade union Annual General Meeting in Birmingam.
It is clear that mining companies in America are as determined to crush trade unions as the Rail Company and Government in the UK,
This policy is in part due to Globalisation which seeks higher profits for companies at the expense of workers, a policy which the UK together with the Nationalised National Coal Board in 1984/85, a policy which they had fought and lost in 1972 and 1974 when Britain's miners not only won their legitimate wages and jobs claim in full, but in the process forced the Government to call a General Election on the slogan " who rules Britain"
We won because we had solidarity action from workers in other industries who respected our picket line's and in 1972 secured victory when workers in other sections ignored right wing leadership and answered a call to take solidarity strike action in spite of legislation which the government sought to use, they simply took Strike action and joined miners on the picket line in what became known as " The Battle of Saltley Gate "
In 1984/85 miners would have won if trade unions in other industries had taken the same strike action as the workers did in Birmingam in 1972. As a result of that failure the longest strike in Britain's history ( One Year and Two Months) ended by 98 votes to 91 votes.
The three NUM National Officals, the President Arthur Scargill, Vice President Mick McGahey and General Secretary Peter Heathfield all stood firm and supported continuing the strike.
As a result of that decision and the para- military police force the miners returned to work and the Government systematically closed all of Britain's Pits, and the price is we are now in a crisis with energy prices rocketing and a panic striven government re-opened coal fired Power Stations.
On behalf of the International Energy and Mining Organisation ( IEMO) and the Socialist Labour Party we send our support to the courageously miners, their partners and children and we hope that other workers in America will give you the same support the United States Government is giving to the Coal Owners.
Yours in Solidarity
Arthur Scargill -,- President IEMO
and Leader Socialist Labour Party
9/7/2022
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