verness last week message to the union rights.
Miners' leader Arthur Scargill set the theme on the first day when he said: It we do not save our pits from closure then all our other struggles become meaningless Without jobs our members are nothing EnCY Ilave lu I hope therefore power ... unal conlerence will dorse my call to make opDELEGATES at the miners conference in Inspelt out a very clear Tory government. Mine workers are ready to fight. Ready to fight pit closures, ready to fight for a decent wage for the job. Ready to fight Tebbit's attack on trade position to pit closure its central task.
Some 12 pits have beer closed and 18,000 jobs los the mining since February strike. Delegates not only overwhelmingly UDDUSC ciosures. but supported a resolution irom Kent demanding the replacement of those lost jobs backing the demand with industrial action if necessary.
Delegates made short work of the Tory lie that low increases necessary maintain jobs. Many pointed to the massacre of the pits which took place the 60's. Over 500 pits were closec and 500,000 jobs were lost. Anne same me waces el to Arthur Scargill called an sullie lever Accordingly, conference backed a claim for a 30 per cent increase in the basic minimum wage.
In his opening address Scargill pointed out the connection between jobs and wages in the industry allu the wider political by calliul. ourselves, tackle the problem of unemployment to solve that we need to get rid this government which is using unemployment as an incomes policy and as a means of weakening the trade union movement.' Conference called for 'militant resistance to the application anti-trade union laws' and demanded that the initiate strategy of total opposition based on deeds not words' Delegates who also voted unanimously to give total support to ASLE their and urged miners to show solidarity by joining the railworkers on the picket lines.
Motion This first conference with Scargill in the chair saw fundamental . organisational changes being set motion which are aesignea to turn ine unior more democrațic and effective fighting unit.
On the picket lines sufficiency by strikers. final resort.
In September 1925 the Organisatior for Ene Maintenance of Supplie was formed. It said 'This Organisation of Citizens general community, will place its entire resources at the disposal of the constitutional authorities. The OMS was given strong support by the govern. ment.
The_leadership of the British Fascists greeted the OMS and their organisation virtually disappeared варваро One immediate result is that the miners will be seen to mean business over th years' pay campaign. If no agreement in negotiations Base cancey early November an immediate overunne Dal wil be posed and a special delegate conterence convened The Suructure union is to be reorganised with all fulltime officials to for • re-election every five years.
Smaller craft and al cas amalgamated reducing the numbers or seats on ine THE strategy of the Baldwin government in preparing for a general strike was regional self. organised by trusted people of military and civil experience to be backed up by civilian volunteers to staff the services vacated Troops were to be used only in the into it. On Monday 3 May at the onset of the strike the OMS handed over its organisation and membership of 100,000 lo the government. had managed to train 144 bus drivers, 1,322 lorry drivers, , 640 railway operatives, i alliwal workers and assorted OLlICIS The managed to recruit some So trains , that moved at all did so with labour drawi Undergraduate volunteers in FoirIste jerseys and plup-lours jumped and 'Cramlington. NEC This means that larger areas such as Not tinghamshire and Yorkshire will have more keeping then larger membership and remove the right base.
This conference is seen by most NUM members a one of the most important in recent vears. Policy ha been decided which Wil provide a clear programme action union leadership, and there is a Concence that tions carried will be acted from the middle classes and upper Class univer sities. The , problems are shown by the accompanying article from the TUC strike bulletin of 11 May 1926.
The lack of ability to anything Devone shuttle service without the rectal Crew. wan highlighted by the strike Westminste Worker on 12 May 1926 which said: 'We understand that luncheon cars are to be put on trains run ning between Westminster and Blackfriars.
Details laken from The General Strike Britain's Aborted Christopher Farman.
Ine/ Available Other Bookshon 328 Upper
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Who drove the trains in the General Strike?