'28 October is the most vital day for decision in the history of the mine worker. In these words, Arthur Scargill, President of the miners union, addressed over 3,000 South Wales miners in the first of the mass rallies to win backing for the NUM ballot for strike action The decision of the miners will be vital for the whole working class movement. A spirit of determination is welling up inside the working class. The water workers struck solidly on Monday in their first ever national strike. The strength of feeling that exists resulted in strike action even before the management had made an offer - much to the fury of the Tory press.
Telecom workers followed with a massive turn-out for their one-day strike on Wednesday. They are determined to prevent the Tories privatising their industry.
Meanwhile overwhelming pressure is mounting for all-out strike action by the health unions to bring their five month battle to a speedy conclusion.
*The British miners can be a catalyst that can spark off the fight against the Tory government stated Mick McGahey. NUM vice-president at the same South Wales rally. 'The Tories can only chase you if you're running. It's time we stopped running, stood firm and started to fight back'.
Any retreat has been seized on by the Tories. As Scargill put it: 'if you want to avoid the butchery of British Steel and British Rail; If you want to maintain your jobs and those of your grandchildren, then there is only one answer: Vote 'yes' in the ballot'.
This same question is facing nearly all sectors. It faces the steel workers threatened with more redundancies. It faces car workers at British Leyland and Vauxall who have rejocted company offers.
This has a meaning for the Labour leaders. Again, as Arthur Scargill put it: 'Our message is that the next Labour government has one prime objective: to show the same loyalty to their class as the Tories do to theirs. Mick McGahey, Scottish NUM Ieader 'The Tories can only chase you if you're running' Arthur Scargill