Notts miners on a march
Striking miners from Bolsover, Nottingham, 14th April 1984. John Harris/reportdigital.co.uk
The coffin was made by Geoff Poulter , Branch Secretary of Bolsover Branch. The coffin was used to collect money to keep the miners' families going. Geoff was one of the members of the Nottinghamshire NUM who were loyal to their union. He was sacked after the strike. As with many members of the NUM, his story has yet to be told in full.
Can you assist us in identifying the miners in the photograph?
The Miners’ Strike of 1984/5
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.
The National Justice for Mineworkers Campaign
The National Justice for Mineworkers Campaign was formed at the 1985 Labour 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 Justice Campaign is supported by the NUM, Labour Party, TUC conferences and many national & regional unions.
National Justice for Mineworkers Campaign
2 Hilden Street
Leigh
WN7 4LG
www.njfm.org.uk
01942 606 828
Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign
The Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign includes ex-miners, Trades Unionists, activists and others who are determined to get justice for miners who were victims of police lies and cover ups at Orgreave in June 1984.
The campaign is strictly non-party political and welcomes support from anyone who has genuine concerns about the pattern of deception and cover up that characterised police behaviour not only at Orgreave but throughout the coalfields during the strike.
http://otjc.org.uk/
The photograph
Photography by John Harris. John Harris / Report Digital
Have a look at other images here. http://www.reportdigital.co.uk/
