The call for a nation-wide miners’ walkout, which contributed to the 1984-85 Miners’ strike, has reached its 40th anniversary today.
The year long strike took place after Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government planned the closure of 20 coal pits, which saw ¾ of the mining community walk out.
Despite the Miners’ year-long protests, the government eventually closed all mining pits in 2015.
Chris Kitchen, the General Secretary of the National Union of Miners’ and Secretary of National Union of Miners’ Yorkshire Area, said: “I was proud at the time and perhaps even prouder now”
The Battle of Orgreave is perhaps what is remembered from the strike where police and miners clashed, however, people have different recollections.
John Dunn, a miner who was arrested during the strike, said: “Draconian policing anti-strike and anti-protest legislation is designed to criminalise us and shut us up.”
Mr Kitchen also added: “When you looked down it was like a scene from a Roman War film, I didn’t notice the police horses at the time.”
Mr Kitchen also said: “it was meticulously planned to chase us back. Mineworkers are still being victimised today.”
Those who lost their jobs had to retrain in a different profession and faced hardship.
Kevin Horne, an Orgreave Truth and Justice activist, said that “Upset and anger in ex mining communities” was still felt.
The first pit that the National Coal Board planned to close and some argue may have led to the strike was Cortonwood Colliery in Wombwell, Barnsley. More information about the 1984-85 strike can be found at: https://num.org.uk/
