THE COMING struggle in the mines is likely to be a long and bitter one. It will involve not only the miners but their wives and families in tremendous sacrifices. Already miners’ families will have discovered that one of Thatcher’s measures in 1980 has deprived them of between £12 and £14 a week in social security benefits. This cut is made in the already meagre allowance on the basis of presumed strike pay—whether or not a miner is receiving any.
The media is already going full steam to try and turn the real concern felt by miners’ wives at this prospect into real anti-strike feeling. Thus the handful of wives opposing the Yorkshire pickets at Ollerton are given star treatment by the yellow press, with headlines such as ‘Pit wives smash picket invasion!’ (The Sun)
Active support
Miners and their wives must take immediate steps to counter this black propaganda. They must take a leaf out of the Ford workers’ wives book. In the 1978 dispute they organised an immediate counter-march by wives and children when the press tried a similar tactic. Above all women must not be left at home, isolated and at the mercy of the bosses’ media. They must be won to active support of the strike through the union organising meetings to explain the issues, providing childcare facilities to let the wives attend. The women must organise themselves into support committees to help with spreading the strike and with picket duties and welfare work.
Vital role
Any miner who saw the vital role of the women’s clubs in the Harlan County miners’ strike should recognise their importance—indeed militant miners and their wives should ensure this film is shown in miners’ clubs during the strike. These American women can show the NUM a thing or two. If the women organise in this way, they can only strengthen the strike movement. It must not be left up to the bosses to organise them against it.
