Kate Sharpley
Well-Known Member
A phrase that doesn't appear often enough in the chronicles of human liberation.
British class struggle anarchists in the Miners' Strike 1984-1985
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Kate Sharpley
Well-Known Member
Letter [Dutch anarchist solidarity with the miners strike: De Vrije]
(Dutch anarchists organise holidays).
Interestingly, one of the people who went was interviewed in Gildea's 'Backbone of the nation' (p181)
(Dutch anarchists organise holidays).
Interestingly, one of the people who went was interviewed in Gildea's 'Backbone of the nation' (p181)
Kate Sharpley
Well-Known Member
Letter [Dutch anarchist solidarity with the miners strike: De Vrije]
Letter [Anarchist and Plymouth support for miners strike]
A State of Siege and The Iron Fist, both reports by Trade Unionists to the Yorkshire Area NUM. [Review]
For real industrial action (opinion)
DAM NUM Congress [Burnley Congress for Industrial Action, 1985]
Was the Miners Strike winnable?
Solidarity forever : the struggle goes on
Letter [Anarchist and Plymouth support for miners strike]
A State of Siege and The Iron Fist, both reports by Trade Unionists to the Yorkshire Area NUM. [Review]
For real industrial action (opinion)
DAM NUM Congress [Burnley Congress for Industrial Action, 1985]
Was the Miners Strike winnable?
Solidarity forever : the struggle goes on
Kate Sharpley
Well-Known Member
Wildcat wouldn't have described themselves as anarchists but the AnarComNetwork have reprinted one of their pieces to mark the anniversary
"Why are union officials so hostile to women becoming more actively involved in the strike? This demand challenges the very heart of trade unionism. For once you let the miners wives into the branch meetings, and elect them onto strike committees, a precedent is established. Once non-miners are allowed to fully participate in the strike, the way is open for more and more people to be drawn into the struggle until what you have is no longer a trade union dispute but a mass strike! In this situation, union leaders would lose any special claim to authority. They recognise this threat to their power. They are afraid of women activists who bluntly refuse to do what they tell them. No wonder they tell the women to “get back to the kitchens”."
The Miners Strike – 40 years on.
"Why are union officials so hostile to women becoming more actively involved in the strike? This demand challenges the very heart of trade unionism. For once you let the miners wives into the branch meetings, and elect them onto strike committees, a precedent is established. Once non-miners are allowed to fully participate in the strike, the way is open for more and more people to be drawn into the struggle until what you have is no longer a trade union dispute but a mass strike! In this situation, union leaders would lose any special claim to authority. They recognise this threat to their power. They are afraid of women activists who bluntly refuse to do what they tell them. No wonder they tell the women to “get back to the kitchens”."
The Miners Strike – 40 years on.
Serge Forward
Just enjoyin' my coffee.
I'm still in touch with someone from the 1980s Wildcat (later Subversion) group. Kate Sharpley, you want me to ask them to get in touch with you?
Kate Sharpley
Well-Known Member
Invisible or just underrated? Thoughts on anarchist solidarity with the Miners’ Strike of 1984-85
"I think the anarchist disinterest in recruiting and self-promotion (certainly compared to the ‘revolutionary parties’ of the left), coupled with their involvement with the grassroots action partly explains why their actions are now less visible. ‘The strategy, if we could give it so grand a title, that many anarchists adopted was to support the miners. Consequently much of that support work relied on having conversations with miners and their families and working out how we could help them. That help was very rarely trumpeted, just done. Maybe printing leaflets and posters, helping with food provision, sitting on picket lines to give some a break, organising speaking events for miners both here and overseas. Sometimes just listening and occasionally trying to answer questions about what we felt was going on “out there”. Consequently for the historians there is not a lot of hard material they can use.’" [quoting Barry Pateman]
Invisible or just underrated? Thoughts on anarchist solidarity with the Miners’ Strike of 1984-85 (The issue has several reprints of articles from the time of the strike).
"I think the anarchist disinterest in recruiting and self-promotion (certainly compared to the ‘revolutionary parties’ of the left), coupled with their involvement with the grassroots action partly explains why their actions are now less visible. ‘The strategy, if we could give it so grand a title, that many anarchists adopted was to support the miners. Consequently much of that support work relied on having conversations with miners and their families and working out how we could help them. That help was very rarely trumpeted, just done. Maybe printing leaflets and posters, helping with food provision, sitting on picket lines to give some a break, organising speaking events for miners both here and overseas. Sometimes just listening and occasionally trying to answer questions about what we felt was going on “out there”. Consequently for the historians there is not a lot of hard material they can use.’" [quoting Barry Pateman]
Invisible or just underrated? Thoughts on anarchist solidarity with the Miners’ Strike of 1984-85 (The issue has several reprints of articles from the time of the strike).
Kate Sharpley
Well-Known Member
We have just put up:
Miner Conflict – Major Impact : an Anarchist Communist perspective on the Miners' Strike 1984-85
by Dreyfus
The author was in Stoke-on-Trent and involved with the Careless Talk Collective before and during the strike.
Miner Conflict – Major Impact : an Anarchist Communist perspective on the Miners' Strike 1984-85
Here's a flavour of what happened when they went to Fitzwilliam:
‘As supporters of our strike we welcome you to Fitzwilliam so long as you do what you’re told and follow our lead. We don’t know yet whether you are good lefties or bad lefties and we’ve seen a lot! So long as you remember that this is OUR strike and you are here on our terms. If you behave yourselves and don’t criticise the strike or the Union, I’m sure we’ll all get along just fine’.
Laughter and groans of agreement followed, and then the invitation to introduce ourselves. We hadn’t drafted anything but knew there was no value to our visit unless we could be honest and transparent no matter what the outcome. Respect and clarity was what we had agreed. It was my turn and remember it well:
“Thank you for your welcome. We have no idea whether you will see us as good lefties or bad lefties but we are not here to preach or deceive or to tell anyone how to run a strike. But we should be clear that we have a vested interest in its outcome .
“We are not here to lick your arses because you are striking miners. Most of us are queer, unemployed, poor and under attack. Much of what you have experienced here has been experienced in our communities for years.
“We are here to share our struggles in solidarity with yours because if you win, our lives get better, and if you lose, our lives get worse. And if we have something we think or want to say about this strike or your union we will do you the honour and courtesy of telling you to your face.”
To our surprise and joy we got a rapturous enthusiastic round of cheers and applause followed by a raucous rendition of an Irish republican song!
Miner Conflict – Major Impact : an Anarchist Communist perspective on the Miners' Strike 1984-85
by Dreyfus
The author was in Stoke-on-Trent and involved with the Careless Talk Collective before and during the strike.
Miner Conflict – Major Impact : an Anarchist Communist perspective on the Miners' Strike 1984-85
Here's a flavour of what happened when they went to Fitzwilliam:
‘As supporters of our strike we welcome you to Fitzwilliam so long as you do what you’re told and follow our lead. We don’t know yet whether you are good lefties or bad lefties and we’ve seen a lot! So long as you remember that this is OUR strike and you are here on our terms. If you behave yourselves and don’t criticise the strike or the Union, I’m sure we’ll all get along just fine’.
Laughter and groans of agreement followed, and then the invitation to introduce ourselves. We hadn’t drafted anything but knew there was no value to our visit unless we could be honest and transparent no matter what the outcome. Respect and clarity was what we had agreed. It was my turn and remember it well:
“Thank you for your welcome. We have no idea whether you will see us as good lefties or bad lefties but we are not here to preach or deceive or to tell anyone how to run a strike. But we should be clear that we have a vested interest in its outcome .
“We are not here to lick your arses because you are striking miners. Most of us are queer, unemployed, poor and under attack. Much of what you have experienced here has been experienced in our communities for years.
“We are here to share our struggles in solidarity with yours because if you win, our lives get better, and if you lose, our lives get worse. And if we have something we think or want to say about this strike or your union we will do you the honour and courtesy of telling you to your face.”
To our surprise and joy we got a rapturous enthusiastic round of cheers and applause followed by a raucous rendition of an Irish republican song!
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