C4 A Miners' Strike "revelations"

[Kromovaracun]

http://blogs.channel4.com/paul-mason-blog/thatcher-miners-official-papers-confirm-strikers-worst-suspicions/265

Could any ABers who were there at the time explain to me why this article has such a tone of outrage? It seems fairly obvious that the govt was opposing the Unions - by the time of the Miners' strike they had become extremely destructive.

Is this article clutching at straws to try and make us angry?

[Gromit]

Zac
Because it broke the car unions. Nissan's plant was run by those affiliated to the Amalgamated Engineering Union and had a single union agreement. If we were to have car manufacturing then at least a weak union represented one is better.

My statement was a bit sweeping and probably needs clarifying. She didn't have time for nationalised car manufacturing. I'm not saying she was wrong on that, the current state of the industry is much better than in the 1970s and 1980s.

[Zacs-Master]

Ah ok. But it is a good example against the 'Thatcher destroyed our manufacturing industries'.

[Gromit]

Zacs

Yep, I concede it was a mistake to include the car industry.

Mrs T did rid herself of the nationalised car industry, privatising it and selling it into foreign ownership. But that meant it wasn't shackled by lack of investment and has mostly done well since.

[Zeuhl]

Just read through this thread.

I now know things and have insights into this subject I didn't have before thanks to several contributors.

AB News at its best. Thanks everybody.

[ChillDoubt]

Gromit,
Bersham Colliery, N. Wales.

[Zacs-Master]

Zeuhl....maybe you could make a film about it? ;-)

[Zeuhl]

Yes zac

How about

'Twelve Years an AB Addict' ?

[ToraToraTora]

Zeuhl, glad to be of service, I hope even my own contributions have added to your knowledge!

[mushroom25]

does this period of history feature in the national curriculum?

since most of today's teachers would have been (at best) children at the time, it would be interesting to know what political slant is highlighted to today's students.

[Zacs-Master]

Zeuhl....probably not enough of a snappy title for some. And be careful about the tone of skin of the lead actor!

[Zeuhl]

Yes T3 - even yours LOL

(I've just checked)

;-)

[Zeuhl]

LOL zacs

AB addict skin tone?

Well pale I suppose - very pale

[jomifl]

I used to work for the power industry at the time of the miner's strike. There was little sympathy for the miners amongst the power industry workers that I knew as they were used to coming to accommodations and avoiding strikes. As a result of the picketing the power industry began to 'strike proof' itself. This entailed building stockpiles of those supplies essential to electricity generation which were normally delivered on a regular basis.