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| | The Militant - May 18, 2004 -- UK coal miners mark 1984-85 strike |
 | | Despite the fact that only 30 of the 2,500 miners in Coalville, Leicestershire, were on strike, for example, coal mined there was never moved because of solidarity action by the town’s 150 rail workers, who stood solid throughout the strike despite the sacking of three of their number. |
| | In one example, a recent documentary on the strike shown on the Channel Four television channel described picketing miners as “storm troopers” and “hit squads,” and likened union actions to a “blitzkreig”—comments reminiscent of Thatcher’s statement during the strike that the miners were “the enemy within.” |
| | Lasting one year, the strike pitted more than 100,000 miners and countless other working people against the mine bosses and the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher, who were driving to close unprofitable mines, privatize the nationalized industry, and destroy tens of thousands of jobs. |
| www.themilitant.com /2004/6819/681910.html (1375 words) |
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