Fudbeer Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 I don't think you can really discuss the strike without mentioning Scargil or Thatcher. Much of was Scargil said has proved to be correct not least his claim about how many pits would be left in the future something many mocked him for at the time. However the way he went about the strike resulted in the unions going from being very powerful to having virtually no power at all. And the recent news about his finances make me seriously question his ethics. The devastation caused in many community's is really sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeMac Posted March 4, 2014 Share Posted March 4, 2014 Our biggest loss is energy security. That is undeniably down to the policies of the Thatcher Government. We are sitting on 300 years worth of coal. Much of it now unexploitable. Meanwhile, in another part of the world, this is happening. All you Thatcherites need to cross your fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allen Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 This is the one of the articles I was thinking of. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23028078 Thr antidepressants figure wrong and this was the article I was thinking of, so apologies for that. Still pretty sad reading though which is why the article stuck in my mind. Your 80% unemployed figure ......the article you mention says 25% of adults on benefits. That no doubt includes working tax credits,etc. Where does your 80% unemployed come from. Seriously......don't believe everything you read in the papers, or bbc journalists. The valleys of Wales certainly suffered when the mines closed. Listening to tales of those days from the "oldies" is fascinating. Folks here are resilient. They have largely recovered from the dark days. ---------- Post added 05-03-2014 at 01:36 ---------- We get cheaper stuff as a consumer society with a capital C that's all we want. The latest stuff, new stuff. Cheap stuff. It's not just us, in fact apart from the hardcore enclaves of self imposed misery we're alright. In South Wales you have, villages in beautiful countryside that from a distance look idyllic until you get there and see proper grinding poverty, 80% unemployment and literally half the adults on antidepressants. In South Yorkshire you are never a short ride from a fair size market town or major city where there are jobs, infrastructure etc. South Wales has sod all. Just to add.....it's no different here. If you are prepared to commute the jobs are there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geared Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yawn another thread about the strike. No-one's mentioned that more mines were closed by the governments before and after Thatcher. No-ones mentioned that many of the miners were properly re-trained and got decent jobs in other professions. No-ones mentioned that many of the mines were closed as they were unprofitable and/or dangerous to work in. Many of the miners were unhappy because they'd been told they'd have a 'job for life' but go talk to some of them and you'll find most are happy to have got out and got re-trained to work in other roles that gave decent money but less hazardous to their health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gluedtopc Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 OK let's re-open all the mines, then the Leftie tree-huggers will be wringing their hands because we are burning fossil fuels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geared Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 You'd probably find they were staffed entirely by Eastern Europeans because no other bugger would go down there now :hihi: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna B Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yawn another thread about the strike. No-one's mentioned that more mines were closed by the governments before and after Thatcher. No-ones mentioned that many of the miners were properly re-trained and got decent jobs in other professions. No-ones mentioned that many of the mines were closed as they were unprofitable and/or dangerous to work in. Many of the miners were unhappy because they'd been told they'd have a 'job for life' but go talk to some of them and you'll find most are happy to have got out and got re-trained to work in other roles that gave decent money but less hazardous to their health. I agree mining was a dangerous, health threatening job, so few would mourn its passing, but not all the ex miners found decent work to replace it, and new jobs were not evenly distributed, so many struggled. Embittered, long term, multi generational, unemployed communities was the result in some areas. I think this is where the underclass of benefit dependent people started. And the decline of the 'salt of the earth' working class began. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gluedtopc Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 You'd probably find they were staffed entirely by Eastern Europeans because no other bugger would go down there now :hihi: Blooming Foreigners coming over here and nicking all our coal ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Glypta Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Yawn another thread about the strike. No-one's mentioned that more mines were closed by the governments before and after Thatcher. No-ones mentioned that many of the miners were properly re-trained and got decent jobs in other professions. No-ones mentioned that many of the mines were closed as they were unprofitable and/or dangerous to work in. Many of the miners were unhappy because they'd been told they'd have a 'job for life' but go talk to some of them and you'll find most are happy to have got out and got re-trained to work in other roles that gave decent money but less hazardous to their health. Its what hold's Sheffield back. Who is going to invest in a region that is still dwelling on a 30 year old strike. They are probably still picketing Keaton's. The film of the Maggie burners went around the globe and said to investor all they needed to know about Sheffield. Get a plane somewhere else. There is nothing to see here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manlinose Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 Get a plane somewhere else. There is nothing to see here. i think the closure of the airport said that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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